MRT Reveal Livery for Title Defending Season
MFO SPORTThe Mattijana Racing Team have released an image of their livery design for the upcoming WGPC season, in which they will attempt to defend their maiden constructor's title.
The design of the MRT-17-A is a little toned-down compared to their previous three, but still incorporates the bright green and a few of the splashes of colour that have characterised the team's paintwork since WGPC 14 on top of a predominantly forest green chassis. The background to the Mattijanan flag features on the nose, back and side-panel of the car whilst the marmot emblem is proudly displayed on the rear wing.
The other major change is an increase in the number of sponsors associated with the team. MRT remain a state-sponsored team as before, but in the wake of their championship victory, have opted to display not only the logo of tyre-provider Petrovi, but also those of fuel-provider SneznGas, the WGPC, MFO Sport, the Kopylov InternazionRing and language-learning platform MattiSprak.
Team Principal Johan Struna welcomed the new sponsorship deals in a press conference at the Kopylov InternazionRing earlier today. He spoke to reporters following the car's first test-run around the track in the new colours.
"We're hugely grateful for the funding from the Department of Sport that has allowed us to be so successful the last three years, but we also welcome some new investment which will allow us to continue our development and hopefully come away with a trophy or two at the end of the coming season. The field this year looks even more competitive than ever, so we need to use that investment wisely and constructively. I'm sure VMR will be looking to continue their great record and I'd expect Nexus racing to be much more competitive this year, among others. It's a great opportunity to prove that we're still at the top of our game though."
Struna also spoke about the team's planned driver lineup for the season. Sigur Bjarnason is expected to re-join the team after a successful first season in the sport whilst a number of drivers have been linked with the number two spot, including Mattijana's own Jasmin Kranjska.
"We've agreed a deal with Sigur for the season, so as long as the paperwork goes through ok with the WGPO when registration opens, he'll be joining us. We're looking at a few different options for the other car. Jasmina's had a great introduction to the WGPC, so she's certainly in the frame, but there's a lot of talent out there."
As the team's unofficial test driver, Kranjska drove the MRT-17-A earlier, but that is no guarantee she will be chosen as the team's number two having performed the same role for the last two seasons.
As well as another driver, MRT are also looking for minor international sponsorship to fill two remaining spots on the car. These are below and behind the air intake, as well as on the bottom of the rear wing's side-panel. The team are open-minded as to the type of company or state organisation they will accept.
MRT are the fifth team to reveal their WGPC17 livery, following in the footsteps of McPahan WGPC Motorworks, Cambden Racing, Badai-Angin and Mirrors Racing. The latter are making their return to WGPC racing with the Starblaydi outfit hoping to move off the waiting-list and into the 12 team field for race 1.