After a one-off entry at her GT4 debut, Jessica Bäckman is set to contest the remainder of the GT4 European Championship calendar, behind the wheel of the racing one Aston Martin GT4 shared with her brother Andreas.
Swedish racer Jessica Bäckman made her GT4 racing debut this year, after spending all her racing career after graduating from karting in touring cars. Bäckman, 25, is in fact teamed up with her brother Andreas in her first campaign of GT4 competitions at the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 in the ADAC GT4 Germany, which got underway last weekend at Oschersleben, Germany.
Bäckman, who was selected for a driver shootout in the US at the end of last year and first got to drive Aston Martin GT4 machinery - decided to make the full time switch to GT racing after enjoying success in TCR sanctioned series, where Jessica scored four races wins and collected 2 pole positions and 14 podium finishes in five different championships. She also became the first - and only - woman to have scored points in the World Touring Car Cup.
She entered for the very first time a GT4 race in GT Winter Series, where immediately secured two second place finishes at Navarra, in a PROsport entry.
Bäckman was then appointed as part of the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy programme, as she prepared for the ADAC GT4 rookie season.
As part of the preparation, Jessica and Andreas Bäckman entered the first round of the continental series GT4 Europe at Monza, where the Swedish siblings shared the PROsport Aston Martin for the first time, in what was supposed to be a one-off entry.
The Bäckman siblings now announce that they will continue their GT4 European Championship campaign for a full schedule program with racing one, starting from this weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard.
"Super happy and grateful that we get this opportunity from racing one after our positive GT4 debut at Monza, this is exactly what we need to develop as drivers in GT4 racing", commented Jessica Bäckman.
Jessica and Andreas were the protagonists of a remarkable qualifying effort at their series debut in Monza and, despite some technical gremlins, they often battled for the top ten in one of the most competitive GT4 fields in the world, with over 50 entries.
They will be eager to carry momentum and finally capitalize on their speed from the second round at Le Castellet, in the South of France, as they join racing one.
"We are very pleased to be working with Jessica and Andreas for the remainder of the GT4 European Series season. They are both very fast and talented. It's something special when brother and sister start together in a racing car. We are very excited and are sure that we can achieve top results together”, Philipp Zakowski said, team co-owner at racing one.
The 2023 calendar includes some of the most prestigious venues in Europe, such as Barcelona, Spa, Hockenheim, Misano - alongside Monza and Paul Ricard.
Each race weekend features two 60 minute races with mandatory pit stop and driver change.
The two 20 minute qualifying sessions are scheduled for Saturday at 09:15, while the races will get underway on Saturday at 14:50 and Sunday at 11:30 - both streamed live on the GT World youtube channel.