LMS: Charouz hoping to be top petrol car

[Plex]

Stefan Mucke and Jan Charouz are confident they can compete with the leading petrol-powered LMP1 cars when the Le Mans Series kicks off at Barcelona this weekend.

The pair will drive Charouz Racing's new closed-roof Lola prototype with an Aston Martin V12 engine and factory backing from Prodrive.

The car has been quick in testing but it has completed so little running that its reliability is yet to be proven. But Mucke is already hoping they can be best of the rest behind the Peugeot and Audi diesels.

"The first race always brings a special joy for me," he said, "but waiting for the first race is really special this year because our team is going to use the brand new car.

"I think it will be very interesting and exciting for everyone to see how competitive the car will be against all the other petrol, and also the diesel, prototypes. I hope that we will be the best petrol car in the race.

"I know the Catalan track thanks to the DTM race there in 2006, although we used the shorter version so my first task will be to learn the full version."

Mucke's teammate Charouz added: "It will be the first time we've tried the car in competition so I prefer to be a bit cautious, but I believe that we will not fail.

"I'd like to think we can be right at the top among the petrol-powered cars, I can't wait."

Autosport