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An exciting partnership, pioneering green technologies for motorsport in 2008. |
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Introduction » |
The UK’s Lord Drayson and his long-term racing partner, multiple British GT and Touring Car title-winning outfit, Barwell Motorsport, have formed a joint venture, Drayson-Barwell (D-B), to enter the 2008 American Le Mans Series. The team is an Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing. As part of this relationship, Drayson-Barwell will compete with the first new Aston Martin Vantage GT2 chassis (001) to be built by Aston Martin Racing. The team will run in the distinctive Aston Martin Racing Green colour scheme made popular by the Works outfit, and will work exclusively with Aston Martin Racing on the development of the Bio-Ethanol GT2 car. In 2007 Barwell and Paul Drayson successfully pioneered the use of bio-ethanol fuel in the British GT series, and this environmental leadership in motorsport will continue as the Vantage GT2 car will run on the latest ‘2nd Generation’ cellulosic E85 Bio-Ethanol fuel in the ALMS. Drayson-Barwell will also continue to develop and pioneer green technologies for motorsport in 2008, with the aim of competing for the inaugural ALMS Green Challenge Trophy taking place at Petit Le Mans on October 4th. Paul Drayson is a former British Government Minister, who has taken a leave of absence to pursue his dream of competing in Le Mans series competition and ultimately the Le Mans 24 Hours in a ‘Green’ race car. Together with Barwell Motorsport, he has now formed an alliance that will pursue this common goal over the next three years. Paul is greatly looking forward to making the step to ALMS: “The ALMS is a serious challenge for both the team and me. 2008 will be a development year for us racing with a brand new GT2 car running bio-ethanol fuel. The ALMS is a world-class series and shares our vision for ‘Green Racing’. I’m really looking forward to driving this beautiful new Aston Martin Vantage GT2 on some of the most challenging and iconic circuits in the world”. Barwell Motorsport MD, Mark Lemmer, comments: “Paul and I share the same vision, to be successful at Le Mans and to be at the forefront of developing ‘Green’ technologies within motorsport. Over the last two seasons we have been laying the foundations for our joint venture, and Drayson-Barwell’s newly formed partnership with AMR allows us to move closer to our combined goal.” Whilst the team waits for the delivery of its new Aston Martin Vantage GT2, Paul’s Aston Martin DBRS9 (FIA GT3-specification) chassis and engine will be used in the first two rounds of the series at Sebring and St.Petersburg. The DBRS9 has been accepted to compete in the IMSA GT2S class of the ALMS at these rounds. These events will provide an ideal platform for the team to learn about the series, before the arrival of the GT2 car for round three at Long Beach on April 19th.
For further information please contact: Chris Needell - Commercial Manager // Media & PR enquiries James Turner - Marketing Consultant // Marketing & Sponsorship Paul Thomas - Technical Consultant // Green Technology Development
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