Following the announcement last week that JRM Racing will contest the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship, the team is pleased to confirm that its driver line-up for 2012 will comprise David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok. They will pilot the team’s Honda Performance Development ARX-03a in all of the season’s eight rounds, which include the Le Mans 24-hours.

Having driven for JRM Racing’s sister team – Sumo Power GT – in the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship, David Brabham’s association with the JR Motorsports Group continues for a second season. The UK-based Australian brings with him a sportscar and endurance-racing heritage that spans 20 years.

As well as F1, his experience includes seasons in Japanese GTC, ALMS and the European Le Mans Series, plus outright victory in the Le Mans 24-hours in 2009. Significantly, Braham was greatly involved with the early development of the HPD prototype and is therefore delighted to be reunited with this type of car.

Peter Dumbreck has had a two-year spell with the JR Motorsports Group and last year drove one of JRM Racing’s GT1 cars. He too has an illustrious history of sportscar and endurance racing, having been a former works driver at top level. And, after famously contesting the Le Mans 24-hours in 1999, he went on to compete in the FIA GT Championship, DTM, Japanese Super GT and the Le Mans Series.

Following his F1 appearances with Team Lotus in 2011, Karun Chandhok has firmly established himself as a world-class competitor and the team is delighted he has signed with them for his first ever season of sportscar racing. Now based in the UK, Chandhok’s results make him India’s most successful racing driver and has a CV that records three championship victories coupled with race-winning seasons in British Formula 3, A1 GP and GP2.

The team is currently preparing for the delivery of its car in February. It then will embark on an intensive test programme ahead of the first race at Sebring on 17th March.

James Rumsey (Team Principal)
I am delighted to announce our drivers so soon after confirming our intention to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship. The three drivers chosen gives us a very strong line up and provides us with a perfect blend of experience, speed and PR profile. We realise that we face a challenge, especially in the early part of the year. But, as we have proved in the past, we like challenges and we are looking forward to transferring our success in short-distance GT racing to that of long-distance endurance events.”

David Brabham
“I am absolutely thrilled to be part of JRM’s LMP1 programme, especially as it’s with the HPD ARX. I did a great deal of development work with this car and therefore, I like to think that it has some of my DNA in it. Stepping from GT1 to the WEC is going to be a steep learning curve for the team, but there’s some great people involved at JRM Racing and, I shall do all I can to use my experience of the car and endurance events to bring us up to speed as quickly as possible. I can’t wait to get started!”

Peter Dumbreck
“When James (Rumsey) asked me if I would like to drive an LMP1 car in this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship, I jumped at the chance. With a new car and some unfamiliar tracks, it’s going to be a real challenge, but I’m pleased that I’m teamed-up with David (Brabham), who I’m sure will share some of his knowledge about the car. It’s been a few years since I was last in a Prototype, but I intend to get as fit and race-ready as I can before the first round, so we can hit the ground running.”

Karun Chandhok
“I’m very excited to join JRM Racing for the new World Endurance Championship this year. Of course, I am very happy to be racing again. At the end of 2011, I explored the options to race in F1 and, when it didn’t look like a possibility, I decided to look outside and the WEC presents the next-best option. Doing races which are six, 12 and even 24-hours long is going to be a new challenge. And, while I’m looking forward to the whole championship, obviously to be the first Indian to start at the famous Sebring 12-hours and the Le Mans 24-hours races will be a huge honor.”

Source : JRM