Christine GZ

Christine Giampaoli Zonca (born 22 July 1993), more commonly known by her nickname Christine GZ, is an Italian-Spanish rally and off-road race driver. After an 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.

Christine GZ
Christine GZ in 2022
NationalityItalian
Full nameChristine Giampaoli
Born (1993-07-22) July 22, 1993
Pondicherry, India
Extreme E career
Debut season2021
Former teamsXite Energy Racing, Veloce Racing, Carl Cox Motorsport
Christine GZ in 2019
Christine GZ in 2020

Biography

GZ was born to Italian parents in Pondicherry, India, where she lived for eight years before moving to Milan, Italy, and then to the Tenerife, Canary Islands.[2] She completed a degree in motorsports technology at Birmingham City University.[3][4]

She initially worked at her neighbor's garage. The first chassis she bought was a 1988 Golf MKII, followed by a 1989 Rally Corolla that she named "Lolla".[2][5]

In 2014, GZ won her first title, the overall Championship of the Canaries.[2] In 2016, she was a member of an all-female rally team competing in the Rally Catalunya.[6]

Christine is a Can-Am Ambassador.[7]

In 2020, GZ re-launched her racing career after a long COVID lockdown. Together with the Avatel Telecom and co-driver Edu Blanco she competed in the Andalucía Rally. Christine completed the rally with a 3rd place. She was racing with the Avatel Telecom Racing Team during the 2021 season reaching the 2nd place at the T1N Cross-Country Spanish Championship this year.

On 15 December 2020 she was announced to have signed with formerly known as Hispano Suiza Xite Energy Team to compete in the new all-electric off-road racing championship Extreme E along with Oliver Bennett. She made her debut at the 2021 Desert X-Prix in Al-'Ula, Saudi Arabia, where she finished 5th. The team was re-branded Xite Energy Racing ahead of round 2. At the end of the 2021 season GZ and Bennett classified 9th. She also became a TV presenter for Italian broadcaster Sport MediaSet, covering the FIA Formula E World Championship and driving the BMW i8 Safety Car on the Circuit de Monaco. In addition, she also took part in the Eco Rallye Mallorca, driving the Porsche Taycan.[8]

She participated in the Spanish date Baja Aragón of the FIA World Cup Cross-Country Bajas with her co-driver Ricardo Torlaschi finishing 5th at the T3 category.

She competed in the 2023 season of the all-electric off-road racing championship Extreme E for Carl Cox Motorsport with Timo Scheider as her teammate.[9] She was replaced by Lia Block, daughter of the late Ken Block, at round 5 for the rest of the season.[10] She has previously competed for Veloce Racing[11] and Xite Energy Racing.

Racing record
Year Race Car Driven Team
2023 Desert X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Carl Cox Motorsport
2022 Copper X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Veloce Racing
2022 Island X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Veloce Racing
2022 Island X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Veloce Racing
2022 CEAX - Autocross Arteixo Peugeot 208 R5 Proto YaCar
2022 Desert X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Veloce Racing
2021 Jurassic X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Xite Energy Racing
2021 Island X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Xite Energy Racing
2021 Arctic X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Xite Energy Racing
2021 Rally TT Guadalajara Avatel Toyota Hilux Avatel Telecom Team
2021 eMallorca Challenge Porsche Taycan
2021 Ocean X-Prix Spark ODYSSEY 21 Xite Energy Racing
2021 Andalucia Rally Avatel Toyota Hilux Avatel Telecom Team
2021 Desert X-Prix[12][13] Spark ODYSSEY 21 Xite Energy Racing
2020 Andalucia Rally[14][15][16] Avatel Toyota Landcruiser 200 Avatel Telecom Team
2019 Baja 1000[17][18] Dynamic Can-Am X3 UTV Dynamic Racing
2019 Sonora Rally[19] Dynamic Can-Am X3 UTV Dynamic Racing
2018 Ral.li Ciutat de Tàrrega[20] Can-Am Maverick X3 Dynamic Racing
2018 Ral.li Vidreres de Terra [20] Can-Am Maverick X3 X RS Turbo R Dynamic Racing
2017 RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada [20] Peugeot 208 1.2 Pure Tech MAVISA Sport
2017 Ral.li Ciutat de Cervera [20] Peugeot 107 RC Maxi
2017 Slalom Los Caracolitos [20] Subaru Impreza GC8
2017 Rally Il Ciocco e Valle del Serchio [20] Fiat Abarth 695 SS
2017 Rallysprint de La Mencía "Villa de Cacabelos" [20] Ford Fiesta R2
2016 Rally Orvecame Isla de Lanzarote [20] Renault Twingo RS R2
2016 Rallye Ciudad de Pozoblanco [20] Peugeot 208 R2 MAVISA Sport
2016 Rally Comunidad de Madrid RACE [20] Peugeot 208 R2 MAVISA Sport
2016 Rally de La Oliva [20] Toyota Corolla AE92
2016 Critérium de Málaga - Rallye de Tierra [20] Peugeot 208 R2 MAVISA Sport
2016 RallyRACC Catalunya - Costa Daurada [20] Peugeot 208 R2 MAVISA Sport
2016 Rally Ciutat de Valls [20] Peugeot 208 R2 MAVISA Sport
2016 Ral.li Ciutat de Cervera [20] Peugeot 208 R2 MAVISA Sport
2016 Rally Bianco Azzuro - Rose'n Bowl [20] Ford Fiesta ST
2016 Slalom Los Caracolitos-Ayto Antigua [20] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Rally Isla de Los Volcanes [20] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Slalom Majanicho-El Caramba [20] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Slalom Santa Mónica Tefia-Naviera Armas [20] Subaru Impreza GC8
2016 Slalom La Candelaria-Tías [20] Subaru Impreza GC8
2015 Il Slalom Antigua [20] Toyota Corolla AE92
2015 Critérium de Málaga - Rallye de Tierra [20] Peugeot 208 R2
2015 Rally Isla de Los Volcanes [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Rally de Antigua [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Slalom Isla de Lanzarote-Tinajo [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Slalom Los Caracolitos [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Rally de Tierra Isla Verde [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Slalom Majanicho-El Caramba [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Rally de Tierra de Gran Canaria [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2015 Slalom Maximo Ojeda [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Rally de La Oliva [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Slalom de Santa Lucia [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Rally Isla de Volcanes [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Rally de Antigua [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Slalom Isla de Lanzarote-Tinajo [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Slalom Los Caracolitos [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Rally de Tierra de Gran Canaria [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Rally de Tierra Isla Verde [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport
2014 Slalom de San Bartolomé [20] Toyota Corolla AE92 GaZoline Motorsport

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 55
Xite Energy Racing OCE
Q
6		 OCE
R
6		 ARC
Q
9		 ARC
R
8		 ISL
Q
9		 ISL
R
9		 JUR
Q
9		 JUR
R
9
2022 Veloce Racing Spark ODYSSEY 21 DES
WD		 ISL1
8		 ISL2
9		 COP
10		 ENE 18th 7
2023 Carl Cox Motorsport Spark ODYSSEY 21 DES1
7		 DES2
9		 HYD1
3		 HYD2
DNS		 ISL1
 ISL2
 TBC
 TBC
 COP1
 COP2
 11th* 23*

* 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. "Christine Giampaoli Zonca Biography". ChristineGZ.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. "Motorsports Technology student is a rally star". Birmingham City University. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  4. Krith, Anna (15 June 2017). "Christine Giampaoli Zonca: The Italian "thunder" behind the wheel". Anna Krith's Lifestyle. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  5. "Intervista esclusiva a Christine Giampaoli Zonca: "Punto alla Dakar 2020"". Rallyssimo (in Italian). 28 August 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  6. "FC client Christine Giampaoli Zonca makes rallying history". Full Contact Law. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  7. "CHRISTINE GZ". can-am.brp.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  8. "El Eco Rallye Mallorca, una cita revolucionaria". Ultima Hora (in Spanish). 5 June 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  9. "Carl Cox Motorsport Extreme E: Introducing Timo & Christine - our Dream Team!". Carl Cox Motorsport. 2 March 2023.
  10. Wilde, Dominik (4 July 2023). "Lia Block joins Carl Cox Motorsport for Extreme E in the Island X Prix". NBC Sports. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  11. "Veloce Racing announces Christine Giampaoli Zonca for 2022 season". extreme-e.com. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  12. "Meet the teams and drivers taking part in the Extreme E series". Arab News. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  13. "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.
  14. "Christine GZ y Edu Blanco, presentes en el Rally Andalucía con Avatel Racing Team". Posventa (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  15. 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.
  16. Garcia, Jesus (3 October 2020). "Christine GZ Partners with Avatel to Race the Andalucia Rally". DriveTribe. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  17. "Un equipaggio varesotto al via della Baja 1000". VareseNews (in Italian). 2 October 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  18. "BFGoodrich Tires 52nd SCORE Baja 1000". www.autoracing1.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  19. "Christine GZ Finishes 1st & 2nd in Sonora Rally Stages". Dynamic Racing. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  20. eWRC-results.com. "Christine Giampaoli Zonca - rally profile eWRC-results.com". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
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