Le Mans News

Christian Bakkerud has become the first driver to sign up with Colin Kolles' privateer Audi team for the 2009 Le Mans Series campaign.

Apparently at odds with the Barwell team that ran him last season, Paul Drayson has announced the formation of Drayson Racing to contest a select number of sportscar events on three continents in 2009.

Franck Mailleux will compete for Signature in the Le Mans Series in 2009 as well as at the Le Mans 24 Hours, where he will share the team's LMP1 Oreca-Judd with his compatriot Pierre Ragues.

Johnny Herbert admits that it has been 'an interesting journey' as he has overseen the transformation of two racing virgins into International C licence-holders who will take to the track alongside him in the fourth running of the Dubai 24 Hours in February.

Fancy being James Bond for a day, and experiencing the ultimate thrill of getting behind the wheel of an Aston Martin and letting rip around one of the UK's premier race circuits? That's what I was asked too. Silly question really...

Team Modena has announced that it will enter a Ferrari F430 GT in the LM GT2 category of the Le Mans Series and, entry permitting, the Le Mans 24-Hour race itself, next year.

RML has announced that it has agreed a deal with Mazda for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, bringing an end to its long partnership with MG.

Team boss Jonathan France has announced that Embassy Racing has pulled the plug on its two car Le Mans Series entry due to the current global economic situation.

Embassy Racing missed out on a podium finish in the final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone after a time penalty handed to Jonny Kane and Warren Hughes saw them lose third in the LMP2 class.

Having finally been able to debut the new Aston Martin Vantage GT2, James Watt Automotive was able to celebrate a case of mission accomplished at Silverstone after taking seventh in the GT2 class in the Le Mans Series finale at Silverstone.

Horag Racing driver Fredy Lienhard has revealed that he will retire from racing at the end of the Silverstone 1000km, the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series season.

Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni secured a dramatic win for the Virgo Motorsport team at the Nurburgring, despite its yellow Ferrari 430 being severely damaged in a fire during Friday practice.

He may already be known as a record-breaker, but 'Mr Le Mans' Tom Kristensen has admitted that he is now a rule-breaker too, after claiming that Audi overcame three unwritten rules to triumph in the 76th edition of the round-the-clock French classic this year.

Though he may have finished in the runner-up spot in only his second appearance in the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours, Jacques Villeneuve insisted he was far from satisfied, and has vowed to return to finish the job off.

The Tokai University team was denied a finish in its historic debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours after a transmission problem forced the Japanese team to retire from the 76th running of the famous race at La Sarthe.

Larbre Competition team boss Jack Leconte says his team will seek revenge in the Spa 24 Hours after a problem early on in the Le Mans 24 Hours prevented his team from fighting for honours in the GT1 class.

The Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans has added another famous name to the pantheon already recognised for their exploits at La Sarthe, and given race fans a new section to conjure with by adding the Corvette Curves to the likes of Tertre Rouge, Mulsanne, Arnage and Indianapolis.

Porsche may have come out on top in the LMP2 class at Le Mans 2008, but the same could not be said for GT2, where it resumed its annual battle with Ferrari - and lost heavily.

David Brabham has admitted that he has never had to work so hard for success, particularly in a race already as arduous and competitive as the GT1 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Le Mans 24 Hours success will now be compared to buses by Aston Martin Racing for, having had to wait 48 years to add to its 1959 overall triumph, the team racked up a second GT1 class win in as many years.

Tom Kristensen maintains the lead in the Le Mans 24 Hours but only after a huge scare in the 22nd hour. Kristensen was continuing to lead the way in the #2 Audi when he came up to put a lap on the Barazi-Epsilon Zytek of Juan Barazi approaching the Dunlop Bridge.

Despite a brave effort to fix the car after its earlier accident, the Chamberlain Synergy team was forced out of the Le Mans 24 Hours shortly before midnight.

Amanda Stretton endured a baptism of fire in the Le Mans 24 Hours on her out lap in the Chamberlain Synergy Lola.

The Virgo Motorsport team hit early problems in its debut Le Mans 24 Hours after Rob Bell was involved in an incident on pit lane.