Spa: Bouchut to be loaned out to Labre

CARE TEAMS CO-OPERATE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP BID

Russian Age Racing driver Christophe Bouchut will be making a one-race return to Larbre Compétition for next weekend's Proximus 24 Hours of Spa. On loan from Cirtek, the move is aimed at strengthening the French team's driver line up in their bid for success both in Belgium and in the FIA GT Championship.

At almost midpoint in the season, there are just nine points between the first three teams in the GT1 Championship and, with double points on offer at Spa, there is all to play for.

In a spirit of great support and co-operation between the two Care Racing supported teams, Cirtek Motorsport - who operate Russian Age Racing - has agreed to loan Bouchut to Larbre for this one race only.

The transfer comes with the full agreement and support of Bouchut's regular team-mates, Nikolay Fomenko and Alexey Vasiliev. At Spa, the two Russians will benefit from the talents and experience of two great drivers from the Le Mans Endurance Series, Nicolas Minassian and Jamie Campbell-Walter.

Thirty-eight-year-old Bouchut, three times an FIA GT Drivers' Champion with Larbre Competition (2000, 2001, 2002), will be exchanging one Prodrive- developed and Care Racing owned Ferrari 550 Maranello for another. The Frenchman will be partnering FIA GT Championship leader Gabriele Gardel and Belgian Spa-specialists Vincent Vosse and Kurt Mollekens.

Larbre Team Principal, Jack Leconte, said: "I am extremely grateful to Rob Schirle and Cirtek Motorsport for their co-operation with this issue, and I'm confident that we now have a driver line up which will allow us to challenge for maximum Championship points."

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