2 June 2016

Devon Modell will be reunited with TF Sport and former teammate Andrew Jarman in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup’s ‘Road to Le Mans’ race, which supports the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans at Circuit de la Sarthe (18 June).

Modell – a member of the Aston Martin Evolution Academy – and Jarman will be one of 17 driver pairings on a 39-car grid that’s high in quality and will also feature 22 LMP3 prototypes from the ACO series.

The former teammates reunite for the first time since 2014 when they amassed race wins and several podium finishes en route to the runner-up spot in the British GT4 classification, but this time they will share a TF Sport-prepared Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3.

The one-hour ‘Roar to Le Mans’ race – Round 2 of the newly-established GT3 Le Mans Cup – will act as a precursor to the 2016 edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, which last year attracted 30million television viewers and more than 630,000 trackside spectators.

Kent resident, Modell, is looking forward to cutting his teeth at Circuit de la Sarthe and believes he can deliver a solid result for TF Sport while the British team’s championship-leading drivers, Salih Yoluc and Euan Hankey, concentrate on pushing forward with their GT3 Le Mans Cup title bid.

“It’s a real pleasure to be reuniting with TF Sport and Andrew (Jarman), and it’s particularly special that it’s happening for a race that’s running in support of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Modell. “It’s every driver’s dream to race at Circuit de la Sarthe and this will serve as a real opportunity to cut my teeth on the track and get a taste of what racing in the 24 Hours is like. As a member of the Aston Martin Evolution Academy, I have experience with the V12 Vantage and I’m sure I can apply all of my GT3 experience to achieve a great result for TF Sport, which has already experienced success in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup.”

TF Sport welcomes Devon Modell and Andrew Jarman back to the fold as it attempts to bolster its assault on the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup’s ‘Road to Le Mans’ race, which boasts a coveted spot on the support bill for the 24 Hours of Le Mans at Circuit de la Sarthe (18-19 June). 

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The GT3 Le Mans Cup, which is organised by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest in conjunction with Le Mans Endurance Management, is purely for GT3-spec cars and centred around the ‘gentleman’ driver. 

A small, but perfectly formed 11-car entry turned out for the series’ curtain-raiser at Imola last month and TF Sport could be found at the head of the field, locked in a fascinating fight for victory.

The on-track action was utterly enthralling and flawless driving from both Salih Yoluc and Euan Hankey saw TF Sport make history by winning the first ever GT3 Le Mans Cup race, but next up is the ‘Road to Le Mans’ and the British team is pulling out all the stops to maximise its chances of taking glory in support of what is widely regarded as the world’s greatest motor race – the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

No fewer than 17 driver pairings will compete for teams from China, France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Italy and the Netherlands, and nine manufacturers – Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche – will be represented on a diverse grid that will also feature a 22-strong LMP3 entry from the ACO series.

Heightened opposition from an entry that totals 39 cars has prompted TF Sport to double-up its efforts with a second Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 for Modell and Jarman, who reunite for the first time since narrowly missing out on the British GT4 title in 2014.

The former teammates won on TF Sport’s maiden competitive outing and continued notching up successes, and their combined experience with Aston Martin machinery and Modell’s status as an Aston Martin Evolution Academy recruit inspires confidence that they can deliver on their return at Circuit de la Sarthe.

The one-hour race will be held on Saturday 18 June as a precursor to the 2016 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which last year attracted an audience of more than 30million television viewers and 630,000-plus trackside spectators.

As a result, a victory in the GT3 Le Mans Cup’s ‘Road to Le Mans’ race would hold more cachet than all of the others combined, and, with a strong driver line-up, proven machinery and the Imola win to its name, TF Sport will go to the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe in France’s Loire Valley as one of the favourites.

“It’s a real pleasure to be reuniting with TF Sport and Andrew (Jarman), and it’s particularly special that it’s happening in support of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Modell. “It’s every driver’s dream to race at Circuit de la Sarthe and this will serve as a real opportunity to cut my teeth on the track and get a taste of what racing in the 24 Hours is like. As a member of the Aston Martin Evolution Academy, I have knowledge of the V12 Vantage and I’m sure I can apply all of my GT3 experience to achieve a great result for TF Sport, which has already achieved success in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup.”

Jarman added: “I’m definitely looking forward to racing in the Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup at Circuit de la Sarthe, as I know TF Sport and Devon (Modell) well, and I think the publicity, exposure and the quality of the series is very good. I’ve managed to race on the Le Mans support bill two years in a row and the plan is to pick up from where I left off with TF Sport in last year’s British GT Championship. It’s definitely the team to be with in the GT3 Le Mans Cup and hopefully we’ll be quite competitive from the off.”

TF Sport Director, Tom Ferrier, said: “It’s nice to be going to Le Mans and I hope it’s the first trip of many for TF Sport. Having Devon Modell and Andrew Jarman together is great, as they proved to be a very strong pairing with us in 2014 when they took the British GT4 Championship battle right down to the wire. They both took different paths in GT racing, Andrew remaining with us and achieving a few poles and podiums in 2015, and Devon getting podiums, race wins and a championship title elsewhere.

“In Devon and Andrew and Salih (Yoluc) and Euan (Hankey) we have two very different pairings, but they’re both very capable. The Michelin GT3 Le Mans Cup’s ‘Road to Le Mans’ would be a lovely race to win, but a good, strong result is all Salih and Euan need as the championship leaders. Devon and Andrew aren’t title contenders and can therefore take more risks, but they will help TF Sport’s bid by providing a second set of data.”