2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, LMS and ALMS news
ACO sanctioned racing will once again focus on three main pillars; the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans Series in Europe. New for this year is an intercontinental challenge that will run in the second half of the season for LMP1 teams and includes a European, American and Asian race.
Schedule:
[B]24 Hours of Le Mans:[/B] June 12th & 13th
[B]American Le Mans Series[/B]
[LIST=1][*]Sebring 12 Hours (March 20)[*]Long Beach (April 17)[*]Monterey Sports Car Championship (May 22)[*]Utah Grand Prix (July 11)[*]North East Grand Prix (July 24)[*]Mid Ohio (August 7)[*]Road America (August 22)[*]Mosport (August 29)[*]Petit Le Mans (October 2)*[/LIST]
[B]Le Mans Series[/B]
[LIST=1][*]Castellet 8 Hours (April 11)[*]Spa 1000 km (May 9)[*]Algarve 1000 km (July 17)[*]Hungaroring 1000 km (August 22)[*]Silverstone 1000 km (12 September)*[/LIST]
[B]Asian Le Mans Series[/B]
[LIST=1][*]?*[/LIST]
*Part of the Intercontinental Cup
Beechdean and Mansell sign Le Mans partnership
Zytek press release:
[quote]Leading UK GT race team Beechdean Motorsport has entered into a long term partnership with Nigel Mansell to form Beechdean Mansell Motorsport, with the long term aim of acheiving glory at the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Buckinghamshire based team will run a factory supported Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S Le Mans Prototype in the 2010 Le Mans Series for Nigel’s sons Leo and Greg, with the 1992 Formula One World Champion joining them behind the wheel at several events including the Silverstone 1000km in September and, subject to receiving an entry, at the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours in June.
The LMP1 car will be run with full factory support from Derbyshire based Zytek Engineering, one of the world’s leading motorsport and automotive engineering companies. Zytek will provide Beechdean Motorsport with full engineering and development for the Le Mans Prototype throughout the season.
Leo and Greg Mansell go into next year with a consistent 2009 season under their belts. Greg Mansell competed in the World Series by Renault but also found time to share a Ginetta-Zytek LMP1 with his father and Lawrence Tomlinson at the 2009 Silverstone 1000KM. Older brother Leo spent 2009 racing in the Le Mans Series in a Team Modena Ferrari 430 GT, finishing the season 3rd overall in GT2 alongside teammate Antonio Garcia. Leo has already competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours, taking the chequered flag in the world’s greatest sportscar event at his first attempt.
Nigel Mansell said: “I’m very happy to announce this partnership between myself and Beechdean Motorsport. The team comes fresh to the Le Mans Series with an impeccable pedigree and with full support from Zytek Engineering and I’m looking forward to working closely with Andrew and his team. I am very excited about 2010 and the prospect of racing with both my sons for the first time. I can confirm that I will be racing with Leo and Greg during the season and if we receive an entry we will also be racing at the Le Mans 24 Hours as a father and sons team.”
Beechdean Motorsport Team Principle, Andrew Howard said: “It has been an ambition of mine to race a Le Mans Prototype ever since we started racing GTs and competing at the Le Mans 24 Hours is the ultimate goal. It’s a dream come true for our young team to enter into a partnership with one of the sports most famous names in the first year at this level. Nigel brings a huge wealth of knowledge and experience to the team, with Leo and Greg, already established as accomplished race drivers in their own right, forming an integral part of the intensive development programme we are now setting in motion with Zytek. We will begin testing early in the new year and 2010 already promises to be an exciting and dynamic year for Beechdean Motorsport, the Mansell family and Zytek. We can’t wait to get started!”[/quote]
Aston Martin Announces 2010 Racing Plans
Press release:
[quote]Aston Martin Racing will enter two Works LMP1 cars bearing the iconic blue and orange livery of Gulf Oil in the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours.
The British team exceeded all expectations at La Sarthe in 2009 by finishing fourth overall, having been quickest of the petrol powered prototypes from start to finish in its maiden LMP1 outing.
In addition, Aston Martin Racing will compete in three races prior to the Le Mans 24 Hours with one LMP1 car. The races will provide the team with valuable on-track experience prior to Le Mans and include the first two rounds of the American Le Mans Series – the 12 hours of Sebring on 20 March and the Long Beach Grand Prix on 17 April and the opening round of the European Le Mans Series at Paul Ricard in France on 11 April.
Aston Martin Racing drivers, Chris Buncombe (GB), Stefan Mücke (DE), Harold Primat (CH) and Darren Turner (GB) return for the 2010 season and will be joined by experienced sports car driver Adrian Fernández (MX).
Fernández is new to Aston Martin but no stranger to sports car racing and the American Le Mans Series having won the LMP2 class outright in 2009.
The team will also compete in selected blue riband races around the world post Le Mans, details of the remaining race programme and sixth driver will be subject to further announcements in the coming weeks.
The LMP1 cars will be powered by the same Aston Martin V12 engine which forms the basis for the Aston Martin DBS, V12 Vantage, DB9 and forthcoming four-door Aston Martin Rapide.
“Having won the Le Mans Series Team and Driver titles in 2009 it will be a hard act to follow,” said Aston Martin Racing Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell. “However, we are looking forward to a great season of racing and we hope to have another strong showing at Le Mans. I’d like to welcome Adrian to the team, I’m sure with his experience he will be a great addition to our driver line-up.”[/quote]