HVM STATUS GP AND VISIT FLORIDA ALL SET TO HIT THE TRACK FOR 2013 LE MANS 24 HRS
Le Mans, France, June 19 2013 - HVM Status GP is all set for the 90th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, starting with Wednesday's free practice and qualifying sessions.
The team’s Lola-Judd B12/80 Coupe, which will compete in the fiercely competitive LMP2 class, has passed all the scrutineering and administrative checks that kick off Le Mans week.
Britain’s Johnny Mowlem, Swiss racer Jonathan Hirschi and Canadian Tony Burgess will drive the VISIT FLORIDA-backed Lola. All three have good experience of the Le Mans 24 Hours so are well-versed in the challenges posed by the world’s most famous motor race.
Hirschi and Burgess both raced the car in the recent European Le Mans Series round at Imola, while Mowlem – who currently leads the GTE class in the ELMS at the wheel of a Ferrari – joined his two team-mates for his first taste of the HVM Status GP machine at the Le Mans Test Day on June 9.
The 24 Hours will be the first time the HVM Status GP Lola has competed in the colours of new primary sponsor VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation. The car includes the branding of VISIT FLORIDA’s travel planning website VISITFLORIDA.com, Viva Florida 500 and Brand USA.
Status GP technical director Rob Arnott said: “We sailed through the scrutineering in downtown Le Mans, and since then we have been concentrating on pit stop practice and procedures.
“The car is all ready, and we are raring to go! However, the weather report for today does not look too good. We had plenty of experience running the car in the wet on the Test Day, so if the weather is particularly bad today we will probably concentrate on installation laps to check the engine and gearbox. There’s no point compromising the car.”
Free practice runs from 1600-2000 local time, with qualifying from 2200 to midnight. Qualifying resumes on Thursday, from 1800-2000 and 2200 to midnight, before the race at 1500 on Saturday.
Driver quotes
Jonathan Hirschi:
“I’m quite ready, and after all the weather is the same for everybody. If it rains all the way through today, then I would prefer to drive as little as possible to save the car, especially as we know the track well in these conditions from the Test Day. But I will be keeping my eye on the forecast because it would be good to drive later tonight if it’s dry.”
Johnny Mowlem:
“After the Test Day, I was hoping to get some more dry running to understand the car a bit better. As things stand, it looks as though the weather all the way through this week will be not too dissimilar to the test, so it could be a blessing in disguise. That makes it important to stick to the gameplan.”
“After the Test Day, I was hoping to get some more dry running to understand the car a bit better. As things stand, it looks as though the weather all the way through this week will be not too dissimilar to the test, so it could be a blessing in disguise. That makes it important to stick to the gameplan.”
Tony Burgess:
“It’s been raining today, so, as Jackie Stewart once said, it’s a perfect day for a motor race! Really, regarding the weather, it is what it is. We’ll just go out and do what we have to do. Qualifying isn’t that big a deal at Le Mans, so we will proceed in a businesslike manner and get the job done.”
“It’s been raining today, so, as Jackie Stewart once said, it’s a perfect day for a motor race! Really, regarding the weather, it is what it is. We’ll just go out and do what we have to do. Qualifying isn’t that big a deal at Le Mans, so we will proceed in a businesslike manner and get the job done.”
About HVM Racing:
HVM Racing was founded by Keith Wiggins and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2012 season marks its eleventh year of competition since forming in 2001. Since its inception, HVM Racing has earned six victories, two pole positions, 22 podiums, 40 top-five finishes and 97 top-tens. The team also earned "Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year" honors with current driver Simona De Silvestro in 2010. HVM finished fourth and third, respectively, in the Champ Car World Series in 2006 and 2007, and earned drivers Mario Dominguez and Robert Doornbos Rookie of the Year honors in 2002 and 2007, respectively. Follow HVM Racing at www.hvmracing.com, on twitter at www.twitter.com/HVMracing, and on facebook at www.facebook.com/HVMRacing.
HVM Racing was founded by Keith Wiggins and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2012 season marks its eleventh year of competition since forming in 2001. Since its inception, HVM Racing has earned six victories, two pole positions, 22 podiums, 40 top-five finishes and 97 top-tens. The team also earned "Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year" honors with current driver Simona De Silvestro in 2010. HVM finished fourth and third, respectively, in the Champ Car World Series in 2006 and 2007, and earned drivers Mario Dominguez and Robert Doornbos Rookie of the Year honors in 2002 and 2007, respectively. Follow HVM Racing at www.hvmracing.com, on twitter at www.twitter.com/HVMracing, and on facebook at www.facebook.com/HVMRacing.
About Status GP:
Based in Silverstone, England, Status Grand Prix was formed in 2005 to campaign the A1 Team Ireland franchise in the new A1 Grand Prix Series. The team's shareholders are comprised of former Jordan Grand Prix head of Marketing Mark Gallagher, former FIA Formula One World Championship driver David Kennedy, and Teddy Yip, Jr., who's father Teddy Yip owned the Theodore Racing Formula One team. The team captured the A1 GP season championship in 2008-2009 and has been competing in the GP3 series under the Status Grand Prix banner since 2010, finishing second in the team championship. Follow Status Grand Prix at www.statusgp.com or on twitter @StatusGrandPrix.com or on Facebook atstatusgrandprix.
Based in Silverstone, England, Status Grand Prix was formed in 2005 to campaign the A1 Team Ireland franchise in the new A1 Grand Prix Series. The team's shareholders are comprised of former Jordan Grand Prix head of Marketing Mark Gallagher, former FIA Formula One World Championship driver David Kennedy, and Teddy Yip, Jr., who's father Teddy Yip owned the Theodore Racing Formula One team. The team captured the A1 GP season championship in 2008-2009 and has been competing in the GP3 series under the Status Grand Prix banner since 2010, finishing second in the team championship. Follow Status Grand Prix at www.statusgp.com or on twitter @StatusGrandPrix.com or on Facebook atstatusgrandprix.