Jota take fleet of Aston Martins to Le Mans

Not only will Jota Sport be challenging for the LMP2 class victory at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours with their Zytek, but Jota's newest division, Jota Historic, will also be running no less than three Aston Martin race cars in the Aston Martin Festival support race. Jota Historic's fleet of Astons is made up of a GT2 car and two GT4 cars. The GT2, chassis 08, is no stranger to the La Sarthe circuit, having been run in the Le Mans 24 Hours last year by Jota Sport.

The festival is designed to provide competitors with a once in a lifetime opportunity to drive on the famous French circuit, where many a motorsport legend has gone before. With over 250,000 spectators watching on, the support race to the 24 Heures du Mans will celebrate everything we love about the British manufacturer and its long-standing love affair with motorsport.

Jota's very own David Clark will be driving one of the Aston Martin GT4s. The former McLaren Sales Director and prolific classic car racer is leading Jota in its Historic ventures and client racing programme. With an enviable collection of legendary historic race cars already on Jota Historic's books and an equally impressive client profile, Clark is enthusiastic about the future of the Jota Group.

"I'm excited to be a new Partner of the Jota Group, the passion and desire to succeed that spans all divisions of the group is undeniable. Jota Historic will provide the backbone for a Jota client racing programme, where clients will benefit from the technical resources and world-class expertise we have available."

"As for driving at Le Mans...well, it's hard to put into words. To have the opportunity to drive a modern racing car on the illustrious Le Mans circuit at my age is fantastic and it will be great to have the Jota team behind me."

Joining Clark in the second GT4, which is the former Jota Sport Spa 24 Hour-winning car, is motorsport enthusiast and Aston Martin devotee Rowan Atkinson. Having previously paired up with Prodrive and Aston Martin Chairman, David Richards, in the Aston Martin British GT4 Challenge, Atkinson is confident he has what it takes to compete on the 13.6 km circuit.

"I'm really looking forward to Le Mans. What an opportunity. I have raced at the historic version, the Le Mans Classic, so I know vaguely where the road goes but nothing has the atmosphere or significance of an actual Le Mans weekend. As for Jota: what a good bunch of people; professional but accessible and they've put together a great driver training programme. They are so, so keen to help even someone of my modest ability."

To complete the line up, Strata Motorsport Director, Paul White, will be driving the 2011 Jota Sport Aston Martin Racing Partner Team GT2. As the proud new owner of this Aston Martin GT2 race car, Paul will daringly take to the track for his first ever outing in the car at the Aston Martin Festival. With several 24-hour races under his belt, along with production class wins throughout his six years of racing, White is quietly confident.

"I'm not sure the realisation of driving at Le Mans has hit me yet. I have attended the race from the other side of the fence for years and could only have dreamed for such an opportunity. I don't think I will get the chance to get behind the wheel of the GT2 before the race but will hopefully get some invaluable simulator time in before hand. Fingers crossed I can do the car, team and most importantly my family proud. Otherwise I will never live it down!"

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