Acura will continue to field the ARX-01b of Lowe’s Fernandez Racing, and will also campaign in LMP1 with its brand new ARX-02a sports prototype, operated by De Ferran Motorsports and Patrón Highcroft Racing.
Acura entered the American Le Mans Series in 2007 with the teams of Andretti Green Racing, Highcroft Racing and Lowe's Fernandez Racing driving the 3.4 liter-V8-powered ARX-01b. De Ferran Racing, operated by Indy and F1 veteran Gils de Ferran, joined the program in 2008.
De Ferran, who was sporting Director for the Honda F1 team before entering ALMS halfweay throughthe 2008 season, said, “We look forward to the challenge competing in the LMP1 class and putting Acura at the forefront of American Le Mans Series racing."
Acura’s principle competition in LMP2 were the factory and customer Porsche RS Spyders. Having proven that the Acura machines could run with, and beat, the Porsches, Acura stepped up to LMP1, filling the void left by the departing series-dominating Audis.
"Since launching the Acura American Le Mans Series program in 2007, our goal has always been to compete at the highest level of sports-car racing," said John Mendel, Executive Vice President of Auto Operations for American Honda Motor Company, Inc. "The LMP1 class of the American Le Mans Series represents the pinnacle of sports-car racing in this country, from both a competitive and technological standpoint.”
