Motorsport Update
Encouraging start for Gulf at Le Mans official test
Gulf Oil International Motorsport Update
In partnership with Aston Martin Racing
ENCOURAGING START FOR GULF AT LE MANS OFFICIAL TEST
The two Gulf sponsored DBR9s of the factory Aston Martin Racing squad, emerged from the Le Mans official test day in a good position, ahead of the race itself, in two weekends’ time.
It was a day of extremely mixed conditions, which went from wet to dry and back again – making driving, at various stages of the test, extremely tricky. Both of the blue and orange Aston Martin Racing DBR9s emerged unscathed and the 009 Gulf car of David Brabham, Antonio Garcia and Darren Turner was the fastest of all of the GT1 entries during the course of the test day. The 009 entry, therefore, started the defence of its GT1 title in some style, in this early pointer to potential race form. Its sister, 007 car, crewed by Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Andrea Piccini and Karl Wendlinger posted the fifth fastest GT1 time, a handful of seconds slower.
It is obvious, even at this stage however, that things are shaping up for it to be a very hard fought race, as the Larbre Competition Saleen S7R and both of the factory Chevrolet Corvettes C6 Rs all ran within two and a half seconds of the blue and white Aston Martin over the 13.5km (8.45mile) circuit.
The cars have now returned to Aston Martin Racing’s facility in the UK to be completely stripped down and rebuilt, in preparation for qualifying at the Le Mans 24 Hours itself. This takes place over Wednesday the 11th and Thursday 12th of June.
Gulf Oil Vice President International, Alain Dujean comments, “The conditions at Le Mans started - and finished - fairly wet and very treacherous. It was good, therefore, to see the Gulf –supported Aston Martins come through this initial test ok and, when conditions were dry, post a good early marker for race week. ”
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