Le Mans Series

Spyker Squadron announces extensive test programme

© Planetlemans

Almost a month after the last race, the 2006 FIA GT finale in Dubai, Spyker Squadron announced an extensive winter test programme today. The Dutch manufacturer of highly exclusive hand-built super cars has scheduled a series of monthly tests to further improve the successful Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R. The programme will last until the 2007 race season starts in March where Spyker Squadron will compete in the ALMS season opener; the famous 12-hours of Sebring.
The first test is scheduled for this week at Jerez, Spain, followed by a three-day test mid-January at Sebring, USA, organised by the ALMS and a test mid-February at Valencia in Spain. All scheduled test sessions will take three consecutive days and will give Spyker Squadron the opportunity to extensively test aerodynamics, mechanical grip and handling, various engine configurations and brakes. Michelin will support all Spyker test sessions and the team will radically test several Michelin compounds.
All tests will be performed with a Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R test car with chassis #046. Spyker Squadron currently rebuilds their 2006 cars to sell them to customer teams and is building two new cars for the upcoming 2007 season.

Factory driver Jeroen Bleekemolen will test the C8 Spyder next week at Jerez (18-20 December) but he will be joined a day later, on Tuesday and Wednesday, by four other Dutch drivers; Sandor van Es, Jaap van Lagen, Ricardo van der Ende and Dennis Retera. Peter van Erp: "All four drivers have caught our attention due to their performance in different series and we would like to see how they perform in our C8 Spyder. Spyker Squadron plans to maintain its current factory driver-pool but after the test we will see how the new drivers perform in the C8 Spyder and we might use their services next season in one of our factory or customer cars for specific race- or test events.