OAK Racing aims to end LMS 2010 on a high

OAK Racing Team Mazda France’s impressive Le Mans Series campaign reaches its climax at Silverstone this weekend where the squad are hoping to challenge for their first class win of the season.

Having scored five podium finishes in six races, including an outright third in Hungary after taking second in the LMP2 class at the Le Mans 24 Hours, the team’s pair of Pescarolos sit third and fourth in the standings courtesy of Matthieu Lahaye/Jacques Nicolet (#24) and Guillaume Moreau/Richard Hein (#35) respectively.

The intention now is to defend their place at the head of the Green X Challenge classification and add a victory to an impressive 2010 CV as preparation for the remaining Intercontinental Le Mans Cup rounds at Petit Le Mans in America and Zhuhai in China, before a busy winter development programme kicks off.

François Sicard, General Director and Team Manager: “At Silverstone, we won’t be able to go for the championship, which has already been clinched by RML, but we are targeting second position. It will be difficult as we have to beat Strakka Racing’s HPD which is practically impossible to challenge, although that won’t stop us from putting big pressure on them. We will be facing two English teams on their home turf but we have an ace up our sleeve in the form of two cars with which we can play a team strategy during the race. Depending of the circumstances, the #35 will help the #24.”

Jacques Nicolet, driver (#24) and OAK Racing President: “Silverstone is a very important event for OAK Racing for several reasons. It is the last round of the Le Mans Series and will decide its final classification, in which the #24 and #35 are both capable of improving. We also want to confirm our position at the top of the Green X Challenge, the winner of which secures a guaranteed invitation to next season’s Le Mans 24 Hours. For the #24, Silverstone is also the opening ILMC round of the year. A lot of key factors make this race very important.”

Matthieu Lahaye (#24): “Silverstone is a very fast circuit which I like a lot. It will be a journey of discovery this year however with the new 700m section which features a super fast corner. This type of circuit suits our car so we should go well. One problem might come from the bumps which are quite hard according to the F1 drivers. We will have to check this! Our objective is to clinch the win which is still missing form OAK Racing’s season, but our ultimate aim is to secure a top three place in the championship which would be a good reward for a great year.”

Richard Hein (#35): “Silverstone will be the last chance this season to savour the car, team atmosphere and working with my team mate. The mechanical bad luck we suffered in Portugal and Hungary prevented us from challenging for the title so it is up to the #24 to defend our colours. We will help them as much as we can. OAK Racing, after three years of experience at the highest level, allows us to express ourselves in top level equipment. It is up to us, the drivers, to finish this championship in the best way possible.”

Guillaume Moreau (#35): “Even if there is a new section to learn, I still know Silverstone well from racing there a lot in single seaters. It is in the fast corners, especially in the high speed sections which characterise the track, where I have always been able to make the difference. And unlike the Hungaroring, it will be possible to overtake! For the final race, like everyone else, I would like to finish on a high, even if the #35 cannot challenge for the title.”