After revealing the identity of the first pair of drivers who compete for the European Championship FIA GT3 (Frederick Makowiecki and Manu Rodrigues with the Aston Martin DBRS9 No. 1), HEXIS AMR announces the name of his third driver GT3: Thomas Accary. The young man, two vice European Champion, loyal to the team for the third consecutive season, lead the Aston Martin DBRS9 No. 2.

Philippe Dumas, Team Manager, returns to the signing of HEXIS AMR with this driver to the meteoric rise: "The goal is that we do a program in continuity with a genuine desire to see Thomas run in one of our GT1 World Championship next year. I believe in him for this adventure as I believed in him trusting in early 2008 for his first experience in GT while going through a phase of doubts. "Teammate has not yet been validated, so the research team a competitive driver, Bronze classified by the FIA since Thomas became a pilot Or
Before giving the floor to Thomas Accary, back on his record:

History
Born 17.11.1987 in Annecy
2009: European Champion FIA GT3 (ranked teams)
Vice Champion European FIA GT3 (rank Drivers)
2008: Vice Champion European FIA GT3 (Teams and Drivers)
2005: 5th Rookie Championship Formula Renault 2.0
2004: 7th Championship Formula Campus France (3 podiums and 1 win)

Can you return to the sucsess of the 2009 season?
2009 was a year very constructive for me and the team (Hexis Racing AMR). She brought me a little more experience and I am very satisfied with the results we have obtained (in 2009, AMR Hexis Racing was crowned for the first time European Champion FIA GT3 Teams classification). I am pleased to have achieve my goals of 2008, climbed the final step of the podium as we were then Vice Champions.

What are your goals for 2010?
Victory! And this time a total victory by winning titles Teams and Drivers HEXIS with AMR. I hope to garner more experience and learn new things through the presence of AMR HEXIS World Championship FIA GT1, notably through its drivers (Jean-Denis Deletraz, Frederick Makowiecki, Clivio Piccione and Jonathan Hirschi).

What qualities do you look at your future mate?
Before any consistency, teamwork and of course the performance! I do not care his record?

The final word?
I would like to thank Euro-Trading (wholesaler of electrical equipment) who followed me for six years, and Peter Tanisman (Swiss watchmaker). Finally, a big thank you to my father, HEXIS AMR and energy drink Kalaschnikow.

Manchester-based Racing Driver, Michael Bentwood will be back behind the wheel of a Barwell Motorsport run Aston Martin DBRS9, during the 2010 season. The hugely experienced ex-F3 driver has signed up with businessman Paul Whight, to drive in selected Avon Tyres British GT rounds, plus events from the Spanish and French GT championships.


Bentwood has previously campaigned the 6.0 litre V12 supercar in the British Championship in 2006 and 2007, and has had outings in a selection of GT cars since then. Bentwood was recommended to Whight through Aston Martin Racing and the Barwell Motorsport team, who will run the pair in 2010.
The former Touring Car and F3000 driver is going into the 2010 season with renewed vigour and determination, commenting: “I was delighted to hear that Aston Martin Racing were keen to see me back in a DBRS9 for 2010. Paul has huge enthusiasm for this project and from what I have seen so far he is keen and in great shape to mount a serious assault on the British GT podium places this year. It is great to be racing with Barwell Motorsport again, they are an excellent outfit and extremely professional in everything they do. I have been working hard all through the off-season to be ready for this and I am more determined than ever to win in British GT.”

Bentwood and Whight will be racing in selected rounds of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship as well as rounds from the Spanish and French GT Championships. The ex-F3 driver will start his racing season on Easter Weekend at his home circuit of Oulton Park in Cheshire.

2010 Programme

03-05 April Oulton Park - 2 x 60 (Easter weekend; no running on Sun)
04-05 June SPA (Belgium) - 2H30 (2 pit stops)
14-15 August Silverstone GP - 120 minutes
29-30 August Snetterton - 2 x 60
25-26 September Brands Hatch GP - 2 x 60
16-17 October Jerez (Spain) - 120 minutes
30-31 October Catalunya (Barcelona) - 2 x 60 (TBC)

The Aston Martin 007 was the fastest petrol car across the line, finishing third overall in the opening round of the American Le Mans Series: the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Drivers Adrian Fernández (MX), Stefan Mücke (DE) and Harold Primat (CH) were consistent throughout as was the production-based Aston Martin V12-powered LMP1 car, which once again proved its reliability and durability.

In a largely uneventful race dominated by the diesel powered cars, Aston Martin finished the race in the same position as it started 12 hours earlier.

The Lowe’s sponsored Aston Martin faultlessly completed 364 laps of the 3.7 mile Sebring International Raceway covering a total of 1,347 miles.

The Aston Martin Racing team achieved the best result possible with an immaculate performance by all involved echoing 2009’s result at the Le Mans 24 hour race.

The legendary Sebring circuit has provided an invaluable test for the car and the team now turn their thoughts to the eight hour Le Mans Series race at Paul Ricard in France on 11 April 2010. The team will then return to the USA in April for the second round of the American Le Mans Series at Long Beach on 17 April 2010.

Team Quotes:

Aston Martin Chairman, David Richards: “Another immaculate performance by George and his team in finishing here as fastest petrol car and a great start to the season.”

Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell: “I’m very pleased; it's the best we could have expected if all front running cars were reliable - which they were. We wanted to be the fastest petrol car at Sebring and it’s excellent preparation for Le Mans, having a completely clean run with no issues at all. The Michelin tyres were fantastic as usual so happy all round.”

Adrian Fernandez (MX): “It was a fantastic race for the team and a great start for me in my debut with Aston Martin. The team and the other drivers did a superb job in what was a very tough race. It bodes well for the car because if it can handle 12 hours of Sebring, then it will do well in the 24 hours of Le Mans.”

Stefan Mücke (DE): “We had no problems although it was tough racing here during the night. We did the very best that we could and the car was reliable as expected so I’m very happy.”

Harold Primat (CH): “The race has been really good. We obviously had some tough competition; we knew the diesels would be strong so I think we have achieved the best result we could. The team did a brilliant job capitalising on the car’s reliability and I am pleased with the outcome.”

AMR

Aston Martin Racing made a solid start in The 12 Hours of Sebring. All three drivers, Adrian Fernández (MX), Stefan Mücke (DE) and Harold Primat (CH) have driven a double stint in the opening round of the American Le Mans Series below blue skies in Florida.

The 007 Aston Martin sponsored by Lowe’s, now having completed 192 laps of the 3.7 mile circuit, is currently running in third and holding position as the fastest of the petrol-powered cars. Fernández got a good start off the grid staying clear of traffic but after 10 minutes lost a position due to pick-up on the tyres. During the first pit stop for fuel and new tyres, Fernández remained behind the wheel to complete his trouble-free stint.

Mücke took over and completed his double stint on just one set of Michelin tyres, stopping briefly for fuel. As Mücke handed over to Primat, the Aston Martin Racing team took the opportunity to make a minor aerodynamic modification to the rear of the car with the aim of limiting pick-up on the front tyres.

Fernández said: “In my first stint, the initial four to five laps were really good, but then it became difficult because there was a lot of pick-up on the tyres, and the front lacked grip. Once we changed compound, I was able to push harder and reduce the lap times.

“Now we just have to stay out of trouble as the traffic is very tricky and push on through the second half of the race.”

Mücke said: “I’m pleased with progress so far, there is a lot of rubber on the track making grip difficult and traffic was preventing me cleaning the tyres. I think the change to the car’s aerodynamics should really help for the remaining six hours.”

Primat said: “My run was fine, and the tyres were wearing consistently which is why the team decided to continue with the same set for the next stint. The cockpit temperature is great and the air conditioning has really helped today.”

AMR

As Aston Martin Racing prepares for qualifying in the opening round of the American Le Mans Series, works drivers, Adrian Fernández , Stefan Mücke and Harold Primat talk about their what it means to drive the Aston Martin LMP1 car in the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Adrian Fernández (MX)

Q: You’ve had a fantastically successful career in single-seaters, including finishing second in the Champ Car series. What’s it like driving the Aston Martin now?
AF: “I consider myself very lucky as I’ve experienced everything in my career and not stopped racing for 27 years, from Formula Ford to NASCAR to running my own team. So to end up here is a perfect fit, but also another exciting new thing for me at the same time.”

Q: You’ve already got an LMP2 title under your belt, but what does the step up to LMP1 feel like?
AF: “It’s a whole different ball game. The LMP1 cars are much more aggressive. In an LMP2 car you can come out of a corner and just nail the throttle, but with these LMP1 cars you have to really feed in the power or you spin. And in a closed-cockpit car your visibility is also much more limited.”

Q: What’s the most difficult thing about Sebring?
AF: “The bumps, the surface changes, and the constant traffic. You need to be quick, but you can’t rush it either. In many ways, Sebring makes Le Mans look quite easy...”

Q: What does Aston Martin mean to you?
AF: “The noise of that V12! It’s a dream. I’m 46, still fit, still quick and driving for Aston Martin. You can’t ask for more than that. As a Mexican, it’s also very special for me to be driving in Gulf colours, as those were the colours that were on the 1970s sportscars driven by Pedro Rodriguez – who was a real hero in my country.”

Stefan Mücke (DE)

Q: What are the biggest challenges going into your first 12 Hours of Sebring?
SM: “I think the biggest challenges are definitely the bumps and the holes. It’s the sort of place that you probably wouldn’t even use for testing. There are some tricky corners as well, particularly the first and the last corners that are totally blind and have no run-off. Sebring is just a unique place, like nowhere else”

Q: What’s your objective for the race?
SM: “First and foremost, to get to the end of the race without making any mistakes. It’s so easy to lose it at Sebring and it’s also very tough on the car. If the car can get to the end of 12 hours at Sebring, then it can certainly get to the end of 24 hours at Le Mans. From a results point of view, it would be nice to be on the podium.”

Q: You’ve had a lot of experience of Aston Martin’s LMP1 car. Is that going to help you to adapt to this new challenge?
SM: “Definitely. As a driver, it’s easier to focus on learning a circuit if you already know the car. I’ve done some testing at Sebring so I know the circuit reasonably well, although there are definitely some areas where I can still improve.”

Q: What does Aston Martin mean to you?
SM: “Aston Martin is a fantastic brand, and every time I drive the car it is a pure pleasure. To be driving for this great name, with the noise of the V12 in your ears, is the most amazing feeling.”

Harold Primat (CH)

Q. What’s it like to be racing in America?
HP: “It’s very exciting and something that we have all wanted to do. The people here are very enthusiastic and welcoming, and actually we see a bigger fan base than we have in Europe. Sebring is a legendary event in motorsport history and I think everyone is looking forward to hearing our V12 out on the track!”

Q. How difficult is the track to drive?
HP: “I like Sebring a lot, except for the first and last corners that are very tricky – and there is not much run-off space either. What makes it difficult are the bumps and the holes on the track, which can easily throw the car off balance. It’s a very big challenge, which is part of the appeal of the place.”

Q. How do you set up the car in order to cope with the characteristics of Sebring?
HP: “That’s mostly down to the team, but the main work is obviously on the springs and dampers. We have a few more development parts for the race, so hopefully all these little things put together will add up to a general improvement.”

Q. What does Aston Martin mean to you?
HP: “It’s a name that is recognised all over the world. When we went to Japan last year, we had a huge welcome and it’s the same in America. Of course we will struggle to beat the diesels, but we definitely have the most exciting car to drive and watch.”

Aston Martin Racing will start the 12 Hours of Sebring from third on the grid on Saturday 20 March. Drivers Adrian Fernández (MX), Stefan Mücke (DE) and Harold Primat (CH) will form the driver line-up for the American endurance classic. The qualifying session saw Stefan Mücke post a time of 1m46.079s in the Aston Martin LMP1 car just 0.238s behind the second placed diesel-powered car.

The 007 Aston Martin sponsored by Lowe’s performed well throughout the practice and qualifying session with only minor tweaks and modifications being made to create the ideal set-up ahead of the race.

Mücke said: “I think we achieved the maximum we could today; we are not far behind the diesels which are very strong. It’s hot out there, and the track is very slippery but I am happy with the car with just a few minor modifications to make before the race. Now I am really looking forward to the battle against the diesels. Traffic will be a big challenge tomorrow, and we need to keep the car on this very bumpy track but I am hoping for a podium finish.”

Team Principal, George-Howard Chappell who has been overseeing the team’s progress during practice and qualifying said: “Third position is exactly where we hoped and expected to be. We need a very clean run during the race, and I am confident of the reliability of our car. Much will depend on the reliability of the diesel cars if we are to improve on our qualifying position.”

In total, 34 cars will take the start of the 12 hour race at the legendary Sebring circuit, with temperatures expected to reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Live coverage will be on the SPEED channel with radio coverage found at: www.radiolemans.com

The 58th 12 Hours of Sebring will get underway at 10:30 (EDT) on Saturday 20 March 2010. For live timing visit: http://www.americanlemans.com/.

AMR

Christoffer Nygaard has a busy season ahead of him when, uniquely, he will race a Young Drivers AMR Aston Martin DBR9 in the FIA GT1 World Championship and also compete for his second year in the FIA GT3 European Championship in the Fischer Racing Ford GT. In 2009 the Dane, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on the 24th March, won in his debut GT3 season with victory at Oschersleben in Germany, adding two further podiums to finish 5th overall with Florian Grüber at the end of the year.

“From the start-finish straight you head towards the first left-hand corner, which is extremely tricky as it is so bumpy. You gradually slide the car to the right on the way out but the exit is blind, so you don’t see it until the last minute. The best thing is to take as tight a line as possible, as then you avoid the worst of the bumps.

From fifth gear we change down to second for turn two, keeping clear of the kerbs, and then we take as straight a line as possible, going up through the gears, into Hairpin.

This corner is very bumpy too and you need to take care under braking as the rear moves around a lot. Hairpin is taken in first gear, then you straighten the car up as best you can – it will want to push out – and it’s up to Fangio.

This corner is taken flat, again using a very tight line to avoid the worst of the bumps. We’re in fifth gear just before Tower, then you knock it down quickly to third, braking late but not too late as it’s so easy to overdrive this corner in an LMP1 car. Again it’s very bumpy.

You need to be quite patient and wait to put the power on; then it’s off down to Bishop. When I’ve raced at night here in the past it’s always difficult to see the apex and then, very quickly, you’re into a fast left-right-left, which is taken in fourth gear. Here, you can use the kerbs to straight-line it.

Le Mans corner is one of the most important corners of the lap as you need to get it exactly right to get the best possible drive onto the Ullman straight. Luckily there’s good grip here and it’s on one of the smoothest parts of the circuit, but you need to be cautious with the kerb. You can get away with taking a bit of it provided you accelerate smoothly. On the straight you accelerate all the way up to the shift lights, using every bit of the power, but it’s also an opportunity to have a quick rest, check for warning lights and so on.

At the end of the straight you come to Sunset, which is probably the most difficult corner of the lap. You approach it very quickly but you’ve got to be progressive with the braking or the bumps will spit you off. In the middle of the corner it’s still extremely bumpy and the car just wants to jump out all the time. Along with the first corner, it’s probably the most physically demanding turn as you’re pulling a lot of g-force.

At the end of Sunset, I let the car drift as wide as possible to line up for the start-finish straight. Keep doing that for 12 hours, and you’ll get to the end of an extremely tough race!”

AMR

• Launch of four new programmes of enhanced support and incentives for the Vantage N24/GT4 race car
• Aston Martin British GT4 Challenge
• Aston Martin Nürburgring Trophy
• Aston Martin 24 Hour Challenge
• Aston Martin GT4 Cup

In recognition of the outstanding racing and sales success of the Vantage GT4 race car since its launch as the Vantage N24 three years ago, Aston Martin is announcing a four-pronged programme of enhanced support and incentives for race teams and owners of the cars across Europe for 2010.

At the heart of this exciting programme is a new six round competition - the Aston Martin British GT4 Challenge – an official one-make series operated by the company’s racing partners Aston Martin Racing. The series comprises five rounds of 90 to 150 minutes on classic British circuits and a visit to the famous Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

In Germany where the first Vantage race car made its debut in the Nürburgring 24 hour race in 2006, Aston Martin will utilise facilities and expertise at its Nürburgring Test Centre to run the Aston Martin Nürburgring Trophy within the ten race VLN series of four hour races on the legendary Nordschleife circuit.

Thirdly, Vantage N24s and GT4 cars have achieved remarkable results in numerous 24 hour races around the world and demonstrated unprecedented reliability, so the Aston Martin Twenty Four Hour Challenge will further encourage entries in these ultimate endurance tests by recognising GT4 class results in the Dubai, Nürburgring, Spa and Silverstone (Britcar) 24 hour races.

Finally, since taking victory in the inaugural FIA GT4 race at Silverstone in 2007, the Vantage has regularly featured as a winner in the increasingly popular FIA series, so Aston Martin Racing will continue its on-event parts and technical support for Vantage customers. Additionally, the Aston Martin GT4 Cup will be awarded to the best placed Vantage driver within the championship. A range of trophies and prizes will be awarded to drivers and teams with official factory tests offered to winning drivers of all four competitions.

David King, Aston Martin’s Head of Motor Sport commented: “GT4 racing not only demonstrates the capabilities and pedigree of our V8 Vantage road car, but also connects us directly with our customers, so we are delighted to offer them a greater choice of events along with rewards and incentives for choosing to race our cars.”

Vantage N24/GT4
The Aston Martin Vantage road car was launched to global acclaim in 2005 and has since gone on to become the most successful Aston Martin of all time. Its handling and durability were honed on test tracks around the world, including the Nürburgring where, like all the company’s new models, it completed a 10,000km durability sign-off test prior to public launch.

As a further public demonstration of its capabilities, a small team of factory engineers and technicians prepared an almost standard Vantage for the 2006 Nürburgring 24 hour race. With Chief Executive Dr Ulrich Bez leading the driving team, the bright yellow car took a remarkable and trouble-free 24th overall from over 200 starters. Shortly afterwards, to celebrate this achievement and prompted by numerous enquiries from customers, Dr Bez announced a plan to build twenty four cars to the same racing specification for sale to customers and the Vantage N24 was born.

The initial batch of 24 cars sold out rapidly and to date over sixty cars have been built. In 2009 the car was upgraded with the company’s new 4.7 litre V8 engine replacing the 4.3 litre and the car was renamed Vantage GT4. FIA performance balancing measures ensure both versions can compete on equal terms.

Aston Martin British GT4 Challenge
This recently announced one-make series has already attracted considerable interest from entrants who are keen to compete exclusively against identical cars and a strong grid of cars is anticipated for the first round at Snetterton on 5th April. Entrants will benefit from a comprehensive range of technical and promotional support and hospitality from Aston Martin Racing. The Challenge champions will receive a GT2 or GT3 test drive and other awards. The full programme is as follows:
- April 5 Snetterton
- May 22 Silverstone
- June 4/5 Spa Francorchamps
- June 26 Brands Hatch
- August 21 Oulton Park
- October 9 Donington Park

Aston Martin Nürburgring Trophy
This will be run within the 2010 VLN series which comprises of ten races of four hours on the legendary Nordschleife circuit from 27 March to 30 October. All Aston Martins regardless of entry class are eligible for the Aston Martin Nürburgring Trophy although most entrants are expected from the SP10 (GT4) class. Points will be taken directly from the VLN scoring system with best eight results counting. The winning team will receive a free entry to the 2011 Nürburgring 24 hour race and the opportunity to test Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage race car at the Nürburgring.

Aston Martin 24 Hour Challenge
With the Dubai 24 Hours already completed, results from that race will count retrospectively and the Challenge will count only the best two results from four events, with points automatically allocated to all Vantage GT4 class finishers. The winning team will receive a trophy and a test drive opportunity. The four qualifying events are:
- January 14/15 Dubai 24 Hours
- May 15/16 Nürburgring 24 Hours
- July 31/August 1 Spa 24 Hours
- October 2/3 Britcar 24 Hours, Silverstone

Aston Martin GT4 Cup
The FIA GT4 Cup comprises six rounds in Europe supporting either the new FIA GT1 World Championship or the FIA GT3 Championship. This prestigious first step on the GT racing ladder has seen close competition between numerous marques in the three years since its inception, with Aston Martin featuring regularly on the podium. The best placed Aston Martin entrant will receive the Aston Martin GT4 Cup, with an Aston Martin GT2 or GT3 test drive for the winning driver. The full programme is as follows:
- May 9 Dijon (France)
- June 5 Spa (Belgium)
- June 20 Oscherslaben (Germany)
- August 29 Nürburgring (Germany)
- September 19 Algarve (Portugal)
- October 17 Donington Park (UK)

Aston Martin Racing drivers Adrian Fernández (MX), Stefan Mücke (DE) and Harold Primat (CH) will form the 007 entry at the 12 Hours of Sebring on 20 March.

Aston Martin Racing will enter one factory LMP1 car at the prestigious American race: the scene of the Aston Martin DBR9’s GT1 class victory on its competition debut in 2005.

Fernández, who is new to Aston Martin Racing this year, is the reigning LMP2 champion in the American Le Mans Series - with extensive experience of American circuits. “I’m delighted to be contesting Sebring with Aston Martin,” he said. “I have plenty of experience of LMP2 cars, but the LMP1 Aston is another step up entirely: it’s a real driver’s car.”

Mücke helped Aston Martin to the 2009 Le Mans Series title and will be an invaluable asset to the Aston Martin Racing team as he contests the 12 Hours of Sebring for the first time. “I’m really looking forward to the experience,” he commented. “Sebring is a unique circuit; it’s a legendary name and a huge challenge.”

Primat joined Aston Martin Racing last year, competing in the Le Mans Series and at Le Mans itself. He too is a fan of Sebring. “It’s one of the most demanding circuits that I have ever raced on,” he reported. “I am looking forward to racing there again, the welcome we have received so far has been tremendous.”

The drivers have all been to Sebring to test the car, which has been modified from last year to comply with the latest 2010 Le Mans regulations. Unlike most other circuits, Sebring is extremely rough and bumpy, requiring a very specific set-up. As usual, the 007 car will run in its now-traditional blue and orange Gulf livery.

Aston Martin Racing Team Principal George Howard-Chappell commented: “We’re fortunate to benefit from a talented pool of drivers this year, and for our first trip to Sebring with the LMP1 car the accent is firmly on experience. I’m convinced that Adrian, Stefan and Harold will all do a great job. Sebring is one of the toughest races that we will face all year, particularly as we are up against some extremely strong rivals.”

Following the 12 Hours of Sebring, Aston Martin Racing will go on to contest the second round of the American Le Mans Series: the Long Beach Grand Prix on 17 April.

In addition to the American races, Aston Martin Racing will also contest the first round of the European Le Mans Series at Paul Ricard on April 11, in preparation for the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Franck Mailleux and Pierre Ragues took time out from their pre-season preparations to visit the Prodrive headquarters in Banbury, UK last week, home to the Aston Martin Racing team.

Franck and Pierre, who are preparing for their second season with Signature Plus in the LMP1 class and their first as Official Aston Martin Racing Team Partner Drivers, spent the day acquainting themselves with the Aston Martin brand and the racing heritage of Prodrive.

Trip with a taste of the celebrity life after a professional studio photo shoot, before taking an exclusive tour around the Prodrive museum. The museum showcases some of the most celebrated cars in Prodrive's illustrious racing portfolio, whether from the world of rally, Le Mans or Formula 1.

A subsequent visit to the workshop area allowed them a glimpse behind the scenes of where his 2010 race car came to life. The Lola Aston Martin LMP1 was not present during the visit because of its participation in the 12 Hours of Sebring in the American Le Mans Series, but their duo were still able to get a better feel for the illustrious Aston Martin brand. Both drivers were given a 45 minute opportunity to test a range of Aston Martin vehicles with six different models at their disposal.

Franck Mailleux
"Following the first proper test with the Lola Aston Martin LMP1 at Paul Ricard, both Pierre and I were given the special opportunity to visit Prodrive, home to the Aston Martin Racing team, to see where the magic happens," said Franck. "It was a really good day and we were able to mix business with pleasure, looking around the facilities and the heritage of Prodrive, but also having a test drive of some of the Aston Martin road cars, which was really a lot of fun. As a racing driver, it is always nice to see where the cars have come from and all the work that has gone into creating them. When we start the season in just a few weeks time, I will have a better appreciation for that work, for the car and for the Aston Martin brand. I'd like to thank everyone at Prodrive and Aston Martin for this tremendous opportunity."


Pierre Ragues
"I felt truly honoured to be visiting Prodrive, the home of Aston Martin Racing, last week," said Pierre. "We started our day with a photo shoot in a professional studio, actually the first one I have ever experienced, before moving to the Prodrive facility. Looking around the museum was incredible and we were able to see lots of legendary cars. It was also fantastic to see the workshop where all the cars, including the Aston Martin LMP1, are worked on. Just as thought the day could not get any better, we were given access to six Aston Martin road cars to try out, including the V8 Vantage and DBS. It was an unforgettable moment and I'd to thank all the people at Aston Martin and Aston Martin Racing who made it such an exceptional day."

Hexis AMR have completed their GT1 driving quartet for 2010 with the confirmation of Jonathan Hirschi.

The 24-year-old Swiss driver will partner Clivio Piccione at the wheel of the Aston Martin DBR9 No.10.

Here’s what he had to say about joining the French outfit and his aspirations for the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship.

How did the signature with HEXIS AMR come about?

I met Philippe Dumas (co-owner and team manager of HEXIS AMR) for the first time on the Paul Ricard circuit last year at the FIA GT3 European Championship. We kind of met by chance. The signature just happened like that, naturally, although it took time. And I also know Jean-Denis Delétraz (driver of HEXIS AMR’s DBR9 No.9) a bit.

How does the GT1 car feel to drive from what you have been used to?

I have experience of GT1, but a small one as I ran one race. GT1s are very different from the cars I’ve been driving until now, be it for brakes, chassis, etc. For me, GT1 is the F1 of Grand Touring cars.

What is your view of the new format for the FIA GT1 World Championship?

As it deals with a World Championship, people think it’s fantastic but they don’t really know how it will evolve, seeing that this year is the first edition. Personally, I think it’s going to be very interesting. I’m sure that from two or three races it will get itself talked about and will go past both the World Rally Championship and World Touring Car Championship.

How do you see the partnership with Clivio Piccione?

I’m happy to run with Clivio, he has more experience than me in single-seaters and I am more experienced than him in Touring and GT cars. We are really complementary. I’m also glad to be part of HEXIS AMR, they’re serious, they never have doubts and always charge in. Nowadays, a team like this is worth gold. I also thank my sponsor, Hifi Filter (filtration specialist), who has been supporting me since my debut.

Jonathan Hirschi – biography

Born: 2 February 1986, St Imier, Switzerland

Career to date:

2009: Eurocup Megane Trophy Vice-Champion (9 podium finishes, 4 race wins)

1 race in FIA GT1, 1 race in FIA GT3

2008: Eurocup Megane Trophy (6th, 2 podium finishes)

2007: Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula 3 ATS Cup (15th)

2006: Formula Renault 2.0 Swiss Champion (8 podium finishes, 4 race wins)

2005: FR 2.0 Swiss Championship (6th, 3 podium finishes, 1 race win)

2004: FR 2.0 Swiss Championship (9th)

2002-2003: Karting ICA Swiss Championship

www.hexis-amr.com

Pierre Ragues brought his first official test session as an Official Aston Martin Racing Team Driver to a positive conclusion at Circuit Paul Ricard on Monday. An official two-day test allowed Pierre and the Signature team to get to grips with their new race car for the forthcoming Le Mans Series.

The Paul Ricard test marked the official start of trackside preparations for the season-opening race, which also takes place at the southern French circuit in one month’s time. Teams will be hoping for nicer driving conditions after battling continuing cold weather, coupled with the common and often disruptive feature of the Mistral wind.

For Pierre, it was the first occasion to get properly behind the wheel of the Lola Aston Martin LMP1 after a successful shakedown of the car at Lurcy-Levis last week. Joined by his team-mate Franck Mailleux, with whom Pierre will be sharing driving duties for a second consecutive season, Pierre embarked on initial exploratory set-up laps with the car, evaluation of the aerodynamics and the beginning a new working relationships with tyre suppliers Dunlop.

The duo completed an astonishing 300 laps over the two days and although the Signature team were not seeking fast lap times, the performance of the Aston Martin allowed both Pierre and Franck to frequent the top end of the timesheets throughout Sunday’s morning, afternoon and night-time sessions, as well as throughout Monday.

Pierre said: “Our aims for this test were simply to begin getting a good basic understanding of the car and to evaluate the complete package, including the aerodynamics and Dunlop tyres. Because we are in the early stages of development, we were not chasing fast times, but we were able to get a good feeling from the car and picked up some good pace – in spite of the cold and windy weather conditions. It was hard work and we completed a lot of laps after a big effort from the whole team, so thanks must go to them. The support we have received from Aston Martin has been fantastic and I think we will go from strength to strength from here. We have a really good base to build from now, starting at the next test in Magny-Cours in a few weeks.”

Pierre will resume pre-season testing at the Magny-Cours circuit in France at the end of March before the first race weekend of the season at Paul Ricard from 9-11 April.

Darren Turner is all set for a busy year after it was announced today that he has joined JMW Motorsport for a full-season assault on the Le Mans Series. The British driver teams up with Rob Bell to race the No.92 Aston Martin Vantage for Jim McWhirter’s championship-winning team.

The Le Mans Series season fits in neatly around Darren’s drive in the FIA GT1 World Championship for the Young Driver AMR Team and, of course, the Le Mans 24 Hours, which will see him back behind the wheel of the Aston Martin LMP1 car.

“We are delighted to announce that, with the support of Aston Martin Racing, we have secured the services of Darren Turner for the full five-race LMS championship,” said McWhirter. “This underlines our commitment to this championship and adds yet another strength to our very motivated team ethos. Darren brings a wealth of experience to the team as well as a working knowledge of the Vantage V8 GT2.”

“I’m very happy to be joining JMW Motorsport for 2010,” said Turner. “The team has already won the LMS GT2 title twice, outlining their winning capabilities. It’s good to be teaming up with Rob again as we have won together before. I’m also looking forward to working with Dunlop who have a very competitive tyre in GT2 and have already achieved great success with JMW.”

The first race in the 2010 Le Mans Series takes place at Paul Ricard on 11 April.

Signature Plus : After shaking the car down last week Signature Plus set about familiarising themselves with the Dunlop shod Lola - Aston Martin. Vanina Ickx has been seen in the team garage and is close to securing a deal to compete the Spa LMS round as well as Le Mans.

Young Driver AMR : Using two cars over the course of the test, the first destined for the FIA GT World Championship the second a dedicated LMS car.

JMW : Setting the pace early on JMW tested its own GT2 Vantage for the first time after running the development car for much of the winter. Darren Turner drove the car on Monday morning and is of course free for the LMS season. We expect the announcement of Westbrook's replacement shortly.

Turning a wheel for the first time on track, the brand new JMW Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage GT2 debuted today (Sunday 7 March) at the Le Mans Series official test, held at Paul Ricard HTTT, France.

Driven by Rob Bell and Tim Sugden, the team are using these two test days as a continuation of the Dunlop tyre testing they began in Portugal last month which was heavily disrupted by rain. Though there were intermittent rain showers at Paul Ricard HTTT, and it was bitterly cold, the team made great progress with the added bonus of being the quickest GT2 car in the morning session. This promising pace continued into the afternoon session, with the team posting the second fastest GT2 time.

Tim Sugden echoed the feelings of the team after the day’s sessions: “We are all very pleased. This is the first time we have run the car and there have been no issues, it has run beautifully. We are using this test to continue our work with Dunlop. The different compounds and constructions are proving very promising and we’ve certainly identified a number of solutions and areas to work on. We have the second half of tyres to try out tomorrow.

“There’s lots to do, and whilst at a test such as this you can’t draw direct comparisons with your competitors, I think it’s fair to say our pace today is encouraging and stands us in good stead as we approach the season’s opener”.

The first Le Mans Series race takes place on 11 April 2010 at Paul Ricard.

JMW Motorsport

French Le Mans Series driver Franck Mailleux is relishing the first opportunity to get properly acquainted with his new berth for the 2010 season, as official pre-season testing gets underway at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France this weekend. 

The 24-year-old will take part in his second full season in the LMP1 class at the wheel of an Aston Martin after his Signature team secured the lucrative status as Official LMP1 Partner of Aston Martin Racing for the 2010 season.

As such, Franck will contest this season's championship as an Official Aston Martin Racing Team Partner Driver, alongside his team-mate Pierre Ragues, in the 008 car. 

Eight teams are set to test their machines in earnest for the first time this weekend as Paul Ricard hosts a two-day test session. It will be the only occasion for all teams to test alongside each other in preparation for the season-opening race, the 8h du Castellet, which also takes place on the 5.791km configuration of the Paul Ricard track in April.

The Signature team enjoyed a very commendable debut season in the LMP1 championship in 2009 but will be hoping to make an important step this season with the valuable backing and support of Aston Martin, who are reigning LMP1 champions. Signature conducted a shakedown of the Lola Aston Martin LMP1 at the Lurcy-Levis track on Wednesday in preparation for this weekend's test.

Franck commented: "It has been a long winter in anticipation of this exciting season for all of the Signature team. To have the honour of becoming an Official Aston Martin Racing Team Partner Driver in just my second full season in the Le Mans Series is a very special achievement for me personally. 

"I have been working hard over the winter months to keep in peak fitness for this year's championship and, after our brief shakedown at Lurcy-Levis on Wednesday, I can't wait to get behind the wheel of the number 008 car in Paul Ricard on Sunday and Monday. It will be an important test session for us as we begin the get properly acquainted with our car for the year. The first race of the season will take place at Paul Ricard so our test will take on even greater importance."

"After such a solid season in 2009, we are all aiming to raise the bar higher this season with podiums a clear objective and from there we will see how high up the podium we can go. Together with the support of Aston Martin, Signature and my personal sponsor Sojasun, I am expecting great things this year."

This is the fourth FIA World Championship. Is there room for another?
Definitely. Single-seater racing has Formula One, rallying has World Rally and touring cars have the WTCC so it’s fitting that sportscar racing should have its own World Championship. There are lots of manufacturers who are not in F1 but who want to showcase their products to a global audience. There are also a lot of professional drivers who specialise in sportscars and want to fight for meaningful titles so this is a great opportunity. It has been a long time coming and, although it’s probably not the best time to launch something new, it’s happening and everyone involved is looking forward to getting started.

You’re driving the Aston Martin DBR9, the car you took two class wins at Le Mans in. Is it the same car?
It’s still the DBR9 but it has been adapted to fit the 2010 GT1 regulations. We now have a plank under the car, a smaller aero package all around and more weight. All of this could have been detrimental to the performance and balance of the car but although we have lost lap time, which was the whole point, we haven’t lost the general character of the DBR9. It is still a fantastic car to drive.

Do you like the format of the race weekends with the two one-hour races, or do you prefer the endurance events?
The one-hour races will make it more aggressive. It won’t be a case of biding your time and letting the race come to you as is often the way in the endurance events. It will be pretty fraught on the track. Racing is racing though; it doesn’t matter how long the race is, as long as you are at the front. I like the fact there is just the one mandatory pit-stop and I think the format will be good for spectators as the races will be easy to follow.

What about the tracks? Are any of them new to you?
I know all the European tracks on the calendar very well and I’m having a bit of a sneak preview of Abu Dhabi right now as I am here for a PR event. The last three: Durban, Interlagos and San Luis, are all new to me but learning new tracks is often half the fun of GT racing so I’m looking forward to seeing those.

Do you think you can win the Championship?
I think we have as good a chance as anyone. Until the final Balance of Performance is set it’s hard to know where we are in relation to the other cars. What I can say is that I’m very pleased to be driving alongside Tomas Enge again as that makes us one of the strongest driver pairings. From a team point of view we have had a few tests with the Young Driver AMR Team now and I think there is huge potential there. There is a really good team spirit already and we all want this to be a success. We have all the ingredients we need for a great season.

Former British GT Championship-winning outfit, Barwell Motorsport, has teamed up with experienced GT racer, Paul Whight, to run his Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3 and AMR1 Group C cars in a programme of events around Europe this season. In 2006 Barwell and Whight both claimed British GT titles, with Barwell driver Leo Machitski winning the GT3 Drivers Championship and Paul’s Cadena Motorsport team securing the GT3 Teams crown. The 2010 squad will be entered as Barwell-Cadena, and Whight has enlisted the services of professional GT driver, Michael Bentwood, as his co-driver.

Following an extensive winter rebuild by Barwell and upgrading to 2010 specification, Bentwood shook down the DBRS9 at Silverstone last week. The team is now moving on to the Portimao track in Portugal for a two day tyre test with the DBRS9, where the AMR1 Group C car will also receive a shakedown.

Paul is likely to campaign the AMR1 in three of the Group C series events at Portimao, Spa and Paul Ricard. The GT3 Aston will be run in up to seven races selected from different GT championships around Europe, making its 2010 debut at the Oulton Park British GT opener in April.

For further information, please contact Chris Needell on +44 (0)1372 457788 / chris@barwellmotorsport.co.uk