Pippa Mann and Samantha Tan will team up at the next 24H of Barcelona at the wheel of the ST Racing BMW M4 GT4, marking Mann's return to European endurance racing after her podium in the Nürburgring 24H.
Two top figures for women in motorsport are about to team up at the next 24H of Barcelona: Pippa Mann and Samantha Tan are in fact set to share the ST Racing BMW M4 GT4 at the Creventic-promoted event, marking Mann's return to European Endurance racing after her participation at the Nürburgring 24H.
A race winner in IndyLights and with seven Indianapolis 500 starts to her name from 2011 to 2019, Mann needs no introduction; the British driver is currently also the CEO of Shift Up Now and President of the Shift Up Now Foundation, a groundbreaking organization that works to support female racing drivers. Alongside her work with Sghift Up Now, Mann is an established driver coach and continues to race in sportscars with clients mainly in North America.
Mann has made the trip to one of the world's top endurance events - the ADAC 24 Hour race at the Nürburgring - since 2021, when she took class victory with all-female team Girls Only by WS Racing. She has collected two more class podium finishes in the following years, including a third place in the SP8T class in 2024, teaming up with Carrie Schreiner, Beitske Visser and Fabienne Wohlwend at the wheel of the BMW M4 GT4.
Mann will now enter another popular event - the Hankook 24H of Barcelona, held on September 13-15 - and she will do so with a highly successful team in GT4, Samantha Tan Racing, sharing the #428 BMW with team co-owner Tan, BMW factory driver Neil Verhagen, Jon Miller and Fabian Duffieux.
The team has contested the full Creventic 24H Series in 2021, claiming the overall GT championship as well as the driver championship and GT4 class title - including the race win at the Barcelona event.
Samantha Tan, who co-owns the Canadian outfit with her father Kenneth, is currently contesting the GT World Challenge America championship and is leading the ProAm standings in GT3 machinery, with three class wins to her name.
At the same time, the 27-year-old Canadian continues to compete in select GT4 races, such as one-off entries in GT4 European Championship as well as GT America.
Mann will therefore return to a known platform, the BMW M4 GT4, joining a very promising lineup.
“I’ve been following Sam’s career, and the STR team she has built from afar for years,” said Pippa Mann. “I met Sam briefly on the grid at the Nürburgring 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.”
The Hankook 24 Hours of Barcelona is one of three 24-hour races on the Creventic calendar. This event wraps up the 2024 European season, promising exciting action across all classes.
“We’re very excited to return to the 24H Barcelona with such a strong and diverse driver lineup", Samantha Tan added. "It’s always a thrill to compete at such a historic event, and having Pippa and Fabian join our team brings an exciting new dynamic."
"We will be racing with the new G82 BMW M4 GT4, and we’re eager to build on the successes we’ve had here in the past. The 24-hour race is one of the most challenging formats in motorsport, but I’m confident in our team’s ability to rise to the occasion and fight for a strong result.”
Practice and qualifying will take place on Friday, with the race beginning on Saturday, September 14th.
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