Off Road Star Christine GZ Joins RX2e Grid for Spa

Christine Giampaoli Zonca or Christine GZ as she is known as will make her international rallycross debut at the World RX of Spa-Benelux next weekend as she joins the grid in the new all-electric series FIA RX2e Championship.

Christine GZ, who is currently competing in another all-electric series – Extreme E, competing for XITE ENERGY HS run by former World RX regular driver Oliver Bennett. She will utilise her expertise from off-roading as the first-ever RX2e race will happen in Belgium.

While the rallycross will be her maiden event but the 27-year-old Italian-Canary driver has plenty of transferable experience in rallying. In her first full season in the front-wheel-drive class of the Canaries rally series in 2014, she secured the title behind the wheel of a home-built Toyota Corolla AE92 and continued to compete in the local events before she took her motorsport engineering degree.

Credit: FIA RX2e Championship

Two years after her first rally title, she made her FIA World Rally Championship debut at the Spanish round of Rally de Catalunya, winning the women’s category of the Spanish Gravel Rally Championship as a member of the first all-female rally team.

After her rally career, she focused on off-road racing in North America and has finished top-five finish in the Baja 1000 in the Pro UTV Turbo class and last year she was the main driver for Avatel Racing Team in the Dakar Rally.

“I am really looking forward to this event! I have never raced in rallycross before, but I have tested the RX2e car prior to the start of this season and it seemed like really good fun! I can’t wait to get started – see you in Spa!” Christine GZ, said.

Credit: FIA RX2e Championship

“The FIA RX2e Championship prides itself on its distinctive ‘arrive and drive’ concept, giving racers an unrivalled opportunity to get behind the wheel of high-performance machinery and climb the rallycross pyramid.” Pere Gonzalez, Project Manager, FIA RX2e Championship, added.

“Christine’s participation at Spa will be another indication of this accessibility. She has plenty of experience in very different off-road categories but this will be her first time on a rallycross circuit and we are eager to see how well she can adapt to the precision required by the discipline.”

“Her off-road knowledge and exceptional car control will be put to the test, and this weekend will help Christine become familiar with the on-track contact customary in RX2e. I’m sure fans will be excited to see how she stacks up against our fiercely competitive field.”