Formula Ford Ace-Murray set for 24 Hour Endurance Debut with TDF.Geva
Multiple Formula Ford 1600 Champion and Formula Ford Festival winner Niall Murray is set to enter a new chapter in his racing career as he graduates to endurance racing for the 2017 season, having agreed a deal to join TDF.Geva in their heavily re-engineered Ginetta G50.
2016 was a revelation for Murray, dominating almost everything he entered during the year with stand out results that included winning the Formula Ford Festival for the second time, securing the BRSCC British Formula Ford 1600 Championship title before finishing his season in style, lifting the Walter Hayes Trophy at a very wet Silverstone National Circuit.
However Murray is now set to take a step into the unknown as he will move over to the increasingly popular Endurance racing scene, signing up for the 24H TCE Series by Creventic. Murray’s first event with the team will be the Silverstone 24 Hour on April 1-2, where he will join co-drivers Melroy Heemskerk, Sven van Laere and Michael Lyons aboard the team’s Ginetta G50.
Having recently tested the car at the team’s base in Bedford, Niall quickly felt comfortable in the 3.5 Litre G50 with the team equally pleased with the Dubliner’s initial laps. Utilising several years of experience in many of the world’s toughest series including Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, TDF.Geva have taken that experience and used it to build what they consider to be a very unique and special Ginetta G50, with the aim of securing the perfect blend of speed and reliability over a 24 Hour race distance.
Niall Murray – #248 TDF Geva Ginetta G50:
“I am really excited about this new venture with TDF.Geva. It will be a very steep learning curve but I have done what I needed to do in Formula Ford so I think it is time to move on to GT/Endurance racing! I would like to say a special word of thanks to Murray Motorsport, CL Brakes, SuperB Lithium Batteries and OMP Racing for their continued support throughout my career. I’m looking forward to Silverstone in just three weeks time where I will be sharing the car with Melroy Heemskerk, Sven Van Laer and Michael Lyons. Their experience will be very valuable for me to get up to speed quickly.”
Gert Valkenburg – TDF.Geva:
“We are immensely proud to have Niall with us for our first foray into GT racing. We fought incredibly hard over the last few years in Formula Ford competition with the 2016 Formula Ford Festival final a true highlight but it was always in good spirits and with great respect. That’s why I am sure this collaboration will work well. Niall is obviously very very good and I have no doubt he’ll get the hang of endurance racing in no time and lead the team to success.”
