15 March 2007

Lotus Sport Cadena Targets Outright British GT Honours

Lotus Sport Cadena are pleased to announce a three car team entry in the 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship.

Following on from their overall GT3 Team Championship honours last season (the team's debut in the championship), Lotus Sport Cadena are firmly targeting the double this season - retaining their Team crown and adding the overall Drivers' Championship.

Said Mike Kimberley, Chief Executive Officer for Group Lotus:
"Lotus Sport Cadena had a superb debut year in 2006, taking the Team Championship with a race in hand and securing several overall podium finishes. In a relatively short space of time, we developed the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race car to a standard capable of taking on and beating the likes of the Aston Martin DBRS9 and Porsche 997. We are very excited about the 2007 Lotus Sport Exige GT3 contender, which is a major evolution of our championship-winning car from last year. We are also delighted to further develop our relationship with Cadena in the highly competitive British GT arena - and together we look forward to consolidating Lotus' already enviable tradition in GT sports car racing."

The MY07 Lotus Sport Exige GT3 boasts increased engine power to 350 bhp from the charge cooled 1.8 litre 4 cylinder Toyota unit (previously intercooled at 285 bhp), together with all-new engine mounts. An increased rear track accommodates 10J rear split rim wheels, with a revised AP Racing brake system all-round. New all-aluminium centre lock uprights provide enhanced stiffness with less weight. The race car also features new quick release aerodynamically developed z-preg carbon front and rear clamshells, oversills and roof and engine cover with flush fitting side windows. A 100 litre fuel cell (previously 74 litres) completes the significantly enhanced package for '07.

The 2007 British GT Championship will feature just two classes, GT3 and GTC, with the overall champion being decided by the teams and drivers competing in GT3. This new championship structure has a clear and immediate appeal for Lotus Sport Cadena Team Owner, Paul Whight:
"I'm delighted that the GT3 class will be the premier class in the British GT Championship this season. The GT3 category has proven to be a huge success across Europe - and rightly so, because it allows professional teams like ourselves to race sophisticated sports cars on a sensible budget.

It also means that more manufacturers will be represented this season which is great news - we more than welcome the competition!"

Lotus Sport Cadena will field three 2007 specification Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race cars this season. The first car will make its debut at the opening meeting of the season at Oulton Park in Cheshire and will be driven by the highly successful pairing from '06, Barrie Whight and Gavan Kershaw.

The other two cars - one to be campaigned by George Mackintosh/Sam Blogg and the other to be spearheaded by Paul Whight - will make their respective debuts in Rounds 3 & 4 at Donington Park, Derbys, over the weekend of 21st and 22nd April. This is to enable Lotus to attend the FIA Balance of Performance Tests at Adria (Italy) in early April, to ensure international homologation of the MY07 Lotus Sport Exige GT3.

The 2007 Avon Tyres British GT Championship season kicks off with two 60-minute races at Oulton Park Circuit, Cheshire, over Easter Bank Holiday weekend (Sat 7th and Mon 9th April). The 16-race series visits Snetterton, just outside Norwich, for Rounds 5 and 6 on Sunday 3rd June.

For further information please visit www.britishgt.com.