Only three weeks before the much awaited 1000 Km of Spa, Le Mans Series will take over the Bugatti racetrack for a two day test session.

As of today, 12 cars are entered for this session which was scheduled a little bit too late. In spite of this, it is a perfect opportunity for teams such as Pescarolo Sport, Signature Plus, the Speedy Racing team Sebah or Luc Alphand Aventures to find their bearings before the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Some newcomers for this occasion: the team Seattle in GT2 with a Ferrari F430 GT, but also a Chinese team: the Endurance China team which will introduce its Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, driven by a Chinese driver, Darryl O’Young, and a Frenchman who is a regular of the series: Philippe Hesnault.

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Whilst awaiting for the next race at Spa Francorchamps, finishing touches are already being made for the last race of the season … The British Magazine, Autosport, a real bible for all competition lovers, renews its faith in Le Mans Series and will be, for the second consecutive year, the principal partner of the 100 km of Silverstone.

Besides a close follow-up during all the season; the magazine, www.autosport.com web site and through them, the powerful press group Haymarket, will particularly support the fifth and last race of the season, on the Silverstone circuit on 11, 12 and 13 September 2009.

Patrick Peter: “We are very pleased about the continuation of this partnership. Autosport and the Haymarket group are a reference in the automobile sport world and their renewed trust, as well as the extremely positive echoes we have received from their readers, can only strengthen our will to create a great show for all car lovers and Endurance supporters in England, and elsewhere!”

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No less than seven teams could have won the race in Spain today, emphasizing just how competitive the 2009 Le Mans Series season should be. IPB Spartak Racing returned to form, Aston Martin Racing was back on top, Racing Box scored their first victory in the class, and Team Felbermayr-Proton clinched their best result since a while.

The winter intensive development work has obviously paid off for the bulk of the team; this is why the race has been thrilling till the end. 23,000 spectators could meet the drivers during the autograph session and enjoy a very entertaining round, whose issue has been confused by three safety-cars. The sun has unexpectedly been shining all day to praise official Aston Martin Racing’s come-back and…victory!

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You expected a big surprise? Here it is! The track record lap-time was not broken this afternoon, but the chase was really awesome. A brand new car and a brand new team are on pole and it seems that we are in for a tough and exciting race tomorrow.

At the beginning of the season, everyone hopes that their upgraded mechanical and aerodynamic packages will make them more competitive here, but there is only one pole-sitter: Danny Watts in the Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek.

Few venues offer such a variety of medium and high-speed corners as Circuit of Catalunya and it is widely acknowledged as the definitive aero circuit that provides a hard test of a race-car, so it is not easy for drivers to get used to all its twist, turns and technical intricacies.

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For the second time, the five-race Le Mans Series season kicks off at Barcelona. With 43 sportscars on the grid, the fight should be tough throughout the four classes.

The first race of the season is always a voyage into the unknown for everybody, because testing time-sheets are difficult to read – you never know for sure what set-up and spec the teams are running. The official Test Days at the Paul Ricard track gave indications about the strengths of the field but some teams could not make the tests and some are newcomers in the series.

On a track that Gaudi himself, the architect who loved curves so much, could have designed, the suspense reaches its heights. The new equivalence between diesel and petrol engines confuse the issue on one hand and last year’s Montmelo easy winners are not on the entry list on the other hand.

After the free practice session, today, during which the red flag was unrolled two times (among them one time after the exit of the car n°26, fortunately without any consequence), the spirits become heated int the same time that the sun comes back in Catalunya!

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1000Km of Catalunya live on EUROSPORT

The 1000 Km of Catalonia can be followed live on Eurosport

Watch the first race of the season, live from 11h15 to 12h00 for the start and then from 12h45 to 13h15 and again at midnight for 26 minutes of highlights!

You can also refer to the global TV broadcast plan of the 1000 Km of Catalunya by clicking here.

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There have been a few recent changes in the llist of competitors of the 1000Km de Catalunya.

In LMP1, we can underline the officialization of the Pescarolo Sport Team for the 1000Km of Catalunya, Thus, Jean-Christophe Boullion and Christophe Tinseau will share the seat of the Pescarolo LMP1 n°16 while Bruce Jouanny will share his wheel with Joao Barbosa on the Pescarolo n°17.

In LMP2, Stuart Moseley joins Pierre Bruneau and Nigel Greensall behind the wheel of the Radical of Bruichlladich-Bruneau.

In LMGT1, Berville, Dumez and Zacchia have been confirmed by Larbre Compétition to drive the Saleen. Paul Daniels takes Andy Studenic’s place with ARC Bratislava, joining Miro Konopka and Sean Edwards.

In LMGT2, Reiter Engineering’s Lamborghini Gallardo of has withdrawn from this first meeting and John Hartshorne, at the wheel of the JMB Racing Ferrari n°99 will be backed up by Yvan Lebon and Romain Ianetta.

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We were expecting the news since his drive during the Official Testing sessions at the Castellet circuit… It has just been confirmed: Bruno Senna, nephew of one of the most famous drivers in the world, will compete the Le Mans Series 2009 season, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Really delighted by his first experience on the French track, and seduced by Hugues de Chaunac’s team, the young Brazilian from Sao Paulo will team up with very experienced Stéphane Ortelli on the Courage-Oreca LMP1 n°10, while Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre will share the wheel of n°11.

Meet this young talent at the Barcelona circuit, for the 1000 Km of Catalunya, on next April 3, 4 and 5.

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46 cars on the track for the first race of the season. who can top that?

Le Mans Series come on strong for their second visit to the Catalan track, with no less than 12 LMP1s, 16 LMP2s, 4 LMGT1s and 14 LMGT2s!

Aston Martin Racing, forgetting their misfortunes during the Tests, will take to heart to prove their reliability and efficiency faced with their renowned opponents: the Courage-Oreca of Hugues de Chaunac’s Team and Signature Plus, the two Pescarolos of the same named team, two Ginettas Zytek and a Lola Coupe powered by Aston Martin. This, under close scrutiny by the Kolles Team experts, officially supported by the German manufacturer; whom we congratulate on their magnificent victory at Sebring last week-end.

In LMP2, 16 cars will fight for the first three places on the podium. To be underlined: the diversity of this category, nine different chassis are represented, 7 team nationalities and no less than 3 of the 5 manufacturers present during the season! One thing is sure, in LMP2, boredom will be impossible!

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3 500 spectators were on the circuit today to discover the futur stars of the 2009 Endurance season.

It was a successful test day for everybody: for the circuit above all, as it re-opened the doors to the public for the very first time after 10 years of private tests and intimate exhibitions. All the spectators, teams and drivers had the possibility to discover the brand new infrastructure. It was a test also for the teams, of course, especially for Aston Martin. It was a hard day for the British manufacturer, which suffered a lot of a driving mistake, which stopped the run-up of the LMP1 (with the mythical number 007) as it crashed in the Signe curve. The OO9 will be the only Aston Martin to restart tomorrow morning. Finally, it was a big test for the drivers too, as Bruno Senna and a lot of other ones will be able to define a little bit more the season to come.

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Motor racing is a family business. Ayrton Senna’s nephew, Bruno, took his first steps in a Prototype today, on the Castellet racetrack.

What for a surprise when he arrived this morning in the paddock, for the Le Mans Series official test session, to test the team Oreca’s LMP1!

After a long testing session this morning, the Sao Paulo native claimed: "I really enjoyed to drive the LMP1. The driving style is really different that what I did before; it’s a really good experience. The prototype is heavier than a single-seater car. You have to fit your way to run consequently and to be more conservative with the tyres. I also discovered the traffic management, which is not always easy!"

The future of the Brazilian young man is not sealed yet, but he seemed to be delighted by the experience, and we can imagine that his visit was not a one-shot in Le Mans Series. To be followed…

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The last brush strokes have been given to the liveries, the stickers have been affixed, the teams get their reflexes back…everybody is in the starting blocks for this new season!

28 cars are now at the Castellet, 50 cars are entered for the full season: Le Mans Series is full up. From tomorrow at 9.30 am on, the engines will roar and the machines will parade in front of the brand new grandstands opened for the first time to the public.

Aston Martin, Ferrari, Corvette, Lamborghini…: choose your favorite category and "faites vos jeux". The Endurance big show of the  is back on the European circuits for 2009!

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Exclusively: the Speedy Racing-Team Sebah cars…in colour!

Here are the first pictures of Speedy Racing – Team Sebah lola’s 2009 liveries, before departure for Paul Ricard HTTT for 2009 Le Mans Series official test days. The Lola B08/60 Aston Martin LMP1 will be chrome and red, the Lola B08/80 Judd LMP2 will be chrome and blue. We wish the team all the success that can be hoped with these new liveries.

Final liveries will be unveild to the public and the media on sunday morning at the circuit.

All team’s drivers will be present at Paul Ricard during the two days test, driving for the first time their 2009 spec cars.

To know more about this team, do not hesitate to visit its website: www.speedygarage.ch

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Official testing session: the entry list

A few days before the official start of the season, download the list of competitors present at the Testing Days to be held next weekend at the Circuit Paul Ricard HTTT.

Don’t forget, this year for the first time the circuit will be open to public and you can watch these first tests.

Discover exclusively the first public presentation of the 2 official Aston Martins. Also amongst the 28 cars present for these 2 days, other newcomers such as the Courage Oreca with the french Signature Plus Team, the Pescarolo of the new OAK Racing Team and stars such as the Luc Alphand Team’s Corvette, the Ferrari of the Modena Team in Leo Mansell’s hands, Nicolas Prost driving the Speedy Racing Team Sebah Aston Martin … as rumour has it, their fathers will be there to encourage their offspring on the road to glory …

Download the list of competitors and also the programme for the weekend

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After an exceptional 2008 season -five podiums and two victories in five races – the LMGT1 title winner is back in the race.

With his good friend Patrice Goueslard and a third driver to be confirmed, the eponymous team of the skiing champion will take part in the full season, starting at the 1000 Km of Barcelona, on April 3rd, 4th and 5th.

The French team’s car will complete an already very diversified and promising category: Saleen, Lamborghini and Ferrari will have to fight against the Luc Alphand Aventures‘ Corvette C6.R. We can be sure that they will have to beware of this competitor…

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