Team Ascari announce entry

Bicester, UK, Thursday 29th March 2001: British-based Team Ascari has today announced it will have two Ascari A410's present on the starting grid for Round One of the 2001 European Le Mans Series, taking place at Donington Park during Easter weekend, 13th/14th April.

The Ascari A410, which made it's endurance racing debut at Le Mans pre-qualifying last year, will be piloted at Donington by Ben Collins from England and South African Werner Lupberger. Current test driver for the BAR F1 team, Patrick Le Marie from France, will drive the second entry - his partner is yet to be announced. Team Manager Ian Dawson comments; "we are on a very tight schedule after testing in Spain, Italy and the UK and will be very limited by engine turn-around time until we know the outcome of our two-car Le Mans entry. We hope that both are accepted so we can plan accordingly for the remainder of 2001".

Team Ascari bring yet another respected name from the world of endurance racing into the Series as a momentum of anticipation builds towards the first race. The Judd-powered prototype will be battling for honours on the Donington Park circuit with the likes of Crysler, Audi and Panoz in the highly competitive LMP900 class.

The European Le Mans Series race at Donington Park is the only chance the British public will have to see all four categories of Le Mans cars compete in the UK before the historic 24-hour endurance event in June. Qualifying and race-day tickets are available from the Donington Park Ticket Hotline by calling (from the UK) 0870 4000 699.

-ELMS