Full Speed Racing has completed its driver line-up for a two-car assault on the FIA GT Championship in 2009.
The team will field a pair of Saleen S7Rs in the world’s most prestigious international GT racing category and, having already confirmed Stephane Lemeret and Michel Orts as part of the driving force, has now completed deals with Luke Hines and Ferdinando Monfardini to complete the line-up.
Italian Monfardini will join Orts in car #13 and arrives at the team in his third season of GT racing having made the switch from single-seaters in 2007. Last season he raced in the International GT Open and has experience of the FIA GT Championship following a year with Aston Martin Racing BMS in ’07. His single-seater experience includes a season in GP2 as well as campaigns in Formula 3000 and Formula Renault.
Briton Hines joins the team after finishing second in the British GT Championship last year and helping CR Scuderia to the teams’ title. FIA GT experience comes from a four-race campaign in a PSI Experience Corvette C6.R in 2007. He has also raced in the British Touring Car Championship and began his career in single-seaters, racing in Formula Ford UK until 2002. He will race alongside Lemeret in car #11.
All four drivers are set to contest the full FIA GT season, with the exception of the Spa 24 Hours where Monfardini will join Lemeret and Hines in car #11, with sportscar star Johnny Mowlem added to the squad.
The experienced Mowlem was announced as test driver for Full Speed Racing last week and will use his 24 Hour-race experience to help the squad and his team mates at Spa.
“We’re very excited about our driver line-up and feel we have a pool of drivers who can seriously challenge for podium places in the FIA GT Championship this year,” said Team Manager Graham Nash.
“Our drivers all have GT racing experience and Johnny’s wealth of knowledge should help to drive the team forward and will be invaluable at Spa. The first race of the season cannot come soon enough for us.”
The FIA GT Championship begins on Sunday 3 May with the Tourist Trophy at Silverstone.
