Slade set for full IGTC campaign in Ferrari

Tim Slade will join factory-supported Ferrari outfit HubAuto Corsa in this year’s four remaining Intercontinental GT Challenge races.

Part of Slade’s calendar will see the 34-year-old contest the world’s biggest FIA GT3-based race, the Total 24 Hours of Spa.

Slade will also contest the Suzuka 10 Hours, Indianapolis 8 Hour and the season-ending Kyalami 9 Hour.

In February it was announced Slade would also contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Taiwan-based team.

HubAuto Corsa earned a GTE-Am entry to the race after winning the GT Teams’ Championship in the 2019/20 Asian Le Mans Series.

Slade said he’s looking forward to his forthcoming campaign.

“Le Mans is an extremely exciting opportunity, it’s such an iconic event and it has such a rich history. It’s a great privilege to have the opportunity to do it,” said Slade.

“In Thailand the team finally had a trouble free run and showed their full potential. The team provided a fast car, maximised the strategy and we came through with a dominant win.

“I’m really happy for Morris Chen (team owner) and for the team to get the series win and entry to Le Mans. To be part of it all is pretty exciting.

“There is no expense spared and it’s a really professional team. Morris has been around for a long time, he knows what’s required to make it as good as it possibly can be.

A former full-timer in the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Slade will dovetail his GT3 exploits with a co-driver role alongside Scott McLaughlin at the Shell V-Power Racing Team in this year’s Pirtek Enduro Cup.

“It wasn’t really my decision, there weren’t really any other options,” Slade said of racing in Supercars this year.

“But in saying that, I am 100 percent happy and satisfied with what I am doing this year.

“I am quite excited by the change, I am doing what I want to do. I have done the same thing for the last 11 years and I’m excited to race with Scott and Penske for obvious reasons.

“To be able to have the opportunity to do such iconic races in the GT category is pretty amazing, it should be a really enjoyable year.”

Proceedings at Le Mans begin with a test day on May 30 before practice itself gets underway on June 10, while the 24 Hours of Spa event commences on July 23.