Swedish BMW-team WestCoast Racing increases the GT-programme and will join the ADAC GT Masters field for a full season of the championship in 2012. Fredrik Lestrup is confirmed as one of the two drivers of the BMW Z4 GT3. He drove for WestCoast Racing in 2011 when he drove two races in GT Masters in addition to a full season of the Swedish GT-championship where won the drivers championship. He is now preparing himself for a season in one of the most competitive GT-championships.
”It’s fantastic to get this vote of confidence from the team and now a big challenge in GT Masters awaits us,” Fredrik says. ”It’s one of the toughest GT-championships currently with over 42 cars on the grid and a lot of very good drivers. I’ve never looked forward to the start of a season as much as I do this year. I really enjoy myself with WestCoast Racing and it feels great to be able to take this big step together with them.”

Fredrik Lestrup got a taste of the competition last year when he drove two races for the team in GT Masters as a preparation for this year. He knows what lies ahead and think the team has a good chance to fight.
”The races last year showed we can muster the speed to fight at the top but it also confirmed what we already knew, that the competition here is seriously tough and the margins between first and last place are very small. For this year BMW has spent a lot of time and resources to update and develop the car and it will be needed. We will of course give it all and if the new car is fast I have no doubt about us being up there fighting at the top.”

Team manager Dick Jönsson Wigroth had no hesitation resigning Fredrik Lestrup to the team. He describes it as a straight forward decision for 2012 which will be one of the most intense racing seasons for the team with a total of six cars competing in championships both in Sweden and Germany.
”Already when we started working with Fredrik last year we planned of doinga  full season in GT Masters together in 2012 and it’s great that we are there now,” Dick says. ”Fredrik showed us last year that not only is he quick but he works very well together with the team and was an important part of our development work with the new car. It was an easy decision to continue together. There’s no doubt we will face maybe the toughest GT-competition you currently can race against but we want to race against the best. It’s a new challenge both for Fredrik and WestCoast Racing, a challenge we are looking forward to tackle.”

The ADAC GT Masters programme also means the team’s long cooperation with BMW Sweden and BMW Motorsport further strengthens.
”Not only are we increasing the team, we are also increasing our close cooperation with BMW even more. In 2012 we will represent BMW in three different championships both in Sweden in the newly formed TTA and the Swedish GT championship as well as BMW Motorsport in ADAC GT Masters. It’s very stimulation and a bog honour for us.”

The second driver will be revealed shortly. The ADAC GT Masters season starts the last weekend in March at Oschersleben in Germany and will run over eight weekends with two one-hour long races each race weekend. The season finale is at Hockenheim in September.

Racecalendar ADAC GT Masters 2012:

March 31st – April 1st Oschersleben
May 5th-6th: Zandvoort
June 9th-10th: Sachsenring
July 14th-15th: Nürburgring
August 11th-12th: Red Bull Ring
August 25th-26th: Lausitzring
September 15th-16th: Nürburgring
September 29th-30th: Hockenheim

Fredrik Lestrup:

Born: July 11th 1984
Lives: Stockholm
Occupation: Racing driver, self employed
2011:
Swedish GT-champion BMW Z4 GT3. 4 victories, 2 pole position
Third MINI Challenge Germany, 1victory, 8 podiums