Le Mans24: Mansell targets Le Mans LMP1 entry

[Plex]

Nigel Mansell is targeting a drive in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours after buying into British sportscar team Beechdean Motorsport.

The 1992 Formula 1 world champion has formed Beechdean Mansell Motorsport to run a factory-backed Ginetta-Zytek Z09R in the LMP1 class of the Le Mans Series this year, and is hoping to receive an entry for the 24 Hours.

Mansell's two sons, Leo and Greg, will share the car during the season with Nigel joining for selected races.

"I'm very happy to announce this partnership between myself and Beechdean," said Mansell. "The team comes fresh to the LMS with an impeccable pedigree and full support from Zytek.

"I'm very excited about 2010 and the prospect of racing with both by sons for the first time. I can confirm that I will be racing with Leo and Greg during the season and, if we receive an entry, we will also be racing at Le Mans."

Mansell shared a Ginetta-Zytek LMP1 with Greg in the LMS round at Silverstone last year. Greg also competed in Formula Renault 3.5, while Leo raced a Team Modena Ferrari F430 GT in the LMS and at Le Mans.

Beechdean Motorsport has raced in British GT since 2007, when it ran a Ferrari 360. It switched to and Aston Martin Vantage N24 for 2008 and has since become a partner team to Aston Martin Racing. It plans to run two Vantages in the FIA GT2 championship this year along with its LMP1 campaign.

"It has been an ambition of mine to race a Le Mans prototype ever since we started racing GTs," said Beechdean boss Andrew Howard. "It's a dream come true for our young team to enter into a partnership with one of the sport's most famous names.

"Nigel brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and Leo and Greg are already established as accomplished race drivers in their own right.

"We begin testing early in the new year and 2010 promises to be an exciting and dynamic year. We can't wait to get started."

Autosport