Aston Martin Racing completed preparations for its return to the American Le Mans Series at this weekend's Petit Le Mans marathon with a two-day at Road Atlanta over the weekend.
Running two DBR9s, the team collected vital data for its debut at the 1000-mile ten-hour race at the Georgian circuit, and allowed those members of its driving strength who had raced there before to get some track experience before practice and qualifying. With high temperatures expected in the region over the weekend, the team also
concentrated on improving its driver cooling systems, which have not featured on the cars since the team last raced in the ALMS, at the opening round at Sebring in March.
“The test went really well, both cars ran pretty much 100 per cent reliably, and we know where we are with the tyres and the set-up,” team principal George Howard-Chappell reported, “There is a lot more air going into the car now, and the cockpit is much better insulated, so we can achieve temperatures that a driver can live with, particularly when they have their cool suit on.”
Road Atlanta rookies Darren Turner, Pedro Lamy and Jonny Kane all took the opportunity to learn their way around the undulating circuit, and admitted that the experience would be vital at the weekend.
“Road Atlanta is one of the hardest tracks I have had to learn,” Turner revealed, “It took me about ten laps to really get into it, but it is nice to come to a circuit that makes you concentrate - you definitely have to show this track respect.”
Lamy pointed to the circuit's blind corners as key elements to getting a good lap, but at least the Portuguese veteran only had to adapt to the track. Kane, new to the team for Petit Le Mans, had to learn both car and circuit in order to get up to speed for his role alongside Turner and David Brabham, who will be out to repeat their round one victory from Sebring.
