Nielsen Returning To Scuderia Corsa To Defend IMSA GT Daytona Title In 2017 - Speedway Digest

Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan will return as teammates to Scuderia Corsa to defend their GT Daytona title in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Danish driver Nielsen, 24, made sports car racing history in 2016 with Scuderia Corsa, teaming with Balzan to become the first female competitor to win a full-season major sports car championship in North America. They also won the IMSA North American Endurance Cup in GTD.

The 2017 season starts with the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 26-29 at Daytona International Speedway.

“I am really looking forward to being back with Scuderia Corsa,” Nielsen said. “It’s been an absolute dream season in 2016 with them. I have every reason to believe they will be one of the favorites for taking the championship again in 2017.


Christina Nielsen and the Scuderia Corsa team won two IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races in 2016 en route to the GT Daytona title.

“I think as a driver, after going through different championships and teams over the last couple of years, I am really looking forward to going back to Daytona this January with this group. We all know each other, and we can continue the work we have done so far and improve from there. I think it’s a more calm environment – you don’t have to start over and get to know everyone in the beginning of the year. We are already comfortable with each other. The routine is there. Everything is working well.”

Nielsen and Balzan won the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Six Hours of the Glen and earned five additional podium finishes in 2016.

“I’m really happy that 2017 will be my fourth season with Scuderia Corsa,” Balzan said. “I’m really proud to be a part of this team and to drive the No. 63 Ferrari 488 GT3 again with Christina. We will have a lot of new competitors, and this is giving me all the energy I need to come back stronger and more focused!”

Returning with his championship-winning program intact was a top priority for Scuderia Corsa team owner Giacomo Mattoli,

“After the type of season we had, you of course want to keep this winning combination of drivers and team together,” Mattioli said. “With Christina and Alessandro, our team has a high level of chemistry that would be very hard to replicate. They have a good time and build each other up, but they maintain a team-first attitude and work together to solve problems when we encounter them. I am very proud of the job that Christina and Alessandro did in 2016, and I am looking forward to seeing what they can accomplish in 2017.”

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Adam Sinclair

NHRA, IHRA, Motocross and other forms of motorsports Staff writer
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.