Christine Giampaoli Zonca

Christine Giampaoli Zonca (born 22 July 1993), more commonly known by her nickname Christine GZ, is an Italian-Canarian rally and off-road race driver. After a strong off-road racing career in America, competing with the team Dynamic Racing, Zonca raced in Europe with the Avatel Telecom Race Team.[1] In late 2020, Zonca scored a third place win in the Andalucia Rally round of the FIA World Cross Country Championship. She is now competing in the new all-electric off-road racing championship Extreme E for Xite Energy Racing alongside teammate Oliver Bennett.[2] In addition to her existing racing season, Zonca hopes to one day compete in the notorious and legendary Dakar Rally. She is active and popular on social media, having amassed over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram.

Christine GZ in 2021

Biography

Zonca was born to Italian parents in India, where she lived for eight years before moving to Milan, Italy, and then to the Canary Islands.[3] She completed a degree in motorsports technology at Birmingham City University.[4][5]

She initially worked at her neighbour's garage.[6] The first chassis she bought was a 1988 Golf MKII, followed by a 1989 Rally Corolla that she named "Lolla".[3][7]

In 2014, Zonca won her first title, the overall Championship of the Canaries.[3] In 2016, she was a member of an all-female rally team competing in the World Rally Championships.[8] (Note: There have been numerous all-female crews competing in the WRC—the most successful being Michelle Mouton/Fabrizia Pons.)

Zonca is a Can-Am Ambassador.[9]

In 2020, Zonca re-launched her racing career after a long COVID lockdown with Avatel Telecom and competed alongside Edu Blanco (co-driver) in the Andalucia Rally. After a long-awaited return to the driver's seat, Zonca completed the rally with a 3rd place. She has since continued to work with the Avatel Telecom Racing Team.

Her momentum continued as she signed with Xite Energy Racing (formerly known as Hispano Suiza Xite Energy Team) along with Oliver Bennett on 15 December 2020 in order to compete in the new all-electric off-road racing championship Extreme E. She made her debut at the 2021 Desert X-Prix in Al-'Ula, Saudi Arabia, where she finished 5th. Her incredible energy and charisma in addition to her skills behind the wheel brought her additional work as a TV presenter with Sport MediaSet covering Formula E and driving the BMW i8 Pace Car on the legendary track in Monaco. In addititon to all of this, Christine furthered her already busy schedule with supplementary events like the Eco Rallye Mallorca representing Porsche in the new Tycan.[10]

Racing record
Year Race Car Driven
2021 Rally TT Guadalajara Avatel Toyota Hilux
2021 eMallorca Challenge Porsche Tycan
2021 Ocean X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21
2021 Andalucia Rally Avatel Toyota Hilux
2021 Desert X-Prix[11][12] Spark ODYSSEY 21
2020 Andalucia Rally[13][14][15] Avatel Toyota Landcruiser 200
2019 Baja 1000[16][17] Dynamic Can-Am X3 UTV
2019 Sonora Rally[18] Dynamic Can-Am X3 UTV
2018 Ral.li Ciutat de Tàrrega[19] Can-Am Maverick X3
2018 Ral.li Vidreres de Terra [19] Can-Am Maverick X3 X RS Turbo R
2017 RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada [19] Peugeot 208 1.2 Pure Tech
2017 Ral.li Ciutat de Cervera [19] Peugeot 107 RC Maxi
2017 Slalom Los Caracolitos [19] Subaru Impreza GC8
2017 Rally Il Ciocco e Valle del Serchio [19] Fiat Abarth 695 SS
2017 Rallysprint de La Mencía "Villa de Cacabelos" [19] Ford Fiesta R2
2016 Rally Orvecame Isla de Lanzarote [19] Renault Twingo RS R2
2016 Rallye Ciudad de Pozoblanco [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2016 Rally Comunidad de Madrid RACE [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2016 Rally de La Oliva [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2016 Critérium de Málaga - Rallye de Tierra [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2016 RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2016 Rally Ciutat de Valls [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2016 Ral.li Ciutat de Cervera [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2016 Rally Bianco Azzuro - Rose'n Bowl [19] Ford Fiesta ST
2016 Slalom Los Caracolitos-Ayto Antigua [19] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Rally Isla de Los Volcanes [19] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Slalom Majanicho-El Caramba [19] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Slalom Santa Mónica Tefia-Naviera Armas [19] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Slalom La Candelaria-Tías [19] Subaru Impreza GC8
2015 Il Slalom Antigua [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Critérium de Málaga - Rallye de Tierra [19] Peugeot 208 R2
2015 Rally Isla de Los Volcanes [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Rally de Antigua [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Slalom Isla de Lanzarote-Tinajo [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Slalom Los Caracolitos [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Rally de Tierra Isla Verde [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Slalom Majanicho-El Caramba [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Rally de Tierra de Gran Canaria [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Slalom Maximo Ojeda [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Rally de La Oliva [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Slalom de Santa Lucia [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Rally Isla de Volcanes [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Rally de Antigua [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Slalom Isla de Lanzarote-Tinajo [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Slalom Los Caracolitos [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Rally de Tierra de Gran Canaria [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Rally de Tierra Isla Verde [19] Toyota Corolla AE92
2014 Slalom de San Bartolomé [19] Toyota Corolla AE92

Complete Extreme E results

(key)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Points
2021 Hispano-Suiza Xite Energy Team Spark ODYSSEY 21 DES
Q
5		 DES
R
5		 9th* 47*
Xite Energy Racing powered by Myenergi OCE
Q
6		 OCE
R
6		 ARC
Q
9		 ARC
R
8		 ISL
Q		 ISL
R		 TBC
Q		 TBC
R

* Season still in progress.

References
  1. Garcia, Jesus (3 October 2020). "Christine GZ Partners with Avatel to Race the Andalucia Rally". DriveTribe. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  2. "Extreme E confirms new entrant: HISPANO SUIZA XITE ENERGY TEAM". race-deZert.com. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  3. "Christine Giampaoli Zonca Biography". ChristineGZ.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  4. "Motorsports Technology student is a rally star". Birmingham City University. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  5. Krith, Anna (15 June 2017). "Christine Giampaoli Zonca: The Italian "thunder" behind the wheel". Anna Krith's Lifestyle. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  6. "Who's Christine GZ, Dynamic Racing lead driver". Dynamic Racing. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  7. "Intervista esclusiva a Christine Giampaoli Zonca: "Punto alla Dakar 2020"". Rallyssimo (in Italian). 28 August 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  8. "FC client Christine Giampaoli Zonca makes rallying history". Full Contact Law. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  9. "CHRISTINE GZ". can-am.brp.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  10. "El Eco Rallye Mallorca, una cita revolucionaria". Ultima Hora (in Spanish). 5 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  11. "Meet the teams and drivers taking part in the Extreme E series". Arab News. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  12. "Hispano Suiza Xite Energy Team powered by Myenergi has achieved a well-deserved 5th place in the first Desert X stage of Extreme E". Hispano Suiza. 4 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  13. "Christine GZ y Edu Blanco, presentes en el Rally Andalucía con Avatel Racing Team". Posventa (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  14. Costa, Al Sol de la (8 October 2020). "Christine GZ( Avatel Racing Team) logra tiempos de cabeza en la 2ª etapa del Rally Andalucía". Al Sol de la Costa (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  15. Garcia, Jesus (3 October 2020). "Christine GZ Partners with Avatel to Race the Andalucia Rally". DriveTribe. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  16. "Un equipaggio varesotto al via della Baja 1000". VareseNews (in Italian). 2 October 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  17. "BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 1000". www.autoracing1.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  18. "Christine GZ Finishes 1st & 2nd in Sonora Rally Stages". Dynamic Racing. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  19. eWRC-results.com. "Christine Giampaoli Zonca - rally profile eWRC-results.com". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
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