Brits Jon Lancaster, Jem Hepworth Join Cameron Lawrence and Rafael Martinez for the American-Based Efforts Second Visit to Europe
MISANO, Italy (May 16, 2024) – RAFA Racing returns back to the SRO GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club for rounds three and four, where the team’s pair of McLaren Artura GT4s will be co-driven by Jon Lancaster and Rafael Martinez in the Pro-Am class and Jem Hepworth and Cameron Lawrence in Silver.
The RAFA Racing team will race twice this weekend on the 4.064 km (2.525 mi) Misano World Circuit. The first 60-minute race is at 4:35 p.m. local time (9:35 a.m. CDT at the team’s headquarters in Texas) on Saturday, May 18. The Sunday, May 19 race gets the green flag at 12:15 p.m. local time (5:15 a.m. CDT). Both races can be seen live around the world on the Series YouTube page at YouTube.com/GTWorld.
Lancaster, the British professional driver, will team with Martinez in the No. 812 RAFA Racing Club McLaren Arturo GT4. The duo combined for a pair of 12th-place finishes in the season-opener at Circuit Paul Ricard. Since then, the two have gone to work on two continents, both as drivers and with the RAFA Racing technical advisors in Greystone GT. A two-day test at Spa-Francorchamps helped further develop the McLaren Artura GT4, aided even more by two days of coaching and driving at Circuit of the Americas near the RAFA Racing home base in Austin, Texas.
That testing will also benefit the duo of Hepworth and Lawrence, who ended the opening weekend by advancing 16 positions during Sunday’s race to finish in the top 15 overall with the No. 81 RAFA Racing Club Mclaren Artura GT4. Like their teammates, both Hepworth and Cameron are racing at the track for the first time. “Race As Family Always,” the RAFA Racing motto, means that the shared data will push both cars forward beginning with Thursday’s test sessions.
The two RAFA Racing Mclarens will join a field of 49 GT4 cars at the Italian track. The field will be split in during Saturday’s qualifying to ensure all competitors get the best chance to set a clear lap. Silver runners will have their own qualifying session, with Pro-Am and Am entries combined in the other. Both races will feature the full field together, as is standard.
The weekend officially gets underway with a pair of Friday practices that leads into Saturday’s 9:35 a.m. local time qualifying. Qualifying, Saturday’s 4:35 p.m. race, and Sunday’s 12:15 p.m. race will all be streamed at YouTube.com/GTWorld.
RAFA Racing Quote Board
Jon Lancaster, Driver, No. 812 McLaren Arturo: “I’m super excited for this round of the European GT4 Series with RAFA Racing. We’ve been working extra hard between Paul Ricard and now with two really successful test days at Spa and really got down into the car with things we want to do and the direction we want to go. On top of that we had two very successful coaching days with Rafael at his home track of Circuit of the Americas, where we pushed him through some mental barriers that should help when we get to the really high-speed corners at Misano where the car is really going to move around. Rafael will should really now be able to take that in stride and that will bring him a lot closer to the pace. I’m super confident we’re going into this weekend ready for some personal bests all the way through. Who knows, if we fall a little bit lucky we can come out with something shiny to put on the mantlepiece. Misano is a track I tested at some time ago, but it will be a new race experience for me. But I’ve done my homework and can’t wait to get going.”
Rafael Martinez, Driver, No. 812 McLaren Arturo: “I’m looking forward to round two at Misano. With round one under our belts, the team has learned quite a bit about the car. We were making quite a bit of adjustments throughout the weekend last time out and had some serious damage and mechanical issues on one of the cars so with better luck we will have better results. Personally, I have taken a big step forward in my confidence and comfort in the car and cannot wait to see how that translates into the weekend.”
Jem Hepworth, Driver, No. 81 McLaren Arturo: “I’m feeling confident as we head into Misano. We had some unfortunate issues at Paul Ricard which made us miss practice but me and Cameron showed our potential in the races. Misano looks to suit the car a little better than Paul Ricard and we had a successful two-day test there. Let’s see what we can do!”
Cameron Lawrence, Driver, No. 81 McLaren Arturo: “I’m very excited to get back on track with RAFA Racing for this weekend at Misano. We feel a bit more prepared after our first event and experience with the series. We’re hoping that our testing and the knowledge we gained helps move us up the field this weekend and start showing stronger results.”
About RAFA Racing Club:
RAFA Racing, utilizing the motto “Race As Family Always,” is a motorsports club and race team founded by and made for high-performance auto drivers, supporters, and fans of all types. Started by Rafael Martinez, the Club aims to create a space for high-performance car enthusiasts to enjoy like-minded individuals, network and share ideas on and off the track, and bond as one team with a common interest. The RAFA Racing Team made its debut in 2023 with a runner-up finish in the McLaren Trophy Europe Series, and expands that footprint to include Porsche Sprint Challenge North America and SRO GT4 Europe in 2024. The Club’s off-track presence can be felt on social media and beyond, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook and at RafaRacing.Club.
