GULF AND AMR RETURN TO WINNING WAYS

GULF AND AMR RETURN TO WINNING WAYS

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES                                           LAGUNA SECA

RACE REPORT                                                         19TH SEPTEMBER 2011

A week after its racing return at Silverstone, the Gulf sponsored DBR1-2 Aston Martin won the annual Laguna Seca American Le Mans Series Race.

Under sunny Californian skies, in a race dominated by yellow flags, the team ran faultlessly for 6 hours to take the top spot on the podium. Drivers Adrian Fernandez, Stefan Mücke and Harold Primat drove the Aston Martin DBR1-2 consistently in the top three, and in the final hour remained dominant in first position.

In qualifying, Fernandez has gained the team third on the grid and Mücke started the race moving up to second position within five laps after a smart overtaking manoeuvre. By the seventh lap he was leading the race and making good progress. The remaining five hours, the blue and orange Gulf Oil liveried DBR1-2 stayed in the top three throughout.

Aston Martin Racing (AMR) Team Principal, George Howard Chappell said: “I am obviously extremely pleased with the result. I am delighted for the team who have achieved this result on our return to the States after a difficult year – they’ve all worked hard for this, so it is a just reward.”

Primat said: “This is an absolutely fantastic result for the whole team.  It is a great feeling to be standing back on the top step of the podium and the whole team should be proud of today’s result.  Everyone has worked extremely hard to keep improving the car step by step and today’s victory is testimony to all that effort.”

“We hoped to see a blue and orange car challenging for honours again so it’s great to see Aston Martin Racing returning to winning ways in the endurance arena,” commented Gulf Oil International Brand and Marketing manager, Sam Cork. “It has not been the easiest of seasons, so congratulations to the team, who deserve something to celebrate after the hard work they’ve put in.” 

Aston Martin Racing will return to the American Le Mans Series in two weeks time at the final round; Petit Le Mans.