in British GT
Team Modena will be competing in the 2009 Avon Tyres British GT, entering two Lamborghini Gallardos in association with team48 in the competitive series as part of a long-term link-up between the two squads. Founded by ex-England international footballer Luther Blissett, team48 will be supplying the drivers for the British GT campaign, including Luther himself and fellow ex-international Les Ferdinand, the first stage of a three-year plan with the ultimate goal of running a car for team48 at the Le Mans 24-Hour race.
“We have been talking to team48 for some months now,” said Team Modena principal Graham Schultz, “and we are now very much looking forward to working with them. This is a long-term project, with a three-year plan to work with team48 to achieve their target of running a car at Le Mans. With our Le Mans experience we can help make that happen, and their goals fit in nicely with what we do as a company.”
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Luther, “we have been talking for a few months now and this just feels absolutely right to me. For an up and coming team like us to get the opportunity to work with a squad like Team Modena is just a no-brainer, to be involved with a team that will push us and inspire us on to do even more is just something that we have to do.
“Le Mans sometime in the next few years would be fantastic, we are not expecting to be jumping in cars and instantly winning, we have to build up and get experience and are anticipating a two or three year programme at least. The drivers will be headed by Calum Lockie, his main job is to whip us all into shape, then myself, Les Ferdinand, Kevin Haggarthy, Darelle Wilson and Matthew Gore - from that pool of drivers we will come up with the four to do the GT races.”
Team Modena have been contesting the British GT series since June 2007 with first one, and then a pair of Lamborghini Gallardos, introducing the model to the series. On the international stage, the team have been competing in the Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24-Hours race itself, and in 2009 will be running a GT2-specification Ferrari 430GT in the LMS.
Founded by Luther Blissett, team48 aim to bring together the first multi-racial group of drivers to competitively compete in sports car and GT racing on a national and international stage. The team name is a homage to 1948 – the year that brought about the first significant wave of Caribbean migrants to the UK.
The 2009 British GT Championship will be held over eight meetings taking in all the UK’s major circuits as well as a visit to the renowned Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium in May. A mix of one and two-hour races, each with a compulsory driver change, the competitive series sees GT3-specification sportscars from Ferrari, Porsche and other classic marques providing quality race action. Opening races of the 2009 season are at Oulton Park, Cheshire, 11th and 13th of April.
