head to Silverstone

The stars and the cars from the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the world's most famous endurance race – are heading to Silverstone, ready to do battle over 1000km during an action packed weekend on 15-16 September.

The Northamptonshire circuit will host the final European round of the 2007 Le Mans Series – the season-long championship that features the same cars that compete in the annual French endurance classic. The premier league sportscar series stars at many of Europe's classic Formula One venues including Monza, the Nurburgring and Spa-Francorchamps.

Silverstone has the honour of hosting the only UK round on this year’s LMS calendar which is also the final European race of the 2007 campaign. The championship finale will be staged in Brazil during November. The 1000km race features at least two drivers per car with a full grid, of more than 50 cars, battling it out during six hours of intense competition.  Four separate classes compete in the championship – providing four separate races  within  the  same  event. 

The  "LM"P1  class  does  battle  for  outright  honours  with  high-tech  prototype sportscars  fighting  it  out on track. These include the championship-leading Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.  The “LM”P2 class features similar prototype machines that have less horsepower, but are also lighter and more agile. Based  on  production  supercars,  the  "LM"GT1  class  is  hugely  popular  among  race  fans. 

Representing  road car manufacturers,  the  sleek  lines  of  the  Aston  Martin  DBR9,  Chevrolet  Corvette  C6-R,  Ferrari  550  Maranello  and Saleen S7R will be seen in action at Silverstone. "LM"GT2  is  also  filled  with  exotic  supercars  that  race  fans  would  love  to  have  in  their  driveway  including  the Porsche  997  GT3  RSR,  Ferrari  F430  GT,  Panoz  Esperante GTLM and the road car that lends its name to the Silverstone-based Formula One team – the Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R.

The factory Peugeot team has dominated the 2007 championship winning each of the four LMS rounds staged to date. The unique 908 HDi FAP coupe actually uses diesel power – the second major international manufacturer to follow this lead after Audi's debut at Le Mans last year. The Peugeot driving strength includes ex-Formula One driver Pedro Lamy; versatile F1 and WRC pilot Stephane Sarrazin;  Ferrari  F1  tester  Marc  Gene  and  British-based  French  ace,  Nic Minassian.  "Silverstone is my all-time favourite race track.

I like Silverstone even more than places like Spa or Monza. The section through Copse and Becketts is fantastic – I can't wait to drive the Peugeot there," said Minassian. "I've been on pole in Formula 3 on the full Grand Prix circuit and also won there in Formula 3000 so this track has always been good to me. I think the fans are going to be very excited about the entire championship. We have a very full grid and it is a great challenge for us.” Minassian believes the Silverstone crowd will be in for a unique experience at the Le Mans Series weekend. “The thing  the  fans  will  really  like  is  the  fact  that  this  championship  is  very  open," 

Minassian  said.  "You  can  walk through  the  paddock  and  see  the  cars  really  close-up  and  meet  the  drivers. It  is  very  different  from  Formula  1 where you basically have to watch from the grandstand." In  the  "LM"P2  championship  battle,  the  British  RML  squad  is  leading  the  title  chase  aboard  their  MG-powered Lola.

Driven by Brit Mike Newton and Brazilian Tomas Erdos, the pair is looking for a home win to cement RML's championship chase. “We’re  delighted  to  be  back  at  Silverstone,  and  really  look  forward  to  racing  there  for the next round of the Le Mans Series," Newton confirmed. "Silverstone is exactly the type of circuit that the LMS should be racing on, and will be the perfect setting for the next round of the championship." In LM GT1, the on-going battle between the prestigious marques and traditional rivals Aston Martin and Corvette will be a highlight.

Leading British stars including Oliver Gavin (Luc Alphand Racing Corvette) and 2007 Le Mans "LM"GT1  winner  Darren  Turner  (Modena  Motorsport  Aston  Martin)  will  be  out  to  challenge  the  championship leading Saleen SR-7 from the French Oreca Motorsport team. "I'm really looking forward to getting back out in that car.

I have driven a GT2 car recently in America and I am also doing the full programme in the British Touring Car Championship with SEAT so I am in different cars all the time," Turner said. "At least when I get back in the Aston Martin, it feels like home. I am really looking forward to teaming up with Antonio Garcia again. We drove together at Sebring earlier this year and I know he has a huge amount of pace. The competition we had last year between the factory Corvette and Aston Martin teams was fantastic but this year we have the Corvette, the Aston Martin and the Saleen all fighting for race wins."

Silverstone  fans  will  also  have  something  to  cheer  for  in  "LM"GT1.  The  Essex-based  Virgo  Motorsport  Ferrari 430GT  squad  holds  a  three  point  lead  in  the  championship  with  British  driver  Rob  Bell  driving  with  Dane,  Alan Simonsen. While Bell lives nearby in Northampton, he has yet to actually drive the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. "Getting a win on my home track is certainly the plan,” said Bell. “We tested the Ferrari very early in the season on the National circuit but I haven't actually ever raced on the full Grand Prix track. Considering I only live 30 miles away, you'd think I would have done a few laps there but it isn't the case. It will be nice to get that opportunity at the Le Mans Series weekend. I know half the circuit, I will just have to learn the rest in the first practice session."

Other  leading  drivers  contesting  the  high  profile  Silverstone  LMS  event  include  British  aces  Warren  Hughes, Martin  Short,  Jamie  Campbell  Walter,  Darren  Manning,  Johnny  Mowlem  plus  BTCC  star  Tom  Chilton  and  his younger  brother  Max.  

A  number  of  ex-Formula  1  stars  will  also  be  on  track  including  Alex  Caffi,  Alex  Yoong, Jean-Christophe Boullion, Eric van de Poele and Shinji Nakano. Special ‘Event Tickets’ for the Silverstone round of the Le Mans Series represent fantastic value at just £20 for admission on both Saturday and Sunday, available to purchase in advance. Parking, roving grandstand seating, paddock access and centre transfers are all included in this price. Saturday and Sunday-only tickets will also be available on the day, priced at £15 and £25 respectively.

Children aged 15 years and under, accompanied by an adult, go free. To book tickets, or for further information, visit silverstone.co.uk, or call 08704 588 260. For details on official race day hospitality, call Silverstone on 08704 588 230, or visit the website.

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