Victory at Silverstone but Second in the Championship
Team Modena Gallery from Silverstone Team Modena went into the final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone knowing that only a win would secure them the Teams and Drivers LM GT1 class titles in the five-race championship, and even then the championship leader only had to score one point to claim the crown. The team did all it could, the Aston Martin was right on the pace all weekend and Antonio Garcia and Tomas Enge drove flawlessly in the 1000km race to win by a lap - but the French run Corvette declined to challenge the DBR9 and cruised home to take third and enough points to win the titles by six points.
"It was good to finish the season on the podium," said Team Principal Graham Schultz, "and to have taken three wins out of five in a very competitive series. I thoroughly enjoyed the race, and it was great to be on the podium accepting the trophy and drinking the champagne!"
Team Modena claimed second in the Teams points, with Antonio and Tomas joint second in the Drivers rankings, title hopes fatally dented by the retirement of the car at the opening round in Barcelona in April with an engine problem. In the next four races Team Modena took three wins, at Monza, the Nurburgring and Silverstone to outscore the Corvette, but the initial deficit where the French car won at Barcelona proved too much of a handicap.
"It was a good end to the season," said Antonio, "we have been on top of the podium three times but it was the zero score in Barcelona that compromised the championship for us."
"We had the fastest car this year," said Tomas, "and the team did an excellent job all season, but luck was not on our side and we did not win the championship."
Overall it was a winning LMS season, with three victories in five races competing against some of the most experienced GT teams in motorsport.
Development keeps Team Modena Aston Martin on the Pace
Team Modena Aston Martin DBR9 chassis 101 made its race debut in the equivalent Silverstone race in 2005, taking fourth in the rain lashed event. Three full seasons of racing later, the car is still a pace-setter in the LM GT1 class, Team Modena having developed the car and kept it in the very latest DBR9 specification - in the process becoming one of the most successful and best known GT1 cars currently racing.
"It's nice to win back where the car made its debut in 2005," said Sporting Director Rik Bryan, "it shows the car is still quick and we have kept up with all the latest developments."
In its 24-races the car has won not only in the Le Mans Series, but in the FIA GT championship and even in Brazil in a high-profile 1000-mile event. The car has competed at a host of major circuits, with Antonio Garcia as the most frequent driver, his win at Silverstone 16th race in the car and his ninth podium finish. 101 has contested the Le Mans 24-Hour three times - and never failed to finish, a glowing endorsement of the standard of preparation and competitiveness of the DBR9.