RLR BUILD UP SPEED TO LMS

Team RLR is looking to build upon its progress in endurance racing by announced a driver development scheme to provide a route for up-and-coming sports car drivers that could lead all the way to the Le Mans 24 Hour Race.

The team has entered both its Ligier JS49 Sports Prototypes in the 2011 SPEED Euroseries which will act as a support series on the LMS calendar, visiting all five locations – Paul Ricard, Spa, Imola, Silverstone and Estoril – in addition to a stand-alone race weekend at Donington.

Bolton-based RLR Msport – who run the Team RLR MG-Lola EX265 - will use the SPEED Series to enable any drivers from the team, who show sufficient potential in the SPEED series, to earn an opportunity to test their LMP2 car at the end of the season.

“We see the SPEED series being part of the natural progression for those drivers who wish to advance in to Le Mans Prototypes,” said Team Principal Nick Reynolds.

“The fact that it now mirrors the LMS through their five round championship makes the SPEED Series the ideal platform for our Driver Development Scheme.

“With two races at each event for teams of two drivers per car, the SPEED Euroseries is an excellent opportunity for drivers to get a taste of endurance racing in sophisticated sports prototypes before moving up to the bigger stage of LMS itself.

“All three drivers who were regulars in our car last season – Barry Gates, Rob Garofall and Simon Phillips – as well as guest driver Warren Hughes, have all driven in the SPEED series.

“Not everyone gets the chance to sit in a full-blown Le Mans racer. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for someone to make a real name for himself.

“Hopefully, whoever takes up our opportunity to test the LMP2 car, will view it as the chance to progress in the LMS.”

Meanwhile RLR Msport has taken delivery of the very first Judd-developed BMW ‘HK’ engine, to meet the new 2011 Le Mans Series regulations for LMP2.

The engine has successfully completed dyno testing with no issues and with performance shown to be better than expected.

Stan Hall, general manager at Judd said; “It does exactly what it says on the tin.”

The 3.6 litre Judd unit is based on a 4.0 litre BMW block, and should provide the team with a far more competitive power source than they had in 2010.

Team RLR driver Barry Gates is hoping for great things once track testing begins.

“While we did well in terms of speed and reliability in the races we ran in Hungary and at Silverstone last year, the biggest thing we missed out on last season was real top-end grunt – and there should be no shortage of that with the new engine,” said Gates.

“We don’t have all the figures just yet, but needless to say we’re happy with the increase in output this far.

“There is obviously quite a change in the configuration, moving from highly-tuned version of a 2-litre twin-turbo engine, to the 3.6 litre normally-aspirated Judd unit.. So it will be interesting to see if or how that changes the feel of the car. But we won’t know that until we get it out for some laps.

“Just now, it’s about getting the installation completed in order to meet our development schedule.”