Jaguar celebrates its 75th year and confirmed plans today to return to Le Mans in June with a new XKR GT2. No stranger to endurance racing and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jaguar is the single most successful British make in the French race's history. Between 1951 and 1990, C-Type, D-Type and XJR Jaguars finished First seven times! Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead, driving a C-Type, averaged 93 mph and won the race in 1951. Jaguar will be on the starting grid at Le Mans on June 12th with an XKR GT2 campaigned by JaguarRSR.
Paul Gentilozzi, Principal Partner, JaguarRSR commented, "We are delighted the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) has granted us entry in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. This race is held dearly in the hearts of motorsport fans across the world and for Jaguar to be racing at Le Mans again is something special. We are fortunate to bring an international line-up of the world's finest driving talent including Scott Pruett and Marc Goossens for this race."
Gentilozzi, who will drive the XKR GT2 in the 2010 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) added, "Spirits will be high around Jaguar’s return to Le Mans but we must remember the incredibly high level of competition; a podium finish will not fall into our hands."
"Motorsport has always been important to the Jaguar brand. Our domination of Le Mans in the 1950s was a foundation on which the company was developed. It was twenty years ago that Jaguar last won Le Mans with a TWR Jaguar Sport entry driven by John Nielsen, Price Cobb and Martin Brundle. Returning to Le Mans will reignite excitement for the marque across the globe, all the more poignant in our 75th year," said C.J. O'Donnell, Global Marketing Director of Jaguar Cars.
In 1951, a C-type won Le Mans the first time out, with a victory again in 1953. The D-type took Le Mans wins in 1955, 1956 and 1957. This racing success was followed in 1988 with the Jaguar XJR-9LM, a V12-powered Group C car. Another outright victory would follow in 1990 with the XJR-12.
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