24 Hours of Le Mans

Jetalliance Racing at Le Mans 2009!

Second time lucky for Jetalliance Racing:

Jetalliance Racing at Le Mans –
the first Austrian team since 1972!

An Aston Martin DBR9, modified for Le Mans, will be entered, the only certain driver so far is team owner Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer

Now it is confirmed! Jetalliance Racing will compete in this year’s 24 hour classic at Le Mans (June 13th, 14th)! The organizing ACO confirmed the entry on their web site yesterday! A total of 82 teams had applied, 15 were already nominated back in January, afterwards 67 teams contested for the remaining 40 spots up to yesterday’s announcement, since only 55 will be admitted.

Le Mans is the oldest 24 hour race, first run in 1923. Austrian drivers were victorious three times (Jochen Rindt in 1965, Dr Helmut Marko in 1971 and Alexander Wurz in 1996), twice (Karl Wendlinger in 1999 and Richard Lietz in 2007) they won their class.

“I’m obviously delighted”, team owner Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer beams with joy, “this race is the absolute highlight. Both for the Jetalliance Racing team as well as for me personally. I was in France twice as a spectator so far – now we’ll be there as participants. It’s a dream come true for the entire team.”

After waiting in vain for an invitation last year, it came just the sooner this year. “It’s also a great honour for us to be able to compete in this toughest and most traditional of all the endurance races. Especially since we’re the only Austrian team and the first since 1972”, Lichtner-Hoyer says. He is both the project’s initiator and its financier. “Everything’s privately financed at the moment but I’m confident that I’ll be able to win over one or the other partner for this incredibly well-covered event.”

With the publication on the Internet, after which Lichtner-Hoyer’s phones would not stop ringing, the team’s preparation in every direction has begun as well. For instance, the Jetalliance Aston Martin DBR9 now has to be modified to meet the new ACO regulations in a hurry. This means that among other things the aerodynamics need to be changed and that an air-conditioning system has to be installed.

The driver line-up will also soon be resolved. At the moment Lichtner-Hoyer is the only certain driver, the other two will be decided on in the next couple of days. A travel package for fans and VIP guests is also being worked on (please direct inquiries to lemans@jetalliance.at).

Approached about his objectives, Lichtner-Hoyer appears completely relaxed: “My goal in racing has always been to compete in Le Mans with this team – this target’s now imminent. As far as the race is concerned, our aim has to be to drive 24 hours without any major problem and go all the way to the chequered flag. Then the rest will follow by itself.”