ICE-3 Racing
Full Name | ICE-3 Racing |
Base | Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany |
Founder(s) | Lennart König |
Team Principal(s) | Lennart König, Peter Melkus |
Technical Director | n/a |
ICE-3 Racing is a German racing team founded at the end of 2016. It competed in Autoreject 2.0 and 3.5, FIA Formula E, ARST/IPC and GTR-WC. The team is heavily supported by its main sponsor Ice Watch and is based near the Sachsenring. It acquired the remaining assets of former East German sports car manufacturer Melkus in 2018. As a cars manufacturer, ICE-3 Racing Melkus is developping an electric sports car with the Melkus RS GT-E.
Debuts
The team raced for the first time in the 2016 24 Hours of Aston, entering a XRR. The squad qualified fourth, which was a respectable result. The race was a disaster as the car was damaged in the start chaos. Drivers tried their best to keep the car on the road, but nothing worked properly. Not even the pit lane speed limiter, which caused the squad to get drive through penalties. After one of too many of these, the car was disqualified from the meeting. The 2016 version of the XRR was nowhere near as good as its predecessor. Each of these cars encountered many problems and a major lack of speed.
History
GTR-WC (2017)
AutoReject Super Touring - International Pro Car (2017 - 2018)
The team started their 2017 AutoReject Super Touring season with Mercedes C-Coupé cars run by former IFRC driver Mathilde Thybes and former F3RWRS driver Francesco Fagioli. Both drivers never really made an impression during the season. Fagioli managed to score a 14th place on the second race at Adelaide, and four other small points scoring positions. In the other car, Thybes never got into the Top 20 and managed only one good showing before her car broke down. Mathilde's contract with the team was terminated after South Africa following Alfa Romeo's decision to buy the team's main championship entry. Luca Pacchiarini was brought out of retirement by König to replace the struggling frenchwoman. The buyout obviously meant a change in the car's choice as the Mercedes were replaced by the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti. ICE-3 Racing's team principal Lennart König stayed at the head to help Alfa Corse's comeback to international touring cars series before the italian manufacturer fully took over the entry at the end of the season. Looking for Fagioli's replacement, König signed Antonio Delvecchio who had just made a huge impression in the paddock by winning the Privateer race at Treviso in the #92 Alfa car on his series debut. The team would then get at least one car in the points on every remaining race to finish 13th in the standings and avoid relegation to B-Class. Delvecchio scored the best result for the team with a fine fourth place at the last race of the season.
At the end of the 2017 season, Alfa Corse would take over ICE-3 Racing's A-Class entry. König and his team then entered the B-Class championship. As they still had good relationship with Alfa Romeo, the 155 V6 Ti would be used for the 2018 IPC season. A familiar face in Antonio Delvecchio returned to drive for the team, partenered by former GTR-WC Independants co-champion, Helena Boveri. The season went reasonnably well with Delvecchio fighting for the championship lead and Boveri as a solid touring car rookie. None of the drivers would see their efforts rewarded as the IPC shut down mid season.
AutoReject 2.0 (2017 - 2019)
The team tried their hand at single seaters and entered the new AutoReject 2.0 Europe series. Lukas Zaugg and Júlíana Ívarsdóttir were signed to drive the cars. The 2017 season was full of up and downs, Zaugg could be fast but also error prone and inconsistent. He scored a fine victory in dominating fashion at Vallelunga -after starting from pole position- and a second place at the Lausitzring to finish 7th in the standings with 51 points. Ívarsdóttir was slower but more regular, despite this, she scored points twice along with a fastest lap. The Icelander finished the season in 21st position with 9 points. Both drivers were retained by the team for the 2018 season.
AutoReject 3.5 (2018 - 2019)
FIA Formula E Championship (2018 - 2020)
Complete racing results
AutoReject Super Touring / International ProCar Championship
FIA Formula E Championship
AutoRejects 3.5
AutoRejects 2.0
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