In brief, March 2009

Government minister Lord Paul Drayson has set up his own race team for 2009. Drayson Racing will mount an attack on the Le Mans Series in Europe and, providing the team gains an entry, the Le Mans 24 Hours with an Aston Martin Vantage GT2.

Tafel Racing, which finished second in the GT2 points in the 2008 American Le Mans Series, has closed its doors. The Atlanta-based squad, a three-time race winner in GT2 last year, has cited financial reasons for the closure.

Another new circuit is under construction in Spain. Motorland Aragon, near the city of Alcaniz in central Spain, is scheduled for use as a Formula 1 test venue and for national-level events.

Dave Price has resigned the management role with the GP2 team that bears his name. The team founder, who sold 51 per cent of the outfit to Andre Herck (father of ’08 DPR driver Michael), retains his stake in the team.

Spaniard Antonio García, part of last year’s GT1-winning Aston Martin line-up at Le Mans, has joined Chevrolet. The 28-year-old will join the Corvette Racing team for the enduros at Le Mans, Sebring and Road Atlanta. Marcel Fassler, who raced a privateer Corvette in FIA GTs last year, is expected to take the other vacant place in the Chevy line-up.

Following a meeting between government and the automotive Industry, the MIA has secured a UK government assistance package for the motor industry. The Economic and Business minister, Ian Pearson, has put forward schemes including support from the European Investment Bank and a manufacturing advisory service. For more information contact the MIA on 02476 692600, or email [email protected]

In last month’s ‘Lunch with…’ feature, a photograph on p84 was captioned as showing David Piper’s Ferrari in the 1969 TT. In fact the picture was taken at Old Hall, Oulton Park, in the 1968 TT, when he finished second sharing the drive with Richard Attwood. Piper finished second in ’69 in a Lola.