GT & Sportscars at Autosport International 2010

The annual Autosport International show has traditionally been an opportunity for RML AD Group to make announcements regarding the team’s upcoming season, but not so this year. Deliberations are still on-going, and for the time being, the only aspect of the 2010 campaign that can be confirmed is . . . there will be one. Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos will be racing in the Le Mans Series once again, and an entry for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June is also on the cards, but any official announcement will have to wait a short while longer. Nevertheless, when that news does come, it could raise a few eyebrows, so watch this space!

RML & Chevrolet

In other arenas, RML has affirmed that the company will again be contesting the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) with Chevrolet. As the official works entry in the prestigious global series, the RML Chevrolet Cruze concluded the 2009 season with another win, its seventh of the year, in November. Briton Ron Huff went flag-to-flag to win the final race at Macau, securing third place for Chevrolet in the championship. Huff took fifth in the drivers’ standings, with Alain Menu tenth and Nicola Larini thirteenth. The Italian subsequently announced his retirement from WTCC racing, and in November RML Chevrolet announced the recruitment of experienced German tin-top racer Yvan Muller as his replacement.

The Chevrolet squad is in the middle of a fairly intensive testing period at the moment, with sessions scheduled for Jerez in Spain and on the new Algarve circuit in Portugal, as well as two at Valencia. The first of those Valencia tests was completed last weekend, and gained enthusiastic thumbs-up from Muller and Huff. The two-day Spanish session was also the first opportunity for newly appointed Team Manager Graham Watson to work with the squad. Watson comes from an F1 background, following management roles with Benetton and Honda. "I am very happy to join RML and such a competitive and high-profile championship as the WTCC,” said Watson (right). “I am just starting in my new role and this test has been very useful; to see the car on track for the first time, and to get to know all the team members. This is a new, exciting challenge and I look forward to the 2010 season."

On Saturday RML revealed the signing of a new partnership with wheel manufacturer ATS Leichtmetallräder, the world-famous producer of alloy wheels. Over the coming months RML, Chevrolet and ATS will co-operate closely in a programme to develop race wheels for use by all cars in the WTCC. Details on all these news items can be found on the RML website.

MG EX265 and RLR

Although RML had no official presence at the Show, one of the stars of their six-year sports prototype programme was on display. The RML AD Group’s MG Lola EX265 took pride of place on the Racecar Engineering stand in Hall 9, although was only on display for the first two “trade days” of the Show. The car last competed in the Nürburgring 1000 Kilometres of 2008, but is set for a new lease of life in 2010, when it will return to the Le Mans Series in the hands of up-and-coming LMS newcomers Team RLR

The news broke in November 2009 with an announcement on Dailysportscar that Lancashire-based Team RLR would embark on a multi-year assault on the LMP2 class. Fronted by Nick Reynolds and Barry Gates, the team has several years’ experience at intermediate levels in sportscar racing, including VdeV and Speed UK, but this will be the outfit’s first season in top-flight prototype competition. Although widely anticipated beforehand, the appointment of Dave Beecroft (Xero Competition team principal) in a managerial role for the team was revealed at Autosport International, where members of the team were found congregating on the Dunlop stand – a hint perhaps at the probable footwear for the EX265 when it returns to the track.

Although initial reports suggested that Team RLR would lease the EX265, the understanding now is that the car is actually being purchased outright by the team, together with a sizeable support and spares package. The car will also represent an unexpected return of the MG brand to international motorsport.

Homologated as the MG Lola EX265, the car will be powered by a development of the XP-21 AER turbocharged four-cylinder unit that successfully took RML AD Group to an LMP2 class win at Le Mans in 2006, and the LMP2 team and drivers’ titles in the Le Mans Series in 2007. However, the final configuration of the engine is subject to some debate, as RML and AER are known to have carried out some additional work on the unit in more recent months.

One further piece in the jigsaw fell into place over the weekend, and that is the likely livery of the MG. Speaking with Nick Reynolds, it transpires that the team’s intent is to retain the base scheme of the car exactly as it appeared when raced by RML. By coincidence, and as revealed by the team’s own website, Team RLR favours a red, white and blue colour split, and in an acknowledgement to the MG’s historical pedigree, this will be retained for 2010. Fortunately, RML’s own entry for 2010 will again be the roofed Lola coupé, so any confusion is likely to be minimal.

One (as yet unnamed) driver is confirmed for 2010, but the team is in discussion with a number of others with a view to signing two more in the next few weeks. For further information please contact Nick Reynolds at 01254777029 or email Nick Reynolds or visit the team’s own website.

Beechdean Gets Red Five

In truth, news from the Le Mans Series was somewhat thin on the ground at the Show this year. Pride of place on the Peugeot stand went to the #9 908 Hdi FAP that won the 24 Hours at Le Mans last year, driven by David Brabham, Marc Gené and Alexander Wurz. It’s reflective livery and revolving platform (left), sited opposite the main Autosport stage, guaranteed a high profile presence for the 908, but one of the only other genuine LMP1 prototypes visible at the show was hidden away behind an (admittedly rather impressive) BrooklandSpeed race transporter in Hall 6. This was the Beechdean Mansell Motorsport Ginetta Zytek GZ09S, bearing the evocative “red five” moniker.

The deal will see a trio of Mansells in the cockpit of the LMP1 contender; father (and 1992 World Champion) Nigel being joined by sons Greg and Leo. Nigel’s experience goes without saying, but both Leo (following a full season in Le Mans Series GT2 last year with Team Modena) and Greg (Silverstone 1000 Kms in 2009, and successful single-seater career behind him) are well up to the task. The combination generates a strong and, one assumes, cohesive driver line-up, and also one that will bring with it a high level of media interest and additional pressures.

Beechdean team principal Andrew Howard was on hand on Thursday to enthuse about the team’s new venture, and also the patriotic Union Jack inspired livery. He was also keen to put to rest the speculation that had arisen over the placement of the IMSA logo, which the eagle-eyed had spotted on the preview sketches and, as it turned out, was still displayed on the car itself. Although a full Le Mans Series season is confirmed, and also an entry for the 24 Hours, there is no plan to take part in the Sebring 12 Hours in the States this Spring.

With Team Bruichladdich having recently revealed that the squad will link up with Karim Ojeh to run the ex- Gstaad Automobile Club (GAC) LMP2 Zytek in this season’s Le Mans Series, there was no SR9 displayed on the Radical stand – for the first time in several years. Similarly, the emphasis on the generously proportioned Ginetta stage was on GT cars (of which more later), so no room there for the company’s prototype offerings either. Setting aside the surprise (but as yet detail-free) announcement on Dailysportscar that Claudio Berro, Motorsports Director at Lotus, anticipates a possible return to Le Mans, possibly in LMP1, anyone with an interest in Le Mans and sportscars had to look to the GT platform for further interest - although there was really precious little there to savour either.

Dunlop & JMW

Dunlop always boasts a sizeable stand at Autosport International, and 2010 was no exception. Two of the cars on show came from the JMW Motorsport stable. On one hand, the GT2 title-winning Ferrari 430 graced one end of the display, while nestled beneath a representation of a classic Dunlop bridge at the other was a yellow Dunlop-liveried Aston Martin Vantage GT2. Although not the exact car that JMW will campaign this season, it did at least give visitors a tasty preview of what to expect. The Ferrari, after back-to-back titles in GT2, is destined for a pampered retirement, while Steve “Doc” Bunkhall confirmed that JMW will have to wait another four or five weeks before getting their hands on the actually Aston Martin they’ll be racing this season. The talented Rob Bell is the only driver so far confirmed for the squad.

Twelve months ago one of the largest displays at the 2009 Show came from Prodrive, thanks to the Banbury-based outfit’s plans for Aston Martin at Le Mans. As far as Prodrive is concerned, that project is now on the back-burner, and the company was conspicuously absent as a result. Consequently, the largest presence was reserved for Porsche. The factory display included the new and beefier 911 GT3 R, although the car hardly requires any promotion – scheduled production for 2010 is already fully allocated.

Nissan Goes Sumo

Less than a short stone’s throw away, however, stood something else that certainly warranted close scrutiny, and oozed aggressive intent.

On Thursday the wraps came off a shiny ice-white Nissan GT-R, blessed with perhaps more louvres, slats and ducts than any GT1 car has a right to carry. It looks rapid even without the burble of the 5.5 litre V8, and will undoubtedly be a potent package in the new-for-2010 FIA GT1 World Championship. However, with the recent demise of Gigawave, who had been expected to campaign a pair of the cars alongside two already destined for Swiss Racing, the surprise revelation was that the two GT-Rs once destined for the Essex team will now be managed by another previously unknown British team; Sumo Power, fronted by James Rumsey.

With a background more entrenched in rallying that GT racing, Sumo Power was founded in 2002 and is best known as a supplier of after-market performance parts, but they have a close relationship with JRM Group. Speaking for them at the show was Allen Orchard, who previously managed the Emotional Engineering Vauxhall Monaro that contested the British GT Championship a few years back, as was occasionally driven by former AD Group motorsport director Adam Wiseberg.

The confirmation of the Sumo Power two-car entry re-instates the participation of the Nissan GT-R in the new FIA GT1 championship, which requires four cars from each manufacturer. The other marques included are Aston Martin, Corvette, Lamborghini, Ford and Maserati, making a total grid of 24 cars for the inaugural year. The first race takes place on the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi April 16th – 17th.

From Lotus to Chad

There was further news from the show relating to the British GT Championship, including the anticipated participation by no less than three Lotus 2-Elevens in the GT4 class. The resplendent orange livery of the Piranha Motorsport entry (above) certainly caught the eye, and is the first of these to be confirmed

Another car that stood out from the crowd was the STP liveried Chad Racing Ferrari F430, to be managed by the versatile Piers Maserati. The classic colours really showed the Ferrari in an excellent light, and if go-faster stripes have ever worked, these deserve to propel the car to the forefront of the British GT grid.

Our final two news items today couldn’t be more disparate. At one end of the GT spectrum, we have the Team RSR Jaguar XKR (A star feature on the official Jaguar stand, but obscured by people on our shot below!), destined for a return to the American Le Mans Series in 2010. The car made its debut at Petit le Mans in September and uses the standard Jaguar XKR lightweight aluminium monocoque, but there the similarity largely ends. Under the skin there are additional steel reinforcements and a 5.0-litre V-8 engine claiming 550 horsepower.

Ginetta G40

In somewhat stark contrast, Ginetta launched the all-new G40 on Thursday morning. This tidy little sports coupé could turn out to be more than just a pretty face, since it represents the first in a new generation of multi-platform road and racecars aimed squarely at the younger racing driver.

Initially, the Ginetta G40 will be the employed in the 2010 Ginetta Junior Championship, and current champion Sarah Moore (sister of Nigel, who raced with Ginetta at Le Mans last year) was on the Autosport stage (right) to witness the unveiling (below left). Alongside her was young Seb Morris, whose father recently purchased the first ever production G40 to enable Seb to make his next step up the ladder from karting.

The G40 is powered by a 1.8 litre Ford Zetec engine and weighs in at around 850 kilos, making this a lightweight but potent package. Priced for the track from just £24,950, there is an anticipated cost for a 20-race season of around £10,000, including fuel and tyres. The Ginetta Juniors will be one of the support races in 2010 for the British Touring Car Championship, and benefit from live TV coverage on ITV4.

The initial run of some 26 G40 is already understood to have been sold, and production of the road-legal version has yet to begin, but this tidy little car with pleasing lines seems to be a worthy addition to Ginetta’s lengthy heritage. In addition to a second G40, Ginetta also displayed examples of the G50 and G50Z (with Zytek power, above right) on their stand at the show. Elsewhere around the various halls, further examples of the G50 made Ginetta possibly the best-represented manufacturer at the show.

And that concludes our first report from Autosport International 2010. We’ll add a follow up piece shortly, with a look at some of the more unusual and entertaining exhibits, as well as details of an announcement from Lola regarding a new aero-package for 2010. The Drayson Racing LMP1 Lola (right) was displayed in front of the Autosport stage.

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All photos (except Chevrolet) by Marcus Potts / CMC Graphics