Lowndes makes early start to 2015 GT plans

Missing out on racing in February’s Bathurst 12 Hour has increased Craig Lowndes’ determination to compete in more offshore GT events next season.

Lowndes won this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour with Ferrari squad Maranello Motorsport, but will not return to the event next year due to the much-publicised clash with V8 Supercars’ pre-season test at Sydney Motorsport Park.

The 40-year-old says he will soon start working with his management on international GT plans for 2015, with the Le Mans, Daytona and Spa 24 Hour races all on the hit-list.

Lowndes competed at Spa with AF Corse in late July after failing to raise the required budget in time for Le Mans the previous month.

While next year’s Spa date is yet to be confirmed, the recent release of the V8 Supercars schedule confirmed that Le Mans and its pre-event test day are again free.

“We’ll be sitting down in the next couple of weeks and sorting through what races we can do next year,” Lowndes told Speedcafe.com.

“Whether it’s Spa, Le Mans or Daytona, we really want to get to those events even more so because we can’t do Bathurst.

“Le Mans has obviously been on the hit-list for a long time so now that we know it’s clear, we can start talking to teams. The earlier we start doing it the better.

“Missing out on the 12 Hour is disappointing but it’s what we’ve got and we’re looking at our options.”

The United SportsCar Series’ January 24-25 scheduling for Daytona is meanwhile well clear of any V8 commitments and could also provide an opportunity for Lowndes.

Fellow V8 Supercars driver Shane van Gisbergen debuted in the event this year for Porsche squad Alex Job Racing and is expected to return in 2015.

“We’ve got to sit down and have a look at it,” said Lowndes of Daytona.

“When Gizzy went over this year he surprised a lot of people.

“There’s been a lot of talk about him, which is good for the rest of us in V8 world.

“Hopefully it helps open doors for us, but of course we’ve got to go and find our own teams and budgets and create the opportunities.”

Despite forging a strong link with AF Corse and Ferrari during his Bathurst and Spa campaigns, Lowndes stressed that he will be looking at all options in the GT classes.

“We’re open to anything that’s available,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that it’d be nice to go back (to Europe) with AF Corse, but if we can get a drive with anything over there it’d be a great result.”

In addition to Ferrari 458s, the United SportsCar Series boasts offerings from BMW, Corvette, Dodge, Porsche, Audi and Aston Martin across its two GT classes.