Seven Aston Martins for the Le Mans 24 Hours
Friday, February 27, 2009
Following the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) press conference in Paris on 26 February, Aston Martin is delighted to report that seven Aston Martin race cars have been selected to take part in the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours.
The 77th running of the race will take place on 13/14 June and invitees were selected from one of the largest entry lists in the history of the event. 82 teams entered the French classic hoping to secure one of only 55 places on the starting grid. Ten reserve cars have also been pre-selected should any of the 55 entrants withdraw prior to the race.
Aston Martin will be represented in three of the four classes and the split is as follows: 21 cars in LMP1, 12 in LMP2, 8 in GT1 and 14 in GT2.
Following victories in 2007 and 2008 in the GT1 category Aston Martin Racing is moving to the LMP1 class for 2009, a fitting decision 50 years on from Aston Martin’s outright win at Le Mans in 1959 with the DBR1. The team was delighted to receive three entries in the LMP1 class in this special year.
Joining Aston Martin Racing in LMP1 is a single car entry for Speedy Racing Team Sebah who will be running a 2008 Lola powered by Aston Martin.
Although the GT1 field has diminished this year with Aston Martin Racing moving up to LMP1, two customer teams, Jetalliance Racing and Gigawave Motorsport have been granted entries for their DBR9s.
In GT2 Aston Martin will be represented by newcomer to Le Mans, Drayson Racing with their Vantage GT2, the only Aston Martin entry in a field of 14 GT2 cars,
The ACO also announced changes to the format of the event for 2009. The test day, traditionally held two weeks before the race has been cancelled and the first qualifying session on Wednesday evening has be changed to a six hour free practice.
Wednesday 10th June:
18h00-24h00: Free practice for the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Thursday 11th June:
19h00-21h00 – 22h00-24h00: Qualifying practice for the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Friday 12th June:
18h00-19h00: Drivers’ Parade in the centre of Le Mans.
Saturday 13th June:
09h00-09h45: Warm-up. 13h15-13h45: Herringbone line-up.
15h00: Start of the 77th Le Mans 24 Hours.
Sunday 14th June:
15h00: Finish of the 77th Le Mans 24 Hours.
