American Le Mans Series
Flying Lizard announces GT program for the 2011 season
© Planetlemans – Marcel ten Caat
Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today preliminary details of its 2011 racing program. The Sonoma, California-based privateer team will return to the American Le Mans Series, fielding two Porsche 911 GT3 RSRs–the No. 45 and No. 44–in the GT class for the nine-race season.
“2010 was a phenomenal year for the ALMS and GT was clearly the place to be,” said Seth Neiman, Flying Lizard Team Principal and Driver of the No. 44 Porsche. “We fought a long, tough battle all season, and came away with the drivers’ championship. All credit goes to some very tough racing by Joerg (Bergmeister) and Patrick (Long) and an incredible performance by the crews at every single event this year.”
Neiman continued, “For 2011, of course we’ll be competing again for all of the ALMS GT championships. The ALMS calendar is solid and with some new venues and times it will help keep us all on our toes. Additionally, next year we will increase our emphasis on the important endurance races worldwide.”
Jens Walther, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsports North America (PMNA), added, “Flying Lizard and Porsche have forged a great relationship, combining the expertise that both organizations bring to the track; the race results speak for themselves. I am excited to continue our partnership for 2011 and am looking forward to our eighth consecutive season with Flying Lizard competing for the GT championships.”
About Flying Lizard Motorsports
Flying Lizard Motorsports has competed in the ALMS GT class since 2004. The team has finished in the top three in the ALMS GT2 drivers’ and team championships every year since 2004. In 2010, Flying Lizard No. 45 drivers Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long won a hard-fought battle for the GT drivers’ championship. In 2009 and 2008, the team swept all ALMS GT2 titles: drivers’ championship (Bergmeister and Long in 09, Bergmeister and Wolf Henzler in 08); Flying Lizard won the team championship; and Porsche won the manufacturer championship. In 2009, the Flying Lizard No. 44 Porsche also won the Michelin Green X Challenge championship.
Flying Lizard has also competed in the 24 Heures du Mans from 2005 through 2010, finishing third in 2005, fourth in 2006, and sixth in 2008.
Flying Lizard 2010 sponsors are ShoreTel, a leading provider of enterprise IP telephony solutions; Openwave Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: OPWV), a global software innovator delivering context-aware mediation and messaging solutions that enable communication service providers to create and deliver smarter services; eSilicon, a semiconductor company; and Double Clutch Coffee, a premium coffee company dedicated to motorsport enthusiasts. Team partners include Porsche and Michelin.
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“Additionally, next year we will increase our emphasis on the important endurance races worldwide.”
Is Seth just teasing us or something? We know they’re gonna try the Daytona 24hr, but that quite makes it sound like he wants ILMC glory. Could it be?
I dunno, but glad the Lizards are coming back anyway. :)
I hope that means they will have an all pro lineup at Le Mans as opposed to Sehth Neiman, and Darren Law holding Joerg back. I know they want to drive at the famous race since Sehth is the reason the team does what it does, but it is always a let down to watch them drop in the standings when Joerg leaves the car in the first stint.
Still more power to them and great to see them back, and possibly stronger than ever.
@Captain Spyro
“We know they’re gonna try the Daytona 24hr”
Are they going to use a new car or is GRAND-AM changing their rules?
@SchellZ
Well, they tested a DP recently, so I would assume that is what they would be racing, but nothing’s final until the entry list is released, of course.
Phew! After Murphy saying they’d only field 1 car, I’m glad to hear not only 2 cars but an “increased emphasis” on worldwide races! Does this mean we will see 2 cars at Le Mans – finally a Lizards car with all Pros that can win the thing???!!
I was really hoping that the Lizards would win Petit. If they had, they would have definetly had a two-car team for Le Mans. I’d love to see how the stack up against the Felbemeyr Proton cars.
Didn’t thw Lizards run a Porsche GT at Daytona this year? I might be wrong, but I thought it was a collaberation.
@William Mound
Yes. They ran a GT in collaboration with TRG.
The lizards can easily get a 2 car entry at lemans, all they have to do is ask. Very well funded team.
They had everything working for them this year. I mean the 2 BMW cars having no team orders, the lead risi ferrari with its 2 drivers not getting along, the corvettes still adjusting to a full grid of teams with similar resources….No matter how the #45 qualified somehow they ended up in the lead, it was like they could do no wrong.
@ every one not sure about the Daytona 24
Flying Lizard Motorsports recently purchased a Riley/Porsche Daytona Prorotype from the de-funct Brumos DP program.
Good stuff Dan.
If that’s true, it doesn’t bode well for the ALMS. They must thinking things through…if it was just the daytona 24h they could have easily leased a chassis for that.
When you add the fact that Dyson racing ran a DP at the last race for Grand Am in salt lake city…it just isn’t things you want to hear as an ALMS fan.
Sure it’s still racing but ALMS racing is just much more exciting, and those DP’s aren’t getting any prettier either
A Porsche-powered Riley DP No.45 has been confirmed. Car will be run 1-2 Dec @Homestead for testing…
In my opinion, Grand-Am and ALMS, LMS etc. should join forces, with 2011 LMP1 being top proto class and DP being lower, seeing as both DP and (2011) LMP2 use road engines anyway. That way LMPs would finally be able to race at Daytona again, and it would expand DP calender also (Sebring 12, PLM, etc.).