Nigel Mansell's name is still a legend in motor racing. He remains the most successful driver in British racing history and one of only a handful of drivers to win both the Formula One title and the CART championship. It's been fourteen years since he last competed in a grand prix, but he'll soon be back behind the wheel in pursuit of more trophies at the 1000 Kilometers of Silverstone, the Le Mans Series race at the same track where he won the British Grand Prix three times.
To sweeten the deal, Mansell will be joined in his headline return by his own 21-year-old son, Greg, who recently left the Formula Renault 3.5 series. Rounding out the three-man team will be Ginetta chairman Lawrence Tomilson, who also took home a GT2 class win at Le Mans in 2006. They'll be driving the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S (pictured above) in the LMP1 category in a factory-supported works racing effort, more of which you can read about in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Ginetta]
PRESS RELEASE
MANSELL RETURNS TO TOP LEVEL RACING WITH GINETTA
British motor racing legend Nigel Mansell will return to the international motorsport arena next month, when he races a Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S in the Le Mans Series championship finale at Silverstone.
Mansell, who remains the most successful British Formula One driver of all time and last competed at Grand Prix level in 1995, will be joined for the first time by son Greg and former Le Mans winner, Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson to compete in the world famous endurance race '1000km of Silverstone'.
The team will be driving the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S LMP1 car at the 5.141km course during 11th-13th September. Earlier this year, the 4.5 litre engined race car competed at the second round of the Le Mans Series at Spa-Francorchamps and also took part in the iconic Le Mans 24 hours at La Sarthe in June.
Mansell said of his return to top level racing: "It's going to be very special for me to be racing again at Silverstone where I've had some of my most memorable wins. I'm delighted that Lawrence has given us the opportunity to compete in the Ginetta-Zytek car and having tested it today at Snetterton, I've no doubt its going to be an incredible weekend."
His son, 21 year old 2009 Renault World Series competitor, Greg Mansell added: "I'm very excited to be making my LMP1 debut and to be racing at Silverstone alongside my father and Lawrence. It's a phenomenal track to compete at and to be racing in the championship finale is going to make it all the more special."
Meanwhile Lawrence Tomlinson, Ginetta Chairman, who won the GT2 class at Le Mans in 2006 added: "It's quite simply an honour to have an icon of Nigel's pedigree compete in the Ginetta-Zytek LMP1 car. I'm delighted that Greg is joining the team and with two Mansells on board, I'm confident we can expect a very competitive race!"
The Le Mans Series began in Catalunya this April, before heading to Spa-Francorchamps, Algarve, Nurburgring later this month and finally the home of British motorsport at Silverstone on September 11th-13th. Cars compete in four different categories: LMP1, LMP2, LMGT1 and LMGT2.
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