Current Asian Le Mans series champions, Tockwith Motorsport, have reached agreement with Gulf Oil International, which will see their Ligier LMP2 JS P217 running in the famous Gulf livery at Le Mans and at other WEC and ELMS races over the course of the 2017 season.
Drivers Karun Chandhok, Phil Hanson and Nigel Moore will follow in the wheel tracks of the racing legends who have driven cars carrying the iconic Gulf Racing colours, with the TMS Ligier in its new livery making its debut at the upcoming Le Mans Test.
“It’s an extremely exciting development for TMS and we are delighted to be carrying the iconic blue and orange in the year when Gulf is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first ever participation at Le Mans,” explains TMS’ Simon Moore. “Like many, I grew up, watching and loving GT40s, 917s, Mirages and McLarens sporting Gulf colours and we hope to add our own small chapter to Gulf’s long racing history.”
TMS earned its place at Le Mans by winning the LMP3 category of the 2016/17 Asian Le Mans series – Nigel Moore and Phil Hanson being crowned champions in the team’s Ligier JSP3. Since then the team has moved into LMP2, to run a full season of the European Le Mans Series and selected World Endurance Championship rounds. The team will also be back in Asia this winter to defend their series crown.
For Le Mans, the now well established pairing of Moore and Hanson – the latter of whom, aged 17, at Spa became the youngest driver to compete in a WEC six hour race – are joined by ex-F1 driver, turned F1 TV pundit, Karun Chandhok. Karun is one of only two Indian drivers to have competed in the F1 World Championship and is already a huge star in his native country and an increasingly well-known figure in the UK.
“We are very much looking forward to working with TMS,” enthused Gulf Oil International Global Vice President of Marketing, Vicki Kipling. “It will give an added dimension to our endurance motorsport programme throughout the 2017 season. 2017 is a year of great significance to Gulf, as not only is it the 50th anniversary of Gulf’s first Le Mans, but also 50 years since our Blue and Orange colour scheme came into racing. Having two cars racing in Gulf colours at Le Mans – one in GTE Am (Gulf Racing) and now a car in LMP2 is great news for the many Gulf guests coming to Le Mans, as well as Gulf enthusiasts everywhere.“
The Le Mans Official Test day is on Sunday June 4th
Qualifying commences on Wednesday 13th June and the race commences at 15.00 CET on Saturday 17th June.
