HVM Status LMP2 team confirm plans for 2013 entry

INDIANAPOLIS, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 –Following the announcement of their alliance on December 4th, 2012, Status Grand Prix and HVM Racing are pleased to confirm they have this week filed a formal entry application for the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The HVM Status entry marks the first stage of the collaboration between two successful teams, the Silverstone and Indianapolis-based organizations committed to running a latest-specification Lola Coupe in the LMP2 class in all eight rounds of the World Championship.

Silverstone-based Status has an established sports car racing pedigree dating back to 2006 when it prepared and ran an Aston Martin GT1 in selected FIA GT events and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After again preparing a customer car for Le Mans, this time for the LMP2 class in 2011, Status entered its own LMP2 Lola Coupe in the 2012 European Le Mans Series, as well as selected WEC rounds and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Speaking on behalf of Status, Mark Gallagher said, "We are pleased to have taken this step, being not only very confident in the capabilities for the LMP2 Lola Coupe after the good learning curve last year, but recognising the additional strengths brought to the programme through the collaboration with HVM Racing. The stability of Lola's commitment to sports prototype racing through the new partnerships it has put in place adds to our confidence. It's a great package and one very worthy of a full WEC LMP2 assault."

HVM Racing enters the sports car racing arena with a successful history in the USA’s premiere racing categories. A six-time winner in the Champ Car World Series between 2001 and 2007, HVM has competed in the IZOD IndyCar Series for the last five years. The step into sports prototype racing is a natural evolution for the team, combining its engineering and commercial strength with the Status package.

"We are excited to be in the WEC championship and believe strongly in its future,” said HVM Team Principal Keith Wiggins. “We believe we have a very strong program with HVM, Status GP, Lola and Multimatic. We could not have hoped for such a strong start with experienced partners all together. We are now focusing on those strengths for the start of the season and we will soon have news on the technical progress. It is good to be working with the Lola engineers once more, now with Multimatic’s added resources."

The FIA World Endurance Championship was born in 2011, replacing the existing Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) with the aim of raising the profile of endurance racing on a global scale. The season opener on April 14th will see HMV Status commence its campaign on local ground with the 6 hours of Silverstone (UK). The championship then moves on to Spa Francorchamps (Belgium), Le Mans (France), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Austin (USA), Fuji (Japan), and Shanghai (China) with the season finale on the island of Bahrain on November 30th.

HVM Status