St Catharines, Ontario – FEL Motorsports is driving change in Canadian motorsport with the launch of its groundbreaking ‘Accelerating Inclusion’ program. Teaming up with industry leaders like the Mosport Karting Centre, Michelin Motorsport, Hyundai Canada, and Pfaff Motorsports, FEL Motorsports is leading the charge towards a more diverse and inclusive racing community.

 

Despite Canada's rich tapestry of cultures and backgrounds, diversity in motorsport has remained a challenge. FEL Motorsports is on a mission to change that narrative.

 

A standout talent from the Mosport Karting Centre, Khloe Drummond, will headline the program, transitioning from karts to cars. Khloe will take the wheel of the FEL Motorsports-owned Hyundai Veloster N Turbo TCA car, in the highly anticipated 2024 Sports Car Championship Canada presented by Michelin.

 

Behind the scenes, the expertise of Mathieu Deschamps from MD Autosport, also a key team member at Pfaff Motorsports, will ensure the smooth running of the TCA car. The car will find its home and operations hub at Pfaff Motorsports in Concord, Ontario.

 

Khloe's remarkable karting track record includes clinching the 2023 Mosport International Karting Association (MIKA) Briggs Senior Championship as well as the MIKA ROK Senior Championship, marking her a two-time champion in a single season. Khloe shared her feelings on making the transition saying, “I am honored to have the opportunity to make the transition into car racing with FEL Motorsports in 2024. I am especially looking forward to driving the Hyundai Veloster N Turbo TCA, an automotive brand whose passion for motorsport matches my own,” said Drummond. She continued to proclaim, “I am determined to perform to the best of my abilities and excited to see what the season has in store!"

 

“Diversity and inclusion are massively important to us at FEL Motorsports and FEL,” said FEL President Chris Bye. “From Jessica Benevides, FEL Motorsport Manager on down, diversity is and always will be a large part of who we are at FEL. To be able to take this to the next level and get Khloe in our TCA car is truly rewarding for not only myself, but everyone involved. Welcoming Khloe into our TCA car is a milestone achievement, made possible by the support of Mosport Karting Centre, Pfaff Motorsports, Michelin Motorsport, and Hyundai Canada. We are immensely grateful to them for helping us turn this vision into reality.”

 

FEL Motorsports grew out of a deep base of automotive roots from FEL Automotive Learning and Promotion. FEL, the parent company of FEL Motorsports, has over three decades of experience in the automotive event industry working within Canada and the U.S by combining the expertise gained from working with luxury automotive brands with some of Canada’s most experienced motorsport personnel, FEL Motorsports executes premium race event weekends at tracks in Ontario and Quebec. FEL Motorsports is focused on growth and sustainability in the Canadian Motorsports landscape by giving back to its teams through prizing and prize money.

 

For further information on FEL Motorsports visit felmotorsports.com and shop merchandise at felmotorsports.shop and watch the races on the FEL Motorsports YouTube.

Samantha Tan Racing rounded out a hard-fought weekend at Sebring with four podium finishes, including a Pro/Am class win, after overcoming penalties in both races.

 

Heading into round two of this year’s GT World Challenge America at the legendary Sebring International Raceway, ST Racing was anticipating a strong weekend, given both its on-track pace at last year’s event and its performance in qualifying on the Friday. Both ST Racing BMW M4 GT3s started race one 3rd in their respective class, with Neil Verhagen securing overall pole position for race two.

 

After fighting back from a pit-stop time penalty to take Pro/Am class victory in race one, the #38 BMW was then on course to win race two overall the following afternoon only for a drive-through to drop the M4 to the tail of the field. Incredibly, from more than 30 seconds down, the Canadian team bounced back with another stunning performance to finish 3rd in-class, less than a second behind the beneficiary Pro-Am winner.

 

Ironically, despite the setbacks, ST Racing has now closed the gap in the GT World Challenge America Pro-Am class title chase to just two points.

 

Samantha Tan, co-owner / driver (#38): “Following last year’s incident, we had something to prove this weekend. After a couple test sessions and practice, we put together a great car to fight with. We were able to qualify P3 for Race 1 and P1 overall for Race 2. In Race 1, we got a 5sec penalty in the pitstop but after a strong run from both Neil and I, we were able to push forward to P1! In Race 2, after an unfortunate start infringement, we were at the back of the field. Neil and I pushed to the limit and made up a 36sec drive through penalty to bring the car home in P3. I believe we demonstrated to everyone this weekend that our pace is irrefutable. I am super proud of everyone’s effort’s this weekend — we were able to close the gap to the championship leaders and we look forward to COTA in just a couple weeks!”

 

Kenneth Tan, team principal / co-owner: “What a thrilling, roller coaster ride it was at Sebring this past weekend. On Saturday, we started mid-pack and finished first then on Sunday, we start pole but got sent to the back with a penalty that was, in my opinion, a bit harsh. But we fought back strongly all the way to the end of the race and got back close to the front two cars that P1 became a possibility. That was the best racing I’ve seen Samantha do so far and it is so exciting to see her perform at this level. She just keeps getting better every race. I have to thank her coach Nic Jonsson and co-driver Neil Verhagen for pushing her development as well as the whole crew, especially our engineer Rafael Hess, for putting together another amazing car.  We have momentum and we’ll continue to build on it in our next race in Austin, TX. Can’t wait!”

 

As in round one at Sonoma, team co-owner Samantha Tan partnered Neil Verhagen in the ‘Pro-Am’ entered #38 BMW, while BMW legend Bill Auberlen shared the #28 ‘Pro’ M4 GT3 with young up-and-comer Varun Choksey.

 

Impressive starts and consistent stints, despite the humid conditions, meant Varun and Samantha were running 3rd and 6th (2nd in Pro/Am) overall respectively heading into the mid-race mandatory pit stop, one place ahead apiece from their grid positions. Metronomic work by ST Racing’s mechanics meant the #38, now with Neil on-board, had moved up to 5th, though the #28 (Bill) was unlucky to drop to 4th overall (still 3rd in-class) when Wright Motorsport’s undercut gamble paid off.

 

Having been allowed through to 4th by team player Bill, Neil, now 2nd in Pro-Am, began scything into the Pro-Am leader by more than 2.5 second per lap. The Connecticut native eventually made the move for the lead stick at turn one with just 16 minutes left on the clock.

 

Despite being served a 4.28-second penalty for a miscue during the pit stop, Neil continued pushing for the remainder of the race, and, incredibly, the #38 eventually collected the chequered flag 16.6 seconds clear of its nearest Pro-Am rival, more than enough to offset its penalty and take a well-deserved class win. Neil also posted the overall fastest lap of the race – a 2m 00.786s – en-route to Pro/Am victory.

 

Bill Auberlen rounded out a good day’s work by claiming 3rd in the PRO class and 6th overall with the #28.

 

Fueled by the BMW’s pace the day before, Neil made a commanding start to race two from overall pole, retaining his lead into turn one and quickly opening up a three-second lead.

 

Dropped back through the field by a drive-through penalty on lap 11 (handed down for an apparent start line infringement), Neil was in scintillating form thereafter, moving back up the field from 11th to 8th overall (5th in-class), recouping a 20-plus second deficit in the process, before handing over the #38 BMW to Samantha.

 

Samantha was on similarly determined form, closing the gap from nine seconds to just a matter of car lengths, and eventually moving into 3rd after pressuring the DXDT Racing Corvette into a spin. Samantha eventually collected the #38’s second podium of the weekend less than a second behind the Pro/Am winner.

 

Across in the #28, Bill completed a typically solid stint aboard the #28 BMW in 5th overall (3rd in Pro) before handing over to Varun. Just 15 minutes into his second stint of the weekend, Varun had systematically closed down and passed the Pro/Am leaders to move up to 3rd overall. Such was his speed, and in only his second GTWC America weekend, Varun finished a mature drive 12 seconds up the road from the battling Pro/Am pair.

 

Neil Verhagen, driver (#38): “Sebring was a great weekend for the whole STR crew! The team supplied a great car which felt very strong from the moment we touched the track. Race one was very special getting our first win of the season. Although in race 2 starting from pole to finish p3 after getting a drive through penalty for a start infringement definitely stings. It was a great comeback to go from pretty much last on track back to the podium. Another 4x podium for the team, looking forward to going to COTA now!”

 

Varun Choksey, driver (#28): “Sebring is never an easy race, the bumps and heat of Florida always prove to be challenging and this week proved to be no different. Ultimately we came away with a pair of podiums and importantly we are still in the hunt for the championship two rounds in. Race one was a mixed bag. The car felt strong early in the race and a good opening lap saw us jump up two positions to P2 in class. We struggled more and more as the race continued and finished the race third in class. Some big changes before race two saw our race pace improve greatly and gave us a much more consistent car to fight with. Another third place finish didn’t represent how much we improved the car but the pace we showed was very promising for the upcoming rounds.”

 

Bill Auberlen, driver (#28): “Sebring is in the books. We are going home with podium finishes in both of the races. P3 may not be what we came for but we gained some important points for the championship. For race one we tried a completely different setup which didn’t work as great as we expected so we turned it upside down for race two on Sunday. The car felt much better and now we have a solid foundation to work with. As always, the team did an amazing job and gave us a great car! Thanks for that. Now some days to recharge batteries before heading to COTA for some testing before round 5 and 6 of GT World Challenge America in the Lone Star State.”

 

Jon Miller, team manager: “I’m proud of our team efforts and the results we’ve accomplished in the process. The redemption feels good, too. The next step is to chase overall wins - with both cars.”

 

 

Salinas, California – Lexus and Vasser Sullivan return to the West Coast for the second sprint race of the 2024 IMSA season in the Course De Monterey at Laguna Seca. The team arrives in California on a roll, capturing wins in the last two IMSA events with the GTD PRO win at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March and a GTD class win at the Grand Prix of Long Beach three weeks ago.

 

Drivers return to Laguna Seca with a new challenge ahead of them as the circuit experienced a repave after IMSA visited in 2023. The new racing surface provides better tire grip, paving the way for faster lap times and an exciting two hour and 40-minute race ahead.

 

The GTD PRO class is back in action after not competing at Long Beach, with the return of Jack Hawksworth and Ben Barnicoat to the No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3. Barnicoat is currently on a two-race win streak, victorious at both Sebring with Hawksworth and endurance teammate Kyle Kirkwood, and at Long Beach in the re-numbered No. 89 GTD class entry with Parker Thompson. That momentous 12-hour race victory by Hawksworth and Barnicoat two months ago catapulted the No. 14 team to third in the GTD PRO driver and team championship standings, while Lexus took over the class manufacturer’ points lead. The Brits look to continue their momentum into Laguna Seca, where they’ve finished runner-up the last two seasons.

 

Parker Thompson and Frankie Montecalvo reunite in the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 at Laguna Seca this weekend, hoping to overcome early season adversity. Thompson is coming off the win with Barnicoat in Long Beach and seeks to carry that momentum into the weekend as Lexus currently stands third in the GTD class manufacturer’s standings three races into the 2024 season.

 

The Course De Monterey will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock starting at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 12. To keep up with all the racing action, follow Lexus Racing on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok by using  #LexusPerformance. 

 

Vasser Sullivan Driver Quotes 

JACK HAWKSWORTH, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 

 

“Laguna Seca has historically been very low grip with a lot of tire degradation. However, the track has been resurfaced and it should offer a lot more grip and have a huge effect on tire degradation. This will make the race a bit of an unknown and will no doubt throw us and everyone else some challenges. Last time out at Sebring, we won, but almost two months with no GTD PRO races marks a complete reset for our Vasser Sullivan team and our first sprint race of the year. We'll try to execute a clean weekend in the Lexus RC F GT3 and put ourselves in the mix."

 

BEN BARNICOAT, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3 

 

“I’m excited to be back racing in the GTD PRO class and continuing my championship quest there with Jack (Hawksworth). Laguna Seca is another iconic track on the calendar and following the repave of the circuit, I feel it’s going to be a very different race to what we have seen in previous years. Our Vasser Sullivan and Lexus Racing team are going to have to be on it to get the most from our car now that the track surface is so different, but I have no doubts they will get our No. 14 SealMaster RC F GT3 fighting for victory lane.”

 

PARKER THOMPSON, No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 

 

“Laguna Seca is my favorite track in the world, so I couldn’t think of a better place to get back with Frankie (Montecalvo) and the No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 crew! Everyone on the 12 team deserves a good result after a few tough times so far this year, so I’ll be doing everything I can to help put us on top and end our west coast swing on a high note.”

 

 

“I’m ready to get back to Laguna Seca. The new surface should make for a much faster lap time and sent our engineers to the drawing board to re-learn the circuit. Parker (Thompson) and I will be ready to fight for a win with our No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 team.”

 

The Lexus RC F GT3 enters its eighth season in the GTD class, and third year in the GTD PRO category, competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Over the last six seasons, Lexus and Vasser Sullivan have combined to earn 15 wins, 41 podium finishes and 21 pole positions with the RC F GT3. Lexus won its first full-season IMSA GTD PRO Manufacturers Championship on the strength of two wins and podium positions in nine of 11 races in 2023. 

 

Lexus' passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 244 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With eight models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers nine F SPORT models, one F performance model and one F model. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers. 

 

Toronto, Ontario - Sparks are scheduled to fly when The Formula 1® Exhibition Toronto presented by TSN opens its doors on Friday, May 3, just as the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX kicks off. Making its North American debut at the Lighthouse ArtSpace Toronto, The Formula 1® Exhibition will be the city's must-visit destination.  Scheduled to run until mid-summer, Formula 1® fans and followers will have unprecedented access to F1® cars, artifacts, and the stories that define the sport. 

 

Boasting a wide range of exclusive contributions from the sport’s most legendary teams and personalities, highlights will include four iconic Formula 1® race cars. This immersive and interactive experience takes visitors across six purpose-built rooms, each specially designed in collaboration with award-winning curators, and filmmakers. What’s more, visitors will be able to experience what it’s like to get behind the wheel of an F1® car in state-of-the-art racing simulators.

 

Fans are transported through some of the sport’s most iconic and defining moments through a mix of previously unseen photographs, films, artifacts and interactive audio guides. Visitors begin their 90-minute journey in Once Upon A Time In Formula 1® which will allow them to delve into the history behind three legendary race cars, including the Lancia D50 (1955), which famously took pole position in its first event with Alberto Ascari behind the wheel, Graham Hill’s first World Championship Car, the BRM P578 (1962) and the 1987 Lotus 99T driven by Aryton Senna in a year that saw him secure the first of his record six Monaco Grand Prix victories.

 

Design Lab takes visitors into the heart of a Formula 1® factory for a rare glimpse into how F1® teams design and manufacture each season’s new car. This room will feature a new addition to the Toronto exhibition: the Haas VF-20 race car driven by Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean in 2020, which in an extremely rare occurrence, will have the engine cover removed.

 

Next, visitors will experience Drivers & Duels celebrating the most iconic drivers and legendary races since Formula 1® began in 1950. Fans will have the chance to test their own reaction times in an interactive game to see if they have what it takes to be a Formula 1® driver. Visitors can also get up close to some key racing technology including capturing themselves on Lewis Hamilton’s helmet camera and discovering how an F1® steering wheel functions like never before with a brand-new interactive experience.

 

Fallen Heroes shines a light on the many drivers throughout the history of Formula 1® who tragically sacrificed their lives in pursuit of success. The following gallery, Survival, covers Romain Grosjean’s horrific 150 mph crash in Bahrain in 2020 and his extraordinary escape from the ensuing inferno. The gallery features a spine-tingling display of his Haas car from that day, alongside a new, multi-screen video installation featuring unseen interviews and footage of the crash.

 

Exclusive to Toronto is the custom-built, all-new At Shutter Speed Gallery presented by TSN, a captivating Canadian Grand Prix retrospective featuring stunning photographs shot in Montreal from 2014-2019.

 

The show reaches its high-octane finale in The Pit Wall - a show-stopping cinematic and immersive experience that allows fans to relive the greatest moments in Formula 1® history.

 

“Seeing the F1 Exhibition come to life in Toronto is an exciting day for our entire team,” said Jonathan Linden, Toronto native and Producer of The Formula 1® Exhibition. “This show will feature a unique selection of cars, and experiences that celebrates F1 and Canada’s long-standing love affair with Grand Prix racing. We are grateful to the show’s contributors and F1 Team partners for their help in making it an exciting and vibrant experience for such a broad range of fans.”

 

Collette Gangemi, Director of Licensing & Gaming, Formula 1 said: “It is always exciting to see another F1 Exhibition open its doors to the public. Toronto is our first North American location and its launch coincides with the FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2024 starting. The exhibition is a fantastic way to offer fans, and those curious about our sport, a new way to engage with F1 away from the track. Following successful runs in Madrid and Vienna, we can assure visitors in Toronto that they’re in for an immersive and interactive showcase of the history of F1.” 

 

Produced in partnership with Round Room Live and Pathfinder Live, and delving far beyond what fans have ever seen before, the show uses bold, technology-led design features and large-scale interactive displays to lift the lid on the past, present and future of Formula 1®.

 

Hours of Operation: Click here for the most up to date information.

 

Tickets for The Formula 1® Exhibition Toronto presented by TSN are on sale and available at F1Exhibition.ca.

 

For the latest updates, follow us on Social:

Twitter: @F1Exhibition

Facebook: /F1Exhibition

Instagram: @F1Exhibition

 

Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1® and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World ChampionshipTM. Formula 1® is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock. The F1 logo, F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX, PADDOCK CLUB and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

 

Round Room Live is the leading producer and promoter of exhibitions and family show entertainment, specializing in transforming both new and iconic intellectual property into engaging and thrilling live events. Round Room creates unique live experiences tailored to the distinct character of each property and produces the highest quality productions for audiences around the world.

 

Round Room’s Immersive and Entertainment Experiences division is currently touring: Formula 1: The Exhibition, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Mandela: The Official Exhibition, and Tupac Shakur. Wake Me When I’m Free. Their current roster of touring theatrical shows includes: Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, Blippi The Musical (2023 Olivier Award nomination for Best Family production), Peppa Pig Live, Sesame Street Live!, Nitro Circus 20th Anniversary Tour, Shrek the Musical (2024 US Tour), and Blue’s Clues & You! Live On Stage.

 

Pathfinder Live is a full-service venture development and planning studio specialising in travelling exhibitions and location-based entertainments. It works with major rights holders and media owners.

 

Lighthouse ArtSpace Toronto, located at 1 Yonge Street, holds a significant place in the city’s history, notably as the former home of the Toronto Star. The printing press area has been transformed into an experiential entertainment multi-plex, bursting onto the world-stage with the iconic Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. Lighthouse ArtSpace Toronto has also been home to other innovative immersive exhibits, the latest being Immersive Disney Animation, and numerous other presentations, ranging from dance, theatre, private events to art exhibits.

 

TSN is Canada’s Sports Leader and provides world-class content across its industry-leading platforms including five national television feeds, TSN+, TSN.ca, TSN Radio stations, and the TSN app, featuring 5G capabilities. With a broad portfolio of multimedia sports assets, TSN delivers more championship events than any broadcaster in the country. The network’s deep and diverse roster of live sports programming includes the Grey Cup, IIHF Women’s Worlds, Men’s Worlds, and World Junior Championship, Spengler Cup, Hockey Canada events, CFL, NFL, NBA, MLS, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Winnipeg Jets, Season of Champions Curling, FIFA World Cup™, UEFA EURO, MLB, Golf’s Majors, Grand Slam Tennis, NASCAR, F1, IndyCar Series, CHL, and NCAA March Madness. TSN is part of Bell Media, Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. More information about TSN is available at TSN.ca.