on The Algarve Shores
Following an outstanding performance at its 24 Heures du Mans debut in June, Drayson Racing now exhales deeply and begins a night time assault on the remaining Le Mans Series season. The 1000km of Algarve brings the No. 87 Drayson Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT2 to the oceanfront, holiday mecca of Portugal's Algarve region on 1 August. In a unique challenge, round three of the five-race schedule will see Paul Drayson (London/Gloucestershire, UK) and Jonny Cocker (Guisborough, Yorks, UK) drive the entire 512 lap/six hour race after sunset.
The Portimão Algarve event marks the first "all darkness" race in the history of the Le Mans Series. The unique format could prove a benefit to the Banbury, UK-based team. Both drivers enjoy racing at night and have had great success driving after sunset. In fact, Drayson and Cocker drove an E85-powered Aston Martin to victory in the Britcar Series Night Race in 2007. Furthermore, the extended night running at Le Mans has provided the team with its greatest, un-broken streak of laps in both daylight and darkness with the V8-powered machine. The night time laps on the long Le Mans course proved to be some of the team's most competitive in the hotly contested endurance racing classic. The 1,000 km/621.3 mile race is scheduled to take the green flag at 19:15 and travel its full distance under the cover of night. It will take the chequered flag no later than 01:15 on 2 August.
While the Autodromo do Algarve is a new track to the Le Mans Series it is not new to the Official Partner Team of Aston Martin Racing (AMR). In April, as part of the programme's preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Drayson Racing visited the 4.65-Km/2.89-mile race course for a long duration test. That time promises to assist Drayson and Cocker assimilate quickly to the track's distinctive and demanding features. The facility presents multiple elevation changes which result in blind corner entry and apex at several of its 15-turns. The blind turns pose issues for all the teams as the cars transition between the areas illuminated by the track's lighting system and those in which they must rely solely on the Hella lighting system onboard. The Dale White (Bozeman, MT, USA)-managed operation will use Thursday's night practice to reacquaint the drivers with the track and the car's preferences at night. "Licence to Le Mans", the very popular documentary on Paul, Lord Drayson's 2008 effort to earn a spot in the 77th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be re-aired on Channel Dave in the United Kingdom. The first episode is scheduled for Sunday, 23 August at 18:30. Episode two will be broadcast the following Sunday, 30 August at 14:30. The broadcast schedule of the remaining episodes will be announced at a later date.
