Jaguar Returns To Le Mans

Good news, if not fantastically great news. Jaguar, one of the most storied sportscar marques in the world will be returning to Le Mans, the track and the race that helped the establish themselves as being world beaters. Sadly, this is not to be a full blown prototype effort as it has been in years past.

One of the most successful British make in the 24 hours of Le Mans history with a total of seven wins between 1951 and 1990, Jaguar recently announced its return to the race. Long time Jaguar privateer racer Paul Gentilozzi will bring his 2010 XKR GT2 to la Sarthe for a race twice around the clock this coming June.

The American Le Mans Series racing team RSR, will bring the next generation Jaguar XK-R race car to the event. The ride was designed as a joint effort between the American racing team RSR and Jaguar’s Advance Design Studio, which is headed by the automaker’s chief designer Ian Callum.

Paul Gentilozzi said that "Spirits will be high around Jaguar’s return to Le Mans but we must remember the incredibly high level of competition - a podium place in our category will not fall into our hands. That said, I can guarantee 100 per cent commitment from JaguarRSR and urge fans of Jaguar and Britain’s racing heritage to support the team whole heartedly." Gentilozzi will also be doing the driving of the JaguarRSR XKR GT2 in the 2010 American Le Mans Series.

2010 also marks 75 years of the Jaguar name on both road and race cars. “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.

“We are fortunate to bring an international line up of the world’s finest driving talent including Scott Pruett and Marc Goossens as our drivers for this race,” Gentilozzi added.

Source: Top Speed