RE: Ginetta Team Driver A Le Mans Record Breaker
Wednesday 27th May 2009
Leeds based car makers Ginetta will field the youngest ever British driver in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours Race when the firm’s Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S LMP1 car takes to La Sarthe next month.
Ginetta Team Driver A Le Mans Record Breaker
Works team to field youngest ever LMP1 class Le Mans driver
Seventeen year old Nigel Moore will line-up along side team boss Lawrence Tomlinson and Ginetta MD Richard Dean in the firm’s first ever LMP1 car entry at Le Mans. Nigel's entry in the historic 24 hour race will be just two years after he secured the Ginetta Junior Championship in a G20.
Not only will Moore be the youngest British driver to race at Le Mans, he will also be the youngest ever LMP1 driver.
Ginetta will be hoping for a strong finish by the time the chequered flag drops on 14 June, particularly after securing pole at the first round of the Le Mans Series in Barcelona proving that the car has enough race pace to run with some established LMP1 competitors.
Discussion
bradmitchell said:
why didnt they put Matt Nicol-Jones in the car...? he has won the senior Ginetta championship twice, is current British GT4 champion (driving a Ginetta...) he also runs his own race team and knows how to set a car up... A baffling decision by Ginetta.
Given that the other drivers are the team boss and the MD, perhaps this run is more for publicity/fun than a no-holds-barred attempt at a win?Either way, I think it's brilliant and this is one of the things that makes LM for me - the fact that "amateurs" are on the same track as Audi & Peugeot keeps the dream alive for me should I ever win the lottery
Richard Dean is a good pedaller, I think Thomlinson is an OK gentleman driver, but I have heard he likes the car set up to his preference, rather than that of the pro drivers he shares with.
17 is young and an LMP1 car is a SERIOUS bit of kit. They had an F3 driver who's name escapes me in the Panoz Esperante who was very quick as well. Must be the youngest driver ever tag that has got them to run him, unless he really is a hot shot.
17 is young and an LMP1 car is a SERIOUS bit of kit. They had an F3 driver who's name escapes me in the Panoz Esperante who was very quick as well. Must be the youngest driver ever tag that has got them to run him, unless he really is a hot shot.
moribund said:
bradmitchell said:
why didnt they put Matt Nicol-Jones in the car...? he has won the senior Ginetta championship twice, is current British GT4 champion (driving a Ginetta...) he also runs his own race team and knows how to set a car up... A baffling decision by Ginetta.
Given that the other drivers are the team boss and the MD, perhaps this run is more for publicity/fun than a no-holds-barred attempt at a win?Either way, I think it's brilliant and this is one of the things that makes LM for me - the fact that "amateurs" are on the same track as Audi & Peugeot keeps the dream alive for me should I ever win the lottery
Edited by 1 on Thursday 28th May 09:49
bradmitchell said:
why didnt they put Matt Nicol-Jones in the car...? he has won the senior Ginetta championship twice, is current British GT4 champion (driving a Ginetta...) he also runs his own race team and knows how to set a car up... A baffling decision by Ginetta.
I think it's obvious that there's rather more to a decision like this than just picking a driver based purely on their results record.I guess other considerations would be the driver's consistency, how tough they are on the cars, how easy they are to work with, their keenness to work with you, their availability, their price, the publicity they generate as well as probably many, many other factors.
Good luck to Ginetta and all the guys.
And in answer to the above - it was Tom Kimber-Smith that was with them in the Panoz when they won GT2 on their first outing. He was one of Richard Dean's drivers in the JLR formula ford days.
Brilliant news for Nigel and his racing mad family! I am sure he will surprise more than a few people.
It's also a great coup from a PR perspective by Ginetta, so congratulations to them too.
In fact, it's superb to see a British Car & British team with British drivers and I will definitely be there chearing them on. Aren't they using Zytek engines too? Wow, a completely British entry in fact.
Less than 3 weeks to go now
Come on Ginetta!
It's also a great coup from a PR perspective by Ginetta, so congratulations to them too.
In fact, it's superb to see a British Car & British team with British drivers and I will definitely be there chearing them on. Aren't they using Zytek engines too? Wow, a completely British entry in fact.
Less than 3 weeks to go now
Come on Ginetta!
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