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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Successful Shakedown For Greaves Zytek
Ricardo Gonzalez, Elton Julian complete first laps in preparation for this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship campaign...
Elton Julian, left, and Ricardo Gonzalez, right, gained their first laps in Greaves Motorsport's new Zytek-Nissan this week at Silverstone. (Photo: Greaves Motorsport)
Greaves Motorsport’s FIA World Endurance Championship program got off to a flying start this week at Silverstone, as the British squad rolled out its new Zytek Z11SN-Nissan for what turned out to be a successful shakedown on the South Circuit.
While the initial laps in the LMP2 contender were completed by reigning European Le Mans Series champion Tom Kimber-Smith, who will pilot a similarly prepared Zytek-Nissan in the ELMS, Greaves’ WEC pilots, Ricardo Gonzalez and Elton Julian, took turns in the cost-capped prototype, completing more than 50 laps in the car’s maiden test.
“It was great to finally meet the team and get behind the wheel of our car after a lot of anticipation,” Gonzalez said. “Driving the car for the first time was a great experience, both Elton and I were able to get up to speed right away and even though it’s a brand new chassis, it ran flawlessly throughout the whole day, which is a good sign, as we get ready for a full season of endurance racing where reliability is so important."
Both defending American Le Mans Series LMPC co-champion Gonzalez and open-wheel and prototype veteran Julian, who competed in the ALMS and ELMS last year, are making the transition from the spec Oreca FLM09 prototype to the more powerful LMP2 class for this year's worldwide endeavor.
“The car is amazing to drive, compared to the LMPC car that we drove last year," Gonzalez said. "The first thing you notice is just the grip and the downforce that the LMP2 car has, it’s extremely fast and the G-forces that you pull are substantially higher. I can’t wait to take the Zytek-Nissan out at Sebring and at all the other tracks that we are going to this year.”
Julian added: “I really enjoyed the extra power and responsiveness over the LMPC car I’ve driven the last two seasons. The car ran flawlessly and the crew was calm and confident – the perfect British team, really – which also helped Ricardo’s introduction to Silverstone.
“It might as well have been my introduction as well, as the circuit’s changed so much since my F3 and F3000 days! I feel like we already have some positive momentum to take with us to Sebring a month from now.”
Gonzalez and Julian will be joined by accomplished gentleman racer Christian Zugel in the eight-round global sports car championship, which kicks off at the 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring next month.
Greaves, meanwhile, will field two cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the second comprising of father-and-son Martin and Alex Brundle and inaugural Nissan GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
While the initial laps in the LMP2 contender were completed by reigning European Le Mans Series champion Tom Kimber-Smith, who will pilot a similarly prepared Zytek-Nissan in the ELMS, Greaves’ WEC pilots, Ricardo Gonzalez and Elton Julian, took turns in the cost-capped prototype, completing more than 50 laps in the car’s maiden test.
“It was great to finally meet the team and get behind the wheel of our car after a lot of anticipation,” Gonzalez said. “Driving the car for the first time was a great experience, both Elton and I were able to get up to speed right away and even though it’s a brand new chassis, it ran flawlessly throughout the whole day, which is a good sign, as we get ready for a full season of endurance racing where reliability is so important."
Both defending American Le Mans Series LMPC co-champion Gonzalez and open-wheel and prototype veteran Julian, who competed in the ALMS and ELMS last year, are making the transition from the spec Oreca FLM09 prototype to the more powerful LMP2 class for this year's worldwide endeavor.
“The car is amazing to drive, compared to the LMPC car that we drove last year," Gonzalez said. "The first thing you notice is just the grip and the downforce that the LMP2 car has, it’s extremely fast and the G-forces that you pull are substantially higher. I can’t wait to take the Zytek-Nissan out at Sebring and at all the other tracks that we are going to this year.”
Julian added: “I really enjoyed the extra power and responsiveness over the LMPC car I’ve driven the last two seasons. The car ran flawlessly and the crew was calm and confident – the perfect British team, really – which also helped Ricardo’s introduction to Silverstone.
“It might as well have been my introduction as well, as the circuit’s changed so much since my F3 and F3000 days! I feel like we already have some positive momentum to take with us to Sebring a month from now.”
Gonzalez and Julian will be joined by accomplished gentleman racer Christian Zugel in the eight-round global sports car championship, which kicks off at the 60th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring next month.
Greaves, meanwhile, will field two cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the second comprising of father-and-son Martin and Alex Brundle and inaugural Nissan GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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