Le Mans Series 2009 – Technology partnership between Hella and Aston Martin Racing Team
The lighting and electronics specialist Hella is partnering with Aston Martin Racing for the 2009 racing season. As part of this partnership, Hella will equip all Aston Martin Racing cars with xenon headlights. "We see Aston Martin Racing's choice of Hella headlights in the demanding Le Mans Series and at the gruelling 24 hours of Le Mans as high praise indeed, and certainly as a good recommendation for all car drivers", commented Hella Marketing Expert Brian Mewhorter.
Aston Martin Racing is competing in the full European Le Mans Series in 2009 with a two-car LMP1 team. In comparison with Formula 1 racing, where the typical race distance is 200 to 300 km, the Le Mans Series races are characterized by distances of 1000 km. The series comprises a total of five races: Barcelona, Spa, Algarve, Nürburgring and Silverstone, and, in addition to the Le Mans Series, the team will be taking part in the epic 24 hours of Le Mans.
German driver Stephan Mücke and his two Czech teammates Jan Charouz and Tomas Enge won the first race of the 2009 Le Mans Series in Barcelona, in their 007 Aston Martin LMP1 car. The brand-new car was equipped with xenon headlights from Hella.
"These races are an especially big challenge for both drivers and materials", says Brian Mewhorter, "and therefore represent a considerably greater test of endurance and quality". The system consists of the Rallye 1000 FF spotlights, 90 mm xenon modules and LED side marker lights. "We chose Hella and the Rallye 1000 FF headlight with xenon technology because we did not want to make any compromises in terms of good light", explains George Howard-Chappell, Technical Director, Aston Martin Racing.The races – such as the upcoming 24-hour race in Le Mans and the night race in Portugal – take place at twilight or under poor visibility conditions. Here, top headlights very decisively take the strain off the driver.
Aston Martin, Britain’s most exclusive sports car company, made its return to international racing in 2005 with the DBR9. A new division called Aston Martin Racing was created in partnership with Prodrive, the world’s leading motorsport and automotive technology specialist. Prodrive is responsible for Aston Martin's global racing operations and oversees all aspects of race car production and development. In 2005 the DBR9 won its debut race at the 12 Hours of Sebring. In 2007 and again in 2008, Aston Martin Racing went on to win the GT1 class at Le Mans with the DBR9. Aston Martin is the only manufacturer to offer race cars in every FIA GT category - GT1 - DBR9, GT2 - Vantage GT2, GT3 - DBRS9 and GT4 - Vantage GT4 and since 2005 over 100 Aston Martin race cars have been produced.
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