Level 5 to run Lola-Hondas in LMP2, Audi unveils R18
“We took our time to evaluate who the best partners would be," Tucker said. “Both Lola and Honda are very strong professional motorsports organizations that have proven winning traditions and goals that align very well with ours for the 2011 season."
“We had an ambitious plan for 2010 and I was very pleased with how things turned out," he said. “But we’re not going to slow down now. We’ve got just as much ambition for 2011."
Lola owner and Executive Chairman Martin Birrane, commented. "We are delighted to welcome Level 5 Motorsports to our expanding portfolio of LMP customers for 2011. After an excellent first year in ALMS this year, they have proved they are a very professionally run team and I am sure they will be in the hunt for more honors next season."
Returning as Tucker’s Level 5 Motorsports teammate in 2011 is Frenchman Christophe Bouchut. Last season, Bouchut teamed with Tucker in the ALMS LMP Challenge class and finished fourth in the standings. Bouchut is one of the most successful endurance drivers in the world. He has won the Rolex 24 At Daytona (1995), the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1993) and the 24 Hours of Spa (2001 and 2002. Bouchut is also the only triple FIA GT champion in history.
“I’m excited once again to be driving for Level 5 Motorsports and Scott Tucker," Bouchut said. “We enjoyed a great deal of success in our first season in the American Le Mans Series last year. We’ve really come together as a team and I expect more good things in 2011."
A new addition to the Level 5 Motorsports lineup this season is Luis Diaz of Mexico. A veteran of the American Le Mans Series since 2007, Diaz won the LMP2 championship in 2009 with a whopping eight victories.
“It’s an honor to join Scott Tucker and his Level 5 Motorsports organization," Diaz said. “They have proven they are a championship team. With my experience in ALMS, I hope I can help Scott and the team win a championship in another class this season."
12/11/10
Level 5 Motorsports owner / driver Scott Tucker announced today that his LMPC championship-winning team in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n will field two Honda-powered Lola entries in the Series’ LMP2 class for the 2011 season. The move comes after a record-setting season for Level 5 as the team won five events en route to the overall LMPC title and Tucker being named Rookie of the Year.
“We took our time to evaluate who the best partners would be," Tucker said. “Both Lola and Honda are very strong, professional motorsports organizations that have proven winning traditions and goals that align very well with ours for the 2011 season."
Tucker makes the leap to LMP2 after a remarkable 2010 season in which he competed in four major sports car racing series, won two national titles and 10 races, set numerous track records, became a test driver for Ferrari and was the subject of a documentary film.
“We had an ambitious plan for 2010 and I was very pleased with how things turned out," he said. “But we’re not going to slow down now. We’ve got just as much ambition for 2011."
AUDI UNWRAPS THE R18: Audi has joined the closed-top brigade with the unveiling of its new R18 on Friday in Germany. The German prototype powerhouse took the cover off the new LMP1 challenger that will contest the Le Mans 24 Hours and much of the new Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2011.
The Audi R18 will compete on North American shores for the first time at Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans in early October with two cars in the signature event of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patr¢n. For the season-opening 59th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, Audi Sport Team Joest will field a modified version of its R15 TDI.
A 3.7-liter V6 TDI unit will power the R18 as 2011 LMP1 regulations seek to increase fuel and energy efficiency. The coupe design is the first for Audi since the R8C in 1999, with Audi engineers also drawing on experience from the Bentley program that won Le Mans in 2003.
While the chassis and aerodynamics package contains a lot of know-how from the R8, the R10 TDI and the R15 TDI, new for the R18 is the fitting of identically sized front and rear wheels for a more balanced weight distribution. Acura and Honda Performance Development made waves with its LMP1 entry for 2009 that featured same-size tires.
The R18’s headlights, which are the first to completely consist of LEDs with optimized amount of light, are a technical highlight.
The Audi R18 has been designed for progressive electrification, which Audi Sport is planning to drive forward step-by-step.
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WEST RACING UPDATE: One of the exciting announcements coming out the this past season’s State of the Series address at Petit Le Mans was the news that Yokohama was going to support a two-car Lamborghini effort under the auspices of West Racing Team headed by team owner Eduardo Espindola.
With 2010 coming to a close, here’s a quick overview of the West-Yokohama Racing initiative.