Le Mans Series 2008
RML-designed Saleens Soldier On
Issued November 27th 2007

Two RML-designed Saleen S7Rs
for Larbre in 2008

The French outfit, Larbre Competition, has signed an agreement with fellow French developer ORECA that will see the RML-designed Saleen S7-R continuing at the forefront of GT1 competition for another season.

The Larbre team, which this season competed in the FIA GT Championship and at Le Mans with the Aston Martin DBR9 (below), has committed to a new GT sporting programme with a pair of the Ford-engined Saleens. These are the same two cars which ORECA themselves campaigned to the GT1 Le Mans Series title in 2007 (Stephane Ortelli and Soheil Ayari), and entered in the Le Mans 24 Hours in June (above, and below).

Larbre Competition's ethos is always to compete at the highest level in GT racing and therefore sees it as fitting that the team (based at the Val de Vienne circuit in central France) will race the best-performing cars on the grid in 2008.

Larbre and ORECA have already worked successfully together in the past, claiming two titles in the FIA GT World Championship in 2001 and 2002 with the Dodge Viper GTSR.

RML successfully campaigned the Saleen in the FIA GT Championship (Mike Newton & Thomas Erdos) and also won the European Le Mans Series with the Saleen in 2001.

Boss at ORECA, Hugues de Chaunac and Jack Leconte of Larbre are evidently delighted to be working together again on this new project, with a fantastic two-car programme that will see the Wellingborough-inspired Saleens competing in three top-level GT championships in 2008:

Larbre Competition is also looking forward to racing the Saleens at the 24 Hours of Spa. Announcement of the team's driver line-up is planned for January 2008.

More information about the Le Mans Series from www.lemans-series.com
More information on RML, birthplace of the Saleen S7-R, is available at www.rmlmallock.co.uk.