Having retired from competitive racing back in 2003, Gil de Ferran has admitted that the lure of returning to the race track was a key factor in the decision to form his own team to contest the 2008 American Le Mans Series.
The former IndyCar Series champion – who held the role of sporting director with Honda's
F1 programme from 2005 to 2007 – will spearhead de Ferran Motorsport entry into the ALMS this season as the fourth Acura team, joining AGR, Lowe's Fernandez Racing and Patron Highcroft Racing in representing the Acura brand in the LMP2 class.
The team is due to make its entry into the series later in the year and de Ferran admitted that the chance to get back behind the wheel had played a big part in setting up the programme.
"Since leaving my role as sporting director at Honda F1 in the UK last summer, I've taken some time out to consider various options and to plan what I want to do with my life and my professional career," he said. "I went back to America a few times to refresh my memory on the racing scene in the States. Notably, I went to the IndyCar and American Le Mans Series race at Detroit, saw a lot of old friends and stirred up some old emotions.
"During the later part of last year, I started talking to Robert Clarke, then president of Honda Performance Development, about some potential opportunities. But it was after exhaustive consideration by both sides, exploring various possible scenarios that I'm very happy to say we were able to conclude this long-term deal for me to set up a team in the American Le Mans Series with Acura's support. I find the series and the technology in this type of racing very appealing, relevant and exciting. In 2008, we will contest the American Le Mans Series with Acura in the LMP2 class.
![Gil de Ferran announces his plans to contest the 2008 American Le Mans Series [Pic credit: ALMS]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/404777.jpg)
