Piccini to Make Racing Return With Groves at Misano

Photo: MPS Agency

Iron Lynx team principal Andrea Piccini will return to racing as part of a one-off entry for the team in the Michelin 12H Misano, teaming up with Stephen and Brenton Grove.

Piccini and the Groves will pilot the No. 63 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo for the twelve-hour race at the Italian venue on May 23-25, which is the third round of Creventic’s Michelin 24H Series calendar.

The team has stated that the entry is part of preparations for June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the Groves will make their debut in Iron Lynx’s third LMGT3 entry alongside Luca Stolz.

“As we ramp up the preparation for Le Mans, it made sense to work closer with the team in an endurance race just before we head to France,” said Brenton Grove.

“Stephen and I have competed in Creventic races many times before and love the environment and type of event they create.

“Misano was a no-brainer to fine tune the last few elements before we end up in the biggest race in the world. To drive with Iron Lynx and Andrea made complete sense.

“We’ve built an extensive program on the lead up to Le Mans, so to have Andrea drive with and work alongside us to help prepare for a challenge he knows well is invaluable.

“Beyond the driving side, it will be great to continue to develop our relationship with the whole Iron Lynx team so that we can hit the ground running in Le Mans. I can’t wait to get to Italy and get started.”

For Piccini, the Misano event will mark his first race since the end of the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign, after which he shifted his focus towards a management role with Iron Lynx.

The 46-year-old, who hails from the town of Sansepolcro that is located less than two hours from the Misano circuit, is still classified as a Gold-rated driver by the FIA.

While Piccini hasn’t raced the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, almost exclusively driving Ferrari machinery in the latter years of his career, he previously revealed to Sportscar365 that he has driven the German GT3 car in testing.

“At the end of 2021, I decided to fully concentrate on the role of Team Principal and CEO of Iron Lynx,” said Piccini.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to step away from driving, but the rapid growth of the team required so much of my focus that it was not possible to continue. The new role was a huge challenge, but I found out I really enjoyed it.

“The efforts paid off and Iron Lynx, with the trust of our investors and the support of many invaluable team members, has grown significantly since then and achieved great results.

“However, the decision to step away was certainly not for lack of passion.

“When I am in the garage with my drivers, I still sometimes feel the need to race and compete, and a one-off race felt like the right opportunity to get back, being Misano also one of the home races for Iron Lynx.

“The opportunity came across thanks to the great relationship we are building with Stephen and Brenton Grove.

“As they prepare to race with us at Le Mans, this event will give us the opportunity to support them best, spend time together, and prepare for the challenges ahead.

“I can’t wait to get on the track behind the wheel of one of our Mercedes-AMG racecars.”