Hong Kong gears up for Le Mans assault.

Ex-pat Briton Matthew Marsh is heading up an ambitious project designed to take his adopted home of Hong Kong to the biggest sportscar race of them all - Le Mans - in 2006.

No Hong Kong-based team has contested the race before, but Marsh is confident that the HK$12million programme will see the bauhinia flag flying over a car owned and sponsored by SAR companies - and piloted exclusively by Hong Kong drivers - at next year's French endurance classic.

"It's all systems go," he insisted, "We have an agreement for the car, we have secured the bulk of the sponsorship, and we are in the process of finalising the three-man driving team. We intend to prove that Hong Kong can compete on the world stage. It is an enormous challenge, but we have the drive, the ambition and the talent to succeed."

Marsh, the reigning Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia champion, has revealed that the team will run with the distinctive Noble Group colours the adorn his 2005 mount, while British team GruppeM Racing oversees the programme. He also expects to announce his two co-drivers within the next few weeks. Those in the frame include Hong Kong racing legend Charles Kwan Siu-cheung, current Formula BMW Asia champion Marchy Lee Ying-kin, Hong Kong-based Porsche driver Darryl O'Young, Chinese racing sensation Tung Ho-pin and Macau driver Andre Couto, who finished second in last year's Japanese GT Championship.

"We are pleased to be closely involved with, and to invest in, this project," said UK-based Chinese property developer and GruppeM Racing team owner Kenny Chen, "I am always interested to make a little bit of history in motor racing. With the support from Noble Group and the William E Connor Group, I am sure this will be a successful project."

Marsh is particularly hopeful that former Porsche champion Kwan will put off retirement plans to be involved in the project. The duo teamed up in a Ferrari for last November's FIA GT season-ending race at Zhuhai, and Marsh is anxious to renew the partnership.

"Le Mans is the ultimate test for a sportscar driver," said the 36-year old Briton, "It will be a dream come true for me personally but, more importantly, it will be a team effort. This project will put Hong Kong motorsport in the global spotlight. Charles would bring invaluable driving ability and experience to the team. I'm hoping that a Le Mans campaign will stoke his competitive fires to such a degree that he can't resist joining us!"

The road to Le Mans will begin with the four remaining races in this year's Le Mans Endurance Series, followed by a trip to the Sebring 12 Hours next March. Good results in those five outings should be enough to secure an invitation to the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Touring car team owner - and Hong Kong shipbroker - Tim Huxley was instrumental in bringing Marsh's team together, and hopes that the project would attract massive support in a motorsport-starved region.

"This is more than just a race, it's a massive adventure which we hope all Hong Kong's sports car enthusiasts will get behind," the GR Asia boss said, "Our priority has been to been to put together the most competitive and professional package possible, and we believe we have achieved that. Over the course of this year, the team will gain the experience and credibility to do the job at Le Mans next June."