Kox hits out at Praha Ferrari team's ban from Mugello 12 Hour
GT ace Peter Kox has criticised 24H Series organiser Creventic for taking the decision to ban Scuderia Praha from the Mugello 12 Hour
The Czech team was told it would not be welcomed in the race, after contact between Praha's Matteo Cressoni and the slower Ginetta of Thomas Martinsson during last weekend's Dubai 24 Hour.
Martinsson had to be cut free from his car and taken to hospital.
A statement cited Creventic's philosophy "to offer a platform for amateurs drivers and teams to do their hobby: racing for fun".
In an open letter published on his website, Kox - who shared the Ferrari with Cressoni, Jiri Pisarik and Matteo Malucelli - questioned banning the entire team due to one driver's actions.
The Dutch driver also called the organiser's statement, issued independently of the race stewards, "a direct insult".
It is implied that whilst Praha will be allowed to return to competition at Zandvoort, car owner Jiri Pisarik is reconsidering his involvement in the series.
"My team-mate acknowledged that it was his fault and the stewards penalised the team with a 10-place grid penalty for the next race at Mugello," Kox wrote.
"However, 10 minutes before the finish [Creventic] called the team manager to tell him that the team will not be allowed to start.
"When I spoke later in the hotel with the clerk of the course, he assured me that he was not in favour with this decision, as he and the stewards had already penalised the team for this incident and for him the case was closed.
"Creventic wanted to 'send a message' that this driving behaviour is not acceptable.
"However they did this in a way that affected a whole team, where they could have (and this is fairly common) sanctioned the specific driver.
"The owner of the car for sure sees (or has seen) it as his hobby and for sure wants to have fun during his racing weekends.
"They punish a small team were there is no manufacturer involvement, but with commitment for this series, now for the third full season, so a small loss of revenue for Creventic, but a big loss for all involved in the team."
Creventic could not be reached for comment.
Previous article
Audi's Rene Rast to stand in for Craig Lowndes at Bathurst 12 Hour
Next article
Dubai 24 Hours organiser defends suspension of Ferrari team
The unwanted GT car that changed sportscar racing forever
Had FIA GT boss Stephane Ratel had his way, the Maserati MC12 would never have been allowed to set foot in his series. It duly proved the class of the field that most had expected, but the Balance of Performance that its superiority spawned would keep GT1 battles tight and bring long-term benefits that sportscar racing enjoys today
Why Britain's greatest sportscar was eclipsed on the world stage
The E-Type may be the most famous of all road-going Jaguars, but that didn't always translate into success on the track. After winning on its competition debut in 1961, motorsport success seemed an inevitability, but things didn’t turn out to be quite that straightforward
Why the Jaguar E-type remains special at 60
It’s 60 years since the Jaguar E-type arrived and caused a sensation. As our resident racer Ben Anderson discovered when he got behind the wheel of two special racing versions at Brands Hatch, the thrill of driving them hasn't diminished over time
The rise of a GT squad responsible for a unique 24-hour racing feat
It's a significant achievement to win one 24-hour race in a year, let alone two, and with different manufacturers, but that's exactly what ROWE Racing did in 2020 at the Nurburgring and Spa. This weekend's German classic offers the DTM newcomer a chance of another unique double to add to its growing collection of accolades
The new threat facing motorsport's greatest success story
The manufacturers were unconvinced – and even hostile – when Stephane Ratel launched GT3 in 2006. Now, 15 years on from its debut, they’ve sold more than 2000 cars and counting, but its continued expansion puts the increasingly globalised category at risk of losing its roots
The Lamborghini teams plotting to stop a RAM raid on British GT
With the Silver pairings that dominated 2020 now banned, Mercedes pair Yelmer Buurman and Ian Loggie could be in the box seat after winning last year's Pro-Am crown. But a swarm of Lamborghinis, with the defending outright champion among them, will ensure they face tough opposition
How McLaren’s GT3 ‘single-seater’ defies expectations
Time in a thoroughbred racer leaves you searching for time in yourself, especially when the rewards for total commitment are so high, as our man discovered at Snetterton
How Ferrari's F1 protege became a Mercedes GT prodigy
Raffaele Marciello once appeared to be Ferrari’s next Italian F1 star, but is now under the pay of its German arch-rival in GTs – and he’s very happy with his life
