George Howard-Chappell is a very well-known car-racing engineer and can be considered, with Frédéric Dor and David Richards, as the “father” of the Ferrari 550 Maranello and Aston Martin DBR9 developed by Prodrive. After a good start in the LMP1 class one year ago through a Lola with an Aston Martin engine owned by the Charouz Racing System, AMR is now back as a “works” team and new projects.

The Lola-Aston Martin proved to be fast and reliable. Does the decision to be back to Le Mans with a LMP1 stem from it?

“Clearly running the car last year with an Aston Martin engine made it easier to make the decision and the experience we gained should help us to start at a higher level this year.”

Do you think that the new regulation for the engine (3 % restrictor) in 2009 will affect your performance?

“Undoubtedly yes – 3% is a big cut but we hope that with some development we can get at least some of this back again.”

In what extent is Lola involved in the LMP1 project?

“They supply the chassis and some other parts. The rear of the car, aft of the cockpit bulkhead, is entirely Aston Martin designed and manufactured, plus of course we use a gearbox from Xtrac, who are great technical partners of ours. This year we have also developed and produced our own Aston Martin bodywork and aero package for the car.”

Will your partnership with Charouz Racing System be different in 2009?

“Yes and no. This is a ‘works’ Aston Martin Racing team effort rather than the Charouz Racing System programme we ran last year. But Toni Charouz is a great partner of ours and we are very happy to have Jan, Tomas and Stefan on the driver line up.”

Did the results of the Lola-Aston Martin exceed your expectations in 2008?

“Yes they did, particularly at Barcelona and Silverstone where we ran very strongly.”

What is your goal for 2009 with the new car?

“To do our very best!! No one can ask for more than that.”

Is the LMP1 project a long-term project?

“We would like it to be, but few things are certain in these difficult economic times.”

Don’t you think that AMR versus Peugeot and Audi looks like David against Goliath?

“Absolutely, but we are a small British team with plenty of spirit and we will come out fighting.”

The team Speedy-Sebah bought a Lola-Aston Martin. Will AMR be as much involved in this team as in 2008 with the Charouz Racing System team?

“No, we will not, but we will support the team as much as they need us to on the engine and other technical matters. We are very happy to have another Aston Martin powered car in the field.”

Is the experience from GT useful for the LMP1?

“It is useful for the general racing, but the actual technical detail is only partly useful.”

AMR kept its title in GT1 in Le Mans in 2008. Was it the main goal for AMR in 2008?

“Yes it was and we were very happy to win again against very strong opposition.”

AMR was involved in Le Mans Series and FIA-GT in 2008 through private teams, but didn’t win any title: was it frustrating?

“Frustrating – no, but disappointing – yes. In racing we always want our customers and partners to win all the time but that is not always possible.”

No DBR9 won the 24 Hours of Spa yet. Do you plan to try again?

“We hope to have cars there again this year with our customer teams and maybe the DBR9 can get this elusive win, because the car has won all the other big races.”

In what extent are you personally involved in GT2 project and what are you goal in this category for 2009?

“I manage the team in charge of the GT2 project and this car is extremely important to us as it is the future of GT racing. We will continue to develop the car and sell these cars to customers all over the world.”

How do you see the future of the GT1 category?

“We do not see a future for the GT1 category. We would like to see a single class for GT racing and have Aston Martin, Ferrari, GM Corvette and Porsche all racing against each other in one class – rather than the split between GT1 and GT2 as we have it today.”

Cécile Bonardel