Porsche works driver Richard Lietz is happy with the new additions to the WEC calendar, saying the addition of Monza and Kyalami is the right move at the right time.
The FIA World Endurance Championship announced its 2020/21 calendar in Bahrain, confirming that both Monza in Italy and Kyalami in South Africa would be joining the championship. When asked on his thoughts about the calendar by Motorsport Week, Lietz replied:
“I’ve been in Kyalami the first time two weeks ago, with the GT3 race. It’s a very good track, it’s a great facility, we met Gerard [Neveu, WEC CEO] there, already he seemed really happy with the place, so now it’s official we go there, well the WEC is going there, fantastic.”
The Austrian raced in the 9 Hours of Kyalami as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge in November, finishing third overall alongside fellow Porsche factory drivers Michael Christensen and Kevin Estre.
Lietz then shifted his focus to Monza, explaining why he thinks so highly of the new calendar announcement.
“For me, the Monza situation, I remember the Prologue in the past, how many people arrived there and watched the race, so I think it’s going to be a fantastic race, just because the Italians are a great crowd and it’s so central in the park, so it’s easy to watch for families, for people,” he continued.
“I think it’s the correct move at the correct time to go to the traditional places where the interest of motorsport fans is enormous.
It’s easy to go there for all the European teams, somehow it’s not crazy travel, you arrive somewhere where people are happy you come and I’m a big Italian food fan anyway, so…”
