Giacomo Ricci misses Marrakech Auto GP event as team runs one car
Giacomo Ricci will miss this weekend's Marrakech Auto GP meeting due to budgetary reasons; the MLR71 team instead fielding a single car for team owner Michele la Rosa
Ricci, 28, raced for the team at the Monza season-opener last month and has been la Rosa's driving coach for the past year. He has taken on a managerial role for the Moroccan round.
"Unfortunately, we experienced a lot of mechanical issues in Monza," said Ricci. "Michele has a lot of faith in me, so now I am more involved in hiring mechanics and organising the team.
"I am doing a bit of everything and have made some changes to the staff since Monza, where I wasn't involved in that side of things.
"It's a real shame not to be driving, as I was expecting to be out here, but I am not contributing to the budget."
Ricci suffered several problems at Monza, including a first-lap retirement in race one and a jammed wheel the following day.
But the former Euro Series 3000 champion is determined to continue his single-seater career and aims to return to the series in time for the third round at the Hungaroring in May.
"I hope to be out at the Hungaroring, but at the moment we are going to concentrate on building the team up and creating a good impression with Michele," he said.
"I am still involved with Pirelli as a GP2 test driver, although they just call me up whenever it is needed.
"As well as my duties with MLR71, I am a driver coach for Michael Lewis in the European F3 championship and I also have a small karting team. Everything revolves around driving, I still love it."
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