HVM STATUS GP COMPLETES LE MANS PREPARATIONS AT TEST DAY
Le Mans, June 9th 2013 - HVM Status GP completed an encouraging Le Mans Test Day as the team gears up for the all-important 24 Hours in two weeks' time.
The VISITFLORIDA-backed Lola-Judd B12/80 Coupe completed 67 laps of the circuit, representing 913 kilometres/567 miles, with no significant problems.
Conditions were wet in the morning, while in the afternoon the track gradually gained a dry line, meaning that through the day the car was run on wet-weather, intermediate and slick Dunlop tyres.
Canadian Tony Burgess was the only one of the three HVM Status GP drivers not to run slicks, which the team only used for the final 30 minutes of the eight hours of running. On his first run in the car on the dry-weather tyres, Britain's Johnny Mowlem then comfortably lowered the best time. Finally, Swiss Jonathan Hirschi set the team's best lap in a two-lap run at the end of the day as the track dried out significantly.
The HVM Status GP team did considerably fewer laps on slicks that most of its opposition in the hotly contested LMP2 category, and Hirschi's best time put the car 18th in class.
The Le Mans Test Day represented the first time that the HVM Status GP Lola has performed in public 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.
HVM Status GP technical director Rob Arnott said: "We have achieved everything we set out to do. We had quite a lot of new bits to run in and evaluate, and the car performed perfectly.
"We didn't concentrate at all on speed. We kept the car with lots of downforce, just to get the miles in and prove some components for the race. We ran the whole time with full tanks and concentrated on race set-up, not quick 'qualifying' times.
"I'm happy with the work we've done. We've got practice and qualifying to work on making the car quicker, but far more important than that is the big race."
Driver quotes
Jonathan Hirschi:
"The car was really nice. It's just the weather that was a bit disappointing, although in the end we were really able to start working on the car. I drove only two laps on slick tyres, but even in that time there was a great feeling. OK, we have more to learn because it was only two laps, but I can't wait now for the event itself because the car felt so good! I'm happy and I know that when we have time on a dry track we can go faster for sure."
Johnny Mowlem:
"I'd never driven the car, but I gelled with both it and the team really well. I found it easier to be competitive in the wet because I could feel the car, and I think we were effectively sixth or seventh in full-wet conditions. On slicks, even on a damp track, I could feel the potential was way beyond what I had imagined. Every lap I was giving it more and it was responding all the time – it's incredible in the high-speed corners, and I think we're in a strong position with our race pace."
"I'd never driven the car, but I gelled with both it and the team really well. I found it easier to be competitive in the wet because I could feel the car, and I think we were effectively sixth or seventh in full-wet conditions. On slicks, even on a damp track, I could feel the potential was way beyond what I had imagined. Every lap I was giving it more and it was responding all the time – it's incredible in the high-speed corners, and I think we're in a strong position with our race pace."
Tony Burgess:
"Despite the weather we had a good day, and it was kind of a blessing in disguise: it started out challenging, but it got better and better and that made everything all the more rewarding. I went from wet tyres to intermediates and was ready to change to slicks, but then unfortunately there was a red flag and I had to give the car to my team-mates. You don't push 100 per cent in the wet on a test day but the car responded very well and I'm happy."
"Despite the weather we had a good day, and it was kind of a blessing in disguise: it started out challenging, but it got better and better and that made everything all the more rewarding. I went from wet tyres to intermediates and was ready to change to slicks, but then unfortunately there was a red flag and I had to give the car to my team-mates. You don't push 100 per cent in the wet on a test day but the car responded very well and I'm happy."
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.