Shift Up Now Athlete Pippa Mann will make her return to European endurance racing at the 25th edition of the 2024 Hankook 24H Barcelona on September 13-15, 2024.
Mann will drive for ST Racing alongside teammates Samantha Tan, Neil Verhagen, Jon Miller and Fabian Duffieux. Tan co-owns the race team with her father, Kenneth. The duo, along with BMW works driver Verhagen, will continue their partnership for the entry with Miller, STR38 Motorsport team manager and driver. Duffieux, an up-and-coming GT4 driver, completes the lineup.
Mann will be looking to follow up her team’s podium finish in the 2024 Ravenol ADAC 24 Hour race at the Nurburgring Nordschleife on June 1, 2024.
The British driver won in the SP8T GT4 class in the NLS race at Nurburgring in 2021, and set the fastest lap in class there in 2023. This year, she returned to the podium with her “Girls Only” teammates in a BMW M4 GT4. She has seen success in a variety of sports car events and series across North America, including wins and podiums with clients in endurance races, and ProAm podiums in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America.
Mann is also a former race winner in Indy Lights (currently known as Indy NXT), and a seven- time Indianapolis 500 competitor, racing in the iconic race from 2011-2019. She became only the eighth female (of nine to date) to qualify for The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
“I’ve been following Sam’s career, and the STR team she has built from afar for years,” said Mann. “I met Sam briefly on the grid at the Nurburgring 24 hour race a couple of years ago, so I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to join her team for the upcoming Barcelona 24 hour race this September. The BMW M4 GT4 platform is one I’m familiar with from racing at the Nordschleife with the Girls Only team, and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to work with them as we try to defend their race win from 2021.”
ST Racing contested its first full endurance-racing program in the 24H Series in 2021, securing both the Overall GT Teams’ championship and the Overall GT Drivers’ titles. This year’s event will mark the team’s third race at Barcelona, and they will aim to defend their 2021 GT4 class victory.
The 24H Barcelona weekend begins with two track days on September 11-12, 2024. Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday, September 13th, followed by the start of the race on Saturday, September 14th. Following the 24H Barcelona race, ST Racing brings its GTWC America season to a close at the Indianapolis 8 Hours on October 4-6, 2024.