Team MZR has confirmed the first of two planned Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli entries for 2024, last year’s championship runner-up Reinhard Kofler joining up with Martin Koch to fight for the Pro-Am crown in a KTM X-Bow GT2.
The MZR squad signalled their intent with some impressive performances towards the end of last term, Austrian driver Reinhard joining the team alongside Koch for the final two meetings at Valencia and Paul Ricard - the pair taking a superb victory for the Austrian outfit at the season-closing race in France.
It would be the second of two outright race victories in Fanatec GT2 Europe last season for the duo who achieved a total of six podium finishes with KTM outfits MZR and True Racing, Reinhard narrowly missing out on the overall GT2 title by just one point in 2023. Hoping to go one better this season, Reinhard reunites with Swiss Am driver Koch for a full-season tilt at the Fanatec GT2 title, the latter sharing success at Dijon and Paul Ricard respectively.
It is a partnership Reinhard already relishes continuing. “To achieve a victory together with MZR, Martin and KTM is a sign of the power everybody puts into the project”, says the Austrian. “It’s very nice to work with such a group of professional and motivated people. The level of the team is very high and they are a pleasure to work with.
“The competition will be even higher [this year] and I expect a strong field of competitors. I am really looking forward to Paul Ricard and hope to start the season how we left off. The goal is to maximise every race weekend and show the potential of our package, and ultimately aim to go one step higher by winning the Fanatec GT2 title.”
Koch, who also joined MZR from the penultimate round at Valencia before adding a win and three podium finishes, shares the same goals: “This is my fifth season with MZR. I’m very proud of what it has achieved in recent years, especially when looking back from where it all started.
“Going into GT2 was another big step towards our strategy of leading MZR into European top class GT racing. In all those years we have grown together as a team, but we have been able to maintain this while keeping an enjoyable environment.
“In 2024 I do expect stronger competition,” concludes Koch. “This puts more pressure on everyone’s shoulders. However, I think we have all it takes to be successful and therefore I can’t wait to go racing and hunt our competitors down. At the end of the year, we hope to be invited to the Awards ceremony - ideally picking up the Fanatec GT2 European Series trophy!”
MZR plans to introduce a second KTM X-Bow in the Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli this year, the season kicking off its six-round calendar at Circuit Paul Ricard in France across 5-6 April.