Tomáš Enge’s main programme in the 2008 season includes an engagement with the British Modena team at the Le Mans Series. The Czech driver will race alongside his Spanish colleague, Antonio Garcia, who last year raced primarily with Christian Fittipaldi. The racers will split the steering wheel of their Aston Martin DBR9 class LM GT1. Beside the LMS, Tomáš will also participate in the legendary 24-hours Le Mans marathon, which he will join in the royal LM P1 category.
On the famous track in La Sarthe, he will thus join his countryman Jan Charouz and the German driver Stefan Mücke, driving a brand new prototype of the Lola B08/60 Coupé Aston Martin, belonging to the Charouz Racing System/Aston Martin Racing team. Moreover, as Aston Martin’s factory driver Tomáš, acts as the test driver of all brand vehicles, including the new Vantage GT2.
Team Modena – the official name of the British squad – ranks among the leading teams on the Grand Turismo scene and enjoys the direct support from Aston Martin Racing’s factory team. Last year, Team Modena placed fourth in the Le Mans Series LM GT1, with its best placement as second in Silverstone, where home driver Garcia and the British driver Darren Turner alternated at the wheel of the black-and-grey special. Garcia placed sixth in the overall standings of all drivers.
The year before, the team scored its best results in 24-hour Le Mans – placing ninth in absolute standings and fourth in the LM GT1 class. The crew consisted of Garcia, Nelson Piquet Jr., and David Brabham. The team achieved yet another success in the 12-hour Sebring 2007. The trio of Garcia, Liz Halliday, and Turner placed third in the LM GT1 standings. More information is available on www.teammodena.com.
Antonio Garcia, 27, a native of Madrid, is the former factory driver for BMW in the World and European championships of touring cars; in 2002 he tested the Minardi F1, and that same year he placed fifth in the World Formula Nissan Series. In the year 2000, he topped the two-litre Formula Nissan. More information is available on www.antoniogarcia.com.
Tomáš Enge: “I look very much forward to racing for Team Modena. There are several reasons: the team is of a very high quality and enjoys the support from Aston Martin Racing. Antonio is an easy-going guy and a very fast driver; I get along very well with him. We know each other from extensive testing performed last autumn at Jerez, and I think that we will excellently complement each other. We will be racing in the six-hour trials together, so we will both have some good racing; of course, I am pleased about the car. I really like Aston Martin DBR9. The competition in our class will not be too stiff this year, but I still expect some major competition against Luc Alphand’s corvettes.”
Antonín Charouz: “I am glad that Tomáš will be racing during the entire season of the Le Mans Series in a good quality team, with a good quality car, which he is so fond of, and together with such a fast colleague as Antonio Garcia. He, Stefan Mücke and my son Jan will also race with our new Lola Aston Martin at 24-hour Le Mans. They are expected to make a strong trio.”
Le Mans Series 2008 Testing – Le Castellet, 2 and 3 March 1,000 km Barcelona, 4 to 6 April 1,000 km Monza, 25 to 27 April 1,000 km Spa, 9 to 11 May 1,000 km Nürburgring, 15 to 17 August 1,000 km Silverstone, 12 to 14 September One more race is still to be announced. Internet: www.lemans-series.com
