In a surprise announcement, Aston Martin Racing revealed that a third LMP1 car in Gulf colours would be at this year’s Le Mans 24-hour race.

Anthony Davidson (GB), Stuart Hall (GB) and Jos Verstappen (NL) will join the existing six-driver, two-car line-up that won the opening race of this year’s Le Mans Series and finished a battling third at Spa on May 10.

Ex-Grand Prix driver Verstappen has only competed at Le Mans once, when he won the LMP2 class in 2008 driving a Porsche Spyder prototype. Davidson is a vastly experienced Formula One tester as well as radio pundit, while Hall (24) finished an excellent fourth overall on his Le Mans debut in 2007.

The team will be hoping to repeat the famous 1959 one-two when Stirling Moss, driving the third car, ‘broke’ the works Ferrari opposition with some fast lapping in the early stages of the race. His highly tuned engine succumbed to his efforts, but by the time he retired, many of Ferrari’s 250 TRs were already out.

The 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours will be held on June 13-14.

Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: Aston Martin Racing