Hughes joins ASM for Paul Ricard and Le Mans

Warren Hughes has signed a deal to race for Portuguese sportscar team ASM in the opening round of the Le Mans Series at Paul Ricard and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

He will partner Olivier Pla and Miguel Amaral, winners of the LMP2 category in the 2009 Le Mans Series with ASM in their Ginetta/Zytek. The deal sees Hughes re-join the team with whom he raced at the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 2006 and 2007.

Hughes will also be on stand-by for the team at the remaining Le Mans Series races should they decide to run any of the events with three drivers.

After visited the Lisbon based team earlier this week to conclude the deal and have a seat fitting, Warren commented: “I’ve wanted to return to ASM for quite a while and now the opportunity has arisen. This is one of the most sought after drives, certainly in LMP2. I’m joining them on the back of a very successful season, in a car they understand very well. I know the team well and I’ll also be working again with Alan Mugglestone, one of the very best engineers and strategists I’ve worked with. Olivier, I know a little bit, but he is a big talent. Miguel, I know from ‘06 and ’07. He just keeps getting better. I can’t wait”.

Team owner António Simões was clearly very happy to be able to sign Hughes: “Warren is a driver who the whole team rate very highly and his experience, ability and personality fit perfectly with us. I am delighted that circumstances have allowed us to get together again. He will strengthen our team considerably.”

Testing begins at the official Le Mans Series sessions at Paul Ricard on 7/8 March.