Sanna: McLaren Seeking ‘Quality Over Quantity’ in Trophy Grid
Photo: Dan Bathie/McLaren
McLaren is looking to focus on quality over quantity as it continues to expand the grid of its Trophy America singe-make series according to Giorgio Sanna.
Sanna, the recently appointed head of motorsport for McLaren Automotive, is overseeing the growth of the British manufacturer’s GT racing programs after previously helping transforming Lamborghini into one of the leading customer racing options worldwide.
A total of 16 McLaren Artura Trophy EVO cars are set for this weekend’s pair of season opening races at Sonoma Raceway, which kicks off the second season of racing in North America.
The grid was set to feature two additional cars, under the Hooper Street Racing by OMS banner, but were both forced to withdraw after Bob Stoddard sustained an injury in a pre-season testing accident.
“We were targeting to have 18 cars for the first round,” Sanna told Sportscar365. “Unfortunately we lost three cars during the pre season test last week; that’s a big shame.
“Now we’re working with the teams to recover the cars. We expect to go over 20 cars for Miami, for the second round.
“In general, we’re happy. The teams are very happy. The car is very matured.
“All of the drivers, from the gentlemen drivers that feel the car is very easy to drive and very predictable. That’s the main characteristic of the Artura Trophy on the technical side.
“The young drivers are also good and what is positive also is that we’re increasing the number of young drivers in the series. This will happen also in Europe.
“It’s the result of the new McLaren Trophy Academy that we are launching. I’m happy about it.”
When asked for his car count target by seasons’ end, Sanna admitted he’s not concentrated on meeting a specific number but rather ensuring a quality field of competitors.
“It’s fine this year if we have an average of around 20 cars,” he said. “It can be 22 in some rounds or 18 in some others.
“In parallel, we’re also growing in terms of organization, technical support.
“We also need this year to continue to progress internally to improve ourself in terms of customer support to be ready to have a bigger field next season.
“That’s also the strategy in Europe. At this moment we’re not interested in the quantity of the cars. We are more interested in providing quality.
“I prefer to have quality teams and to provide quality work in terms of support, and then step by step, raise the bar and grow in terms of number of cars.”
Greystone GT, one of the founding teams in McLaren Trophy Europe that will expand into the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup this year with a McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, is present this weekend in Sonoma, marking the second team from Trophy Europe to cross over.
“We expect also that a few American teams will join some rounds in Europe,” revealed Sanna. “That’s good because it’s part of the family feeling that we have in McLaren. It’s really a community.
“What I felt in the last few months, starting in my new role, is the loyalty of the drivers and the teams with the brand.
“That’s very strong; you can see it. Whenever we go to race or what we propose to them, everybody’s always enthusiastic.”
Sanna said that “very important” progress will be made in both Trophy America and Europe later this year, as part of McLaren Motorsport’s “global picture” for the single-make series.
“In the next two months we will start to announce some very important news for the Trophy in America and Europe in terms of schedule but also in terms of contents,” he said.
“There are already new teams coming.
“In Miami there will be two new teams entering. In Europe, we have new European teams joining the series. I underline European because most of the grid was based on British teams until today.
“This part of the global expansion of McLaren Motorsport to the Trophy series is important.”
Sanna Aiming to Grow McLaren’s GTWC America Presence
In addition to building the grid in Trophy America, Sanna is hoping to have a stronger presence in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS, the headline series that runs as part of the SRO America weekends.
Currently, a single GT3 car is fielded by Archangel Motorsports for Aaron Telitz and Todd Coleman in the Pro-Am class.
“The target is to grow in general,” said Sanna. “On the GT3 side, we need a couple of years to grow. What we are doing now in Trophy is to create a solid base for the future GT3 generation.
“Of course, GT World Challenge America is very strategic for us. First for the market and second for the global standing with SRO.
“Of course we’re looking to increase the number of cars here.”
Source: Sports Car 365