Former Champ Car driver, Simon Pagenaud joined team owner Gil de Ferran for the team's debut season quickly coming to grips with the LMP2 Acura ARX-01b. (Photo: LAT)
Frenchman Simon Pagenaud will return to the cockpit of the de Ferran Motorsports Acura in 2009 after being re-signed by the team following his impressive rookie year in the American Le Mans Series.
The 2006 Atlantic champion and former Champ Car driver joined team owner Gil de Ferran for the team's debut season quickly coming to grips with the LMP2 Acura ARX-01b.
Teamed with de Ferran, Pagenaud scored a podium in his first race at Salt Lake City - setting the fastest lap en route. The duo were to follow this with trophy-winning performances at Belle Isle and Laguna Seca. In his first ALMS qualifying, he put the de Ferran Motorsports car on the front row of the grid at Lime Rock and repeated this at the Belle Isle course.
For 2009, de Ferran Motorsports has been chosen to compete in the premier class of the American Le Mans Series for Acura after only one season of competition. The de Ferran/Pagenaud duo will drive the brand new LMP1 Acura ARX-02 much to the delight of the young frenchman.
"I am really delighted to have the opportunity to race with de Ferran Motorsports again in 2009," enthused Simon.
"We have had an incredible 2008 with so much to learn and in such a short period of time. It has been really interesting to have worked on so many facets of the car - the engine, the traction control, the chassis - there are so many areas for development in this championship. I feel I have been given a great welcome into de Ferran Motorsports and the Acura family and I have felt comfortable straight away this year and very much at home."
