Gaydon, 31 March, 2009. The Aston Martin Racing team is set to make its debut in the premier class of the Le Mans Series this weekend, with a two-car factory entry in the 1000 kilometres of Catalunya: the opening round of the LMS.

The two cars – numbered 007 and 009 – will be driven by Jan Charouz (CZ), Tomas Enge (CZ) and Stefan Mucke (DE) (007) and Harold Primat (CH), Miguel Ramos (PT) and Darren Turner (GB) (009).

Aston Martin Racing will compete in the entire Le Mans Series for the first time this season with the new Aston Martin LMP1 car, as well as the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

Barcelona, the opening race of the five-round LMS, is a technical circuit that tests every aspect of a car and driver’s performance: one of the reasons why it is a popular Formula 1 testing venue as well as the home of the Spanish Grand Prix.

For Aston Martin Racing, Barcelona marks the first step of a steep learning curve. With just one official pre-season test at Paul Ricard behind the team, the new LMP1 car is lacking in track mileage and the objective in Spain will be primarily to develop the car. The driver line-up includes two new faces; Harold Primat and Miguel Ramos, with the rest of the drivers all having formed part of the factory squad in the past.

Aston Martin Racing will face strong and experienced opposition at Barcelona, including a number of diesel-powered cars that have recently dominated the series. With 11 cars entered in the top LMP1 category and 15 cars in LMP2, the action is sure to be frenetic throughout the 215 laps – which equate to 1000.82 kilometres of the Spanish circuit.

After qualifying on Saturday afternoon, the race will get underway with a rolling start at 11:30 on Sunday and it is expected to finish at around 17:30. The two blue and orange Aston Martin Racing cars will take to the track for the first time on Friday afternoon, for the first of two free practice sessions prior to qualifying.

Aston Martin Racing Team Principal George Howard-Chappell commented: “The first race of the new season is in many ways the most exciting one of all, because nobody really knows where they are relative to their rivals.

“From our point of view, we’re as well prepared as we’ll ever be although there’s a lot of work still ahead. With our programme only confirmed quite late in the day, we’ve had to do an awful lot in a very short space of time, so I’d like to thank everybody in the team for their hard work and dedication that has brought us up to this point. I’m sure it’s going to be a very interesting race at Barcelona, and it’s impossible really to predict what might happen.”

Aston Martin Racing will host a media ‘Meet and Greet’ at Barcelona, in the team’s hospitality unit in the paddock from 17:00-18:00 on Saturday 4 April. All accredited media are welcome.

SEBRING, Fla. - March 21, 2009 - Drayson Racing showed much promise in its debut event of the 2009 sports car racing season; today's 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida. The No. 007 Aston Martin Vantage GT2 came to the American Le Mans Series season- opener performing stronger and more consistently than at any time since its premiere in 2008. However, that promise would come to an early end here at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway when the car's engine lost oil pressure deep into the race's seventh hour. Driver Rob Bell (St. Helens, England) brought the car to a safe stop and stepped from the Elspeth and Paul Drayson-owned entry while in seventh-place of the GT2 class on lap 204. Bell, who started the car at 10:30 AM (ET), was joined in the 'Second Generation' E85 ethanol-fuelled Aston Martin by Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK).

Drayson, the Minister of State for Science and Innovation for the United Kingdom, has pioneered "green", environmental causes in motorsports since the start of his career. Running the latest, 'Second Generation', cellulosic E85, Bio- Ethanol fuel, the team entered today's event with a mandate to threaten the factory efforts in the Grand Touring (GT) category of the Michelin® Green X® Challenge Award - presented to the GT team that completes the 12 hour race distance the quickest while having the smallest impact on the environment. At the time of its retirement, the No. 007 was running third in the Michelin® Green X® Challenge just fractions behind two 'works' entries from the GT1 class.

The Vantage GT2 is largely in development by the Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing. As the sole organisation running the Vantage GT2 in professional, international competition, the burden of developing the car has rested on the shoulders of the Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA) managed operation. Today's 12 hour classic was the first true race assessment of off-season advances. The new suspension and powertrain enhancements provided substantial improvements to the car's overall competitiveness throughout the week offering much anticipation for the coming season.

Prior to the race-ending oiling issue, the only major challenge for the team was a spin coming one hour and 17 minutes into the event. The team opted to keep the car on the same tyres while filling the fuel tank. The combination proved an evil mix creating a severely oversteering car. Cocker was able to fight the handling until pushed off-line by a faster Prototype. Once on the dirty portion of the track, the car lost grip and spun backwards into the tyre barrier in Turn 17 damaging the car's rear wing. An impressive nine- minute repair returned Cocker to the race.

Today's 12 Hours of Sebring, the second for each of the three drivers, is the start of an ambitious season for the United Kingdom-based programme. From Florida, Drayson Racing travels to Barcelona, Spain for the first round of the Le Mans Series, the 1,000 Km of Cantalunya scheduled for 5 April. Four additional events will be run in the European-based Series with the No. 87 Drayson Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT2 before returning to North America for the Petit Le Mans and Monterey Sports Car Championships in October. The effort will closeout the '09 season with back-to- back, November weekend events in Japan and China with the Asian Le Mans Series. Highlighting the season is the team's participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 13-14 June race marks the team's first invitation to compete in the legendary event.


Quotes


Paul Drayson, Owner/Driver:

"It was a positive week and a great race; really brilliant. We had some issues with the handling of the car early on in the day. We got that fixed. In my last stint the car was handling beautifully, really great. The Michelin tyres were starting to work better as the stint went on; they really came in. It was all looking good so it came as a real shock when I saw the car had stopped. Obviously disappointed but eight and a half hours in we really have to find out what went wrong and come back stronger."


Jonny Cocker, Driver:

"The first stint was tricky on new rubber when the car was on full tanks. When the fuel came off the car, the tyre was keeping up so we made the call to stay on the same set of tyres that Rob had. But another 100 kilos of fuel went on board for my stint and the rear tyre just couldn't keep up. I was struggling to keep any kind of reasonable pace. The Acura showed its nose in Turn 17 and almost stuck itself between the wall and me. That was just enough to put me on the marbles and it took me all the way to the wall. On my next stint the car wasn't feeling too bad. Rob was out, halfway through his stint, and I was just thinking about going out for my next stint. We had been having an issue with the oil pressure all day. It had been subtly going down over two or three hours. I am disappointed, obviously, that it got to the critical point and that was it."


Rob Bell, Driver:

"Unfortunately, we retired about mid-way through my third stint. We had an oil warning light on the last several stints but we topped it off with oil and thought we might be lucky and make it. Mid-way through that stint the pressure got so low I radioed and said I was going to come in that lap. I got half way through Turn 15 and the engine just let go. There must have been oil on the tyres because I spun, regained it and I just coasted to a stop. It is a sad end obviously but there are a lot of positives. My last stint the tyres were running well with the car. That was the quickest the car has been all week. It was a great team effort. Everyone has worked really hard and well all week. It is just a pity we couldn't bring it home."


Dale White, Team Manager:

"We're obviously very disappointed with the result but we accomplished a lot this week. Overall, I'd say it was a very positive week for Drayson Racing. The team really came together, the car ran well in practice and qualifying and we made good progress in the handling. We learned a lot about what the Aston Martin Vantage GT2 likes with the Michelin tyres. I am really proud of the guys. For our first race together everyone worked really well together and worked really, really hard. I am looking forward to Barcelona now more than ever."

Nicholas Mee Racing made an impressive start to its first season by securing victory in the first round of the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 Challenge held at Silverstone on 28 March.

Competing in the first round of the 2009 Britcar GT series*, drivers Karsten Le Blanc and Christiaen Van Lanschot qualified their Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4 in 21st overall and 4th in class, but more importantly placed themselves higher up the grid than the three other V8 Vantages entered.

Despite cold and blustery conditions the 2-hour race went very much according to plan. Helped by the smart strategy of starting with slick tyres on a damp but drying track, NMR was able to consolidate its grid position by being the first Aston Martin to the chequered flag, while retaining 4th in class and climbing to 19th place overall.

Team Principal Nicholas Mee commented, “I would like to offer my thanks and congratulations to everyone in the team. Everybody involved has worked hard to ready the car over the preceding weeks and months, and a result like this, so early on, makes all the effort doubly worthwhile.

“Special congratulations must go to drivers Karsten and Christiaen who have made the challenging progression from their historic Austin Healey 3000 and Aston Martin DB4 to the very contemporary Vantage GT4 look much easier than it really is. Thanks are also due to our consultant driver Anthony Reid. Without his experience and guidance Karsten and Christiaen could have taken longer to attain their current levels of confidence and speed.”

NMR is now preparing for its next race weekend, the Britcar double header at Donington Park on 2-3 May, and will then move on to the following round on 27 June at Spa Francorchamps.

* The Vantage GT4 Challenge takes place within the popular Britcar series and is open to all Aston Martin Vantage GT4s, including the Vantage N24. Eligible drivers compete in the regular Britcar GT Championship and score points towards both that series and the Vantage GT4 Challenge.

AMR Teams

The green light for the 77th edition of the Le Mans 24 hour race will be given on June the 13th at 3pm. And for the first time since 1972 an Austrian team will be taking part as well – Jetalliance Racing!

“When we founded the team about three and a half years ago, Le Mans was one of our big goals. I wouldn’t have dared to dream back then that this might become reality so quickly. That’s why I’m delighted with the invitation by the ACO”, team owner Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer says. “That’s not only the reward for our achievements in motorsports but also a recognition of our professional work.”

Preparations at the JAR headquarters in Oeynhausen are in full swing since the entry was officially confirmed. The crew of mechanics is working almost round the clock on the Aston Martin DBR9, which has to be specially modified for the Le Mans race: a smaller fuel tank, air conditioning, changes to the aerodynamics and so on.

“We’re right on target. Now the countdown is on”, says Lichtner-Hoyer, who has also made a decision concerning the driver line-up. Apart from the team owner himself, Alex Müller and Thomas Gruber will be on board in France. Both drivers have been part of the JAR family for quite some time. Lichtner-Hoyer has already celebrated some great results with 30 year old Müller in 2008, for instance a second place in Oschersleben, his first FIA GT podium finish. On the other hand Lichtner-Hoyer has also partnered the 49 year old Thomas Gruber from Vienna in many endurance races. In 2008 Gruber took the overall “Endurance” title of the Porsche Sportscup.

For all three drivers it is the first Le Mans start. Therefore Lichtner-Hoyer & Co. imposed a special fitness programme on themselves, but they will also co-drive a race together beforehand.


The “6 Hours of Spa” as a dress rehearsal

In order to be ideally prepared for Le Mans, the team will contest the “Six Hours of Spa” Le Mans Series event as a dress rehearsal. Lichtner-Hoyer/Gruber competed there in 2007 at the wheel of an Aston Martin DBR9, finishing fifth in class back then. The race takes place on 10 May 2009.


The chequered flag is the target

Everyone at Jetalliance Racing is aware of just how tough the Le Mans 24 hour race is: “We’re realistic enough to know that, coming from a different form of racing to the world’s toughest and most difficult endurance race, we might have to learn the hard way. We have great respect, but we’re going to France highly motivated. We took the first step by gaining an entry, now we want to follow up with the next one. That is to say, our goal is to cross the finish line on Sunday. If we manage to do that, a top result in the GT1 class is possible.”


24h of Le Mans – a race with a lot of history

The race was first held in 1923, then with the idea of giving manufacturers a chance to be able to prove the reliability of their cars and showcase the latest stage of development. Today Le Mans is the quintessential endurance classic. The track consists of two parts, the “Circuit de la Sarthe”, named after the eponymous river, which mainly uses public roads, and the permanent “Circuit Bugatti”, where the pits and the start/finish straight are located. Over the course of time, the entire circuit has been revised and slowed down several times due to safety concerns.

The most successful driver is Denmark’s Tom Kristensen, who has been victorious eight times overall so far. But there are also three Austrians on the winners list: Jochen Rindt (1965), Dr Helmut Marko (1971) and Alexander Wurz (1996).


Anniversary year for Aston Martin

Aston Martin is celebrating a big anniversary at Le Mans this year: Fifty years ago Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori, driving an Aston Martin DBR1, claimed the first overall victory for the English marque.

Definitely another reason why Aston Martin moved up to the LMP1 class this year, leaving GT1, which they won for the past two years, to privateer teams. Two of those will be competing, Jetalliance Racing being one of them.

Heinrich Karner of Aston Martin Austria: “We are very proud that Jetalliance Racing, the team we co-founded, will race the Aston Martin DBR9 in this traditional event, headed by Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer, in this of all years.”

SEBRING, Fla. - March 19, 2009 - Drayson Racing turned more than the Michelin tyres on its No. 007 Aston Martin Vantage GT2 while preparing for Saturday's 57th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida; they turned heads. From the E85-fueled car's first test run on the famous Sebring International Raceway on Monday, those involved in the American Le Mans Series began to take notice of the Elspeth and Paul Drayson-owned team's Vantage GT2 showed marked progress since the end of the 2008 season. Any doubts of the car's improvement were removed in today's 25-minute qualifying session for the GT2 class when Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) placed the car ninth on the class grid. Cocker will be joined by Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK), and Rob Bell (St. Helens, England) behind the wheel of the British racing green machine during the 21 March event.

The Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing turned seven laps in practice with Cocker's quick time of two minutes, 5.692 seconds coming on the fourth trip around the 3.7-mile, 17-turn Sebring circuit. The lap was 2.6 seconds off the pace set by the class pole position-winning car.
To complete a long day which included three total hours of available track time, the Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA) managed team took part in the mandatory night session. American Le Mans Series rules dictate that any driver starting in Saturday's 12 hour event must take a minimum of three laps at racing speeds of the circuit at night. A rain storm swept through central Florida between the qualifying session and night practice leaving a freshly scrubbed track surface to challenge the three British drivers as they took to the course in the setting sun.

The operation stuck to protocol getting the drivers their required track time on the damp track with grooved tyres. As the preferred racing line dried, the call came to run each driver through the car on the dry-weather, racing slicks. Cocker was first on the slick tyres and set the fifth-quickest time of the session (2:06.384). Drayson and Bell followed becoming accustomed to the race day setup. Ted Higgins, crew chief for Drayson Racing, also took the time to lead the organisation in a pit stop practice as the programme rotated through its drivers. In total, the team ran 29 laps during the night practice.

SPEED will televise the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida live from 10 a.m. to noon and 2-11 p.m. EDT. American Le Mans Radio and Live Timing & Scoring will be available at www.AmericanLeMans.com.


Quotes


Paul Drayson, Owner/Driver:

About the week: "The weekend is going really well. The preparations this week have been really on track. There is a significant improvement over last year and we are in contention. We qualified ninth which, hopefully, we can improve on that with our race pace. I am very happy with the car."
About finding speed at Sebring: "The fascinating thing about Sebring is just how the track changes from session to session. It is all about getting the setup to work right for the particular track conditions with the temperature. That is what makes it fascinating. It is always moving around. The nature of the first turn and the last turn; there is so much time in getting it setup well for those corners. That is where I really came on this morning. That is where the time came from for me."


Jonny Cocker, Driver:

"A little bit disappointing in qualifying really. We had a small problem early in the morning session and the car had the same kind of feeling in qualifying. We were struggling in the right hand corners. We have definitely made a forward step as we are much closer to the leaders than last year. It is tough but we'll see. We are generally closer to the leaders in the race pace and it is a long race."


Rob Bell, Driver:

"The car was mega in the night session on dry tyres. We need to stay consistent and keep out of trouble and I think we can be there at the end on Saturday."


Dale White, Team Manager:

"We are a little disappointed in qualifying. We felt like we had a top- five car but it just didn't feel right to Jonny when he went for his quick laps. Based on the driver feedback from the night practice we fixed that issue. We accomplished all of our tasks for the evening. I am very happy right now, much happier than after qualifying. We should have a good car for the race. We'll run our pace and let it all unfold."

Paul Ricard, 9 March 2009. Following weeks of intense preparation Aston Martin Racing ran its new LMP1 cars for the first time at the Le Mans Series test held at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France on 8/9 March.

Car numbers 007 and 009 resplendent in their Gulf Oil International orange and blue livery took to the French circuit on Sunday morning. All six of the team’s drivers, Jan Charouz (CZ), Tomas Enge (CZ), Stefan Mücke (DE), Harold Primat (CH), Miguel Ramos (PT) and Darren Turner (GB) got an opportunity to test the new cars.

Members of the public were granted access to the Paul Ricard Test Track for the first time in 10 years and 3,500 spectators arrived on Sunday to view the on-track action from the newly installed grandstands. In total 28 of the 50 cars that will compete in the Le Mans Series took part in the official test with the Aston Martins taking centre stage.

The team was encouraged by the performance and reliability over the course of the test and encountered no significant issues despite the cars having barely turned a wheel prior to the start of the test.

The team suffered a setback on the afternoon of day one when the 007 car suffered an accident with Czech driver Tomas Enge at the wheel. Although the car sustained heavy damage, Enge walked away uninjured from the accident.

Also taking part in the test was Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing - Drayson Racing with their No. 87 Aston Martin Vantage GT2. Drivers Paul Drayson and Jonny Cocker used the test to benchmark the off-season improvements the team has made to the V8-powered machine. The results were encouraging as the Vantage GT2 performed well on its new Michelin tyres.

The Le Mans Series consists of five 1,000km races, the first of which is the 1,000km of Catalunya which will take place on 5 April at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, Spain. The other races take place at Spa in Belgium, at the new Algarve circuit in Portugal and at the Nürburgring in Germany where Aston Martin has its Test Centre facility. The series finale takes place on the team’s home turf of Silverstone in the UK.

In addition to the Le Mans Series, Aston Martin Racing will compete in the Le Mans 24 hour race which takes place on 13/14 June 2009.


Quotes

George Howard-Chappell Team Principal “It’s a credit to the team that both of our cars have run so reliably after such an intense and tiring build period. For a first test with two brand new cars we have run very successfully. Obviously the accident has set us back to a degree but as always we will recover and we will be in Barcelona with two race-ready cars. I am pleased that the new drivers are getting to grips with the car and are integrating well with the team and the ‘old hands’ are also performing well.”


Car 007


Jan Charouz

“The first impression of the car is that it looks stunning. I didn’t get to do many laps, just 10, but the car was very stable and quick and we didn’t experience any technical difficulties which was great as it is a completely new car. I’m looking forward to the first race to see how we compare to the competition.”


Tomas Enge

“Considering how short a time the team had to build up the two cars we were running really well without any major problems. Unfortunately because of my error the test was compromised but prior to the accident the car was good and I believe that we will be even stronger than we were last year.”


Stefan Mucke

“It was the first time for me in the new LMP1 and the first time it has run on a race track. The aerodynamics have changed quite a lot and I was expecting less down-force with the smaller rear wing but actually the car felt really good and the feeling was very close to that of last year’s entry so I felt at home after only a couple of laps. The team has changed the exhaust system from last season and the engine note from the V12 is fantastic, especially on the long straight here at Paul Ricard. I am looking forward to the first race; it will be interesting to see where we are against the diesel cars. We had a good result at Barcelona in 2008 so I hope we can repeat this and get another podium this year.”


Car 009


Harold Primat:

“My first test was ok, the car was good out of the box and it was impressive to see that it is running trouble free straight away. The team did a great job of preparing the car. I think the car has got great potential; we tried a few different set-ups finding a good solution for all of the drivers. The aim of the test was to get mileage under our belts, to understand the car and to find ways to improve it which is exactly what we did. My height can cause me trouble as I am pretty tall for a driver but I’m working with the team to improve the comfort.”


Miguel Ramos:

“The LMP1 feels great, the speed on corning is great, I’m not yet used to it as I normally drive a GT car but it is getting easier. I am taking everything step by step and I’m trying to understand the car and how it reacts rather than pushing too hard. I’m comparing my lap data with the more experienced drivers and making adjustments each time I drive which means I’m improving every lap. My last lap was my fastest of the two days. The Paul Ricard circuit is really challenging for someone who is just starting out in LMP1 and the g-force is really tough physically.”


Darren Turner:

“The test has been really good, the car has run like clockwork and it is fitting reward for the guys from Aston Martin Racing who have put so much effort in over the last few weeks that we have managed to complete lots of miles. The main focus right now is to put miles on the new car and to allow me and my team mates to get up to speed. For me it is a big step from the DBR9 to LMP1 but I’m happy that after two days of testing I am starting to feel comfortable and I’m really looking forward to the first race in Barcelona and the rest of the year.”

LE CASTELLET, FRANCE, March 8, 2009 - Following a winter of preparation, Drayson Racing made its Le Mans Series debut, and in fact its motorsports debut, today at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France. The Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing brought its No. 87 Aston Martin Vantage GT2 and drivers Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) to the 5.791 Km (3.6 miles) race course with an eye towards sizing-up the competition in the European-based Le Mans Series. Day one of the two day official Series-wide test gave Drayson Racing its first occasion to benchmark the freshly-formed team and off-season improvements to the V8-powered machine against its competition. The results were encouraging as both the Aston Martin Vantage GT2 and the team performed well.

The test is a vital first opportunity of the season for the Paul and Elspeth Drayson owned operation to scrutinize these changes and the chemistry of its new team. Since the close of the 2008 American Le Mans Series season in October, the operation has overseen the installation of multiple upgrades to its pair of Aston Martin Vantage GT2 coupes. These upgrades to chassis and engine by Ted Higgins and the newly assembled Drayson Racing crew met expectations of improved performance and reliability over the 2008 configuration. The newly signed contract to represent Michelin in the Le Mans Series, American Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans further strengthened the team's gains. Today gave the team access to the track for over 11 hours of lapping. Monday's final day includes seven additional hours of running split into four and three hour sessions in morning and afternoon respectively.
Since its early January announcement at the Autosport Show, the British team has made several major announcements for the 2009 season. Chief among those came in February with the signing of Michelin. In the same announcement, two-time, defending Le Mans Series GT2 champion Rob Bell (St Helens, England) was named to the driver roster for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans. Last week, the Automobile Club De L'Ouest (ACO) recognised Drayson Racing as one of only 55 invitees to participate in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Team Manager Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA) also made the team's official entry to the Asian Le Mans Series events in Japan and China on 6 March.

Once the test at Paul Ricard is complete, Drayson Racing will have little time to reflect on its gains. The team's No. 007 Drayson Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT2, which runs on 'Second Generation' cellulosic E85 Bio-Ethanol fuel, will be shipped to the United States to take part in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida on 21 March. The first on-track test day is scheduled for Monday, 16 March.

The first official Le Mans Series event is the 1000 Km of Catalunya scheduled for 3-5 April at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona, Spain. The five race Le Mans Series schedule will see Drayson Racing contest 1000 Km events not only in Spain but Belgium, Portugal, Germany and the United Kingdom as well. Following the European-based season, the Drayson Aston Martin will travel back to North America where the American Le Mans Series-ready Vantage GT2 will contest the 1000 mile/10 hour Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the four hour Monterey Sports Car Championships at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in October. Drayson and Cocker will close out their third season as co-drivers with four races in Asia; the Okayama Circuit in Japan will host a three hour race on 31 October and another on 1 November. The Shanghai Circuit in China will follow with two, three hour races, one each on 7 and 8 November.


Quotes


Paul Drayson, Owner/Driver:


About the Paul Ricard test:

"I am very happy with the progress we made today. All the hard work by everyone over the past weeks really paid off and we had an excellent first day of testing. The car is fast and the team really worked well together. This test is an important opportunity to benchmark our pace ahead of our first race at Sebring. Personally, I am delighted to be driving here in France for the first time in the Le Mans Series. Everyone has been very welcoming and helpful and Paul Ricard is an excellent, super professional facility."


About off-season preparations:

"I'm very pleased with the progress of the team. Preparations are on track, all pretty calm and organised. We have assembled a great group of seasoned professionals under Dale's leadership."


About the 2009 season:

"This year is a dream come true for me. To be embarking on a full season of sports car racing at the highest level in all three Le Mans series; American, European and Asian with my own team is just tremendous. Of course, the Le Mans 24 hour race will be the highlight. So I am happy to be starting this exciting new season with my new team."


Jonny Cocker, Driver:


About the Paul Ricard test:

"The Le Mans Series championship is extremely competitive at the front, but that's where we're aiming to be. I think one of the main focuses of the test has been helping Paul apply what we have learnt over the winter in training, into the race car. My personal aim is to be near the front of the pack at the end of the two days. We're the new guys in the LMS championship so I think that it's important to show that we mean business early on. But really it's going to be more important to get to grips with the car and have everyone come away from the test feeling happy and prepared for the season ahead."
About off-season preparations: "As always, I have really missed being in a race car, the winter break seems to get longer and longer each year! I think it's great for myself and Paul to get back into the Vantage GT2 and feel how things have moved on from last year. We're really hoping that the developments on the car will have brought the performance of our car closer to the outright pace of the competition."


About the 2009 season:

"I think that the combination of the development of the car and the addition of the Michelin tyres will see our performance move dramatically forward from '08. I'm expecting to see some surprised faces around the paddock!"


Dale White, Team Manager:

"We have worked very hard over the winter and come a very long way in a very short period of time. I think everyone at Drayson Racing was ready to get out of the shop and onto the track to see where all of this hard work has put us. I am very proud of the team and its efforts thus far. Here is where it begins to pay off. I believe this was a good first day. Personally, I can't wait to put Drayson Racing and the number 87 Vantage GT2 up against the Le Mans Series field in a race and see where we stand."