Dec.10 (GMM) Ex- driver and BBC F1 television commentator Martin Brundle will take in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona next month, rival with United Autosports in a Ford-Riley Daytona Prototype, it has been announced. Brundle will team up with friend and former F1 colleague Mark Blundell in the #23 entries, as well as Zak Brown and Mark Patterson. All four drivers will attend the ‘Roar Before the Rolex 24’ - the official three-day test at Daytona from January 7-9, to acclimatise themselves to the challenging 3.56-mile, 12-turn combined speedway road course.
“I’ve raced at the Daytona International Speedway on just two occasions and have been fortunate to win [in 1988] and finish second [in 1990] in the 24 Hours," said Brundle, who has yet to drive a Daytona Prototype.
“From what I remember about those two races, they were physically the hardest ones of my career. I’m very much looking forward to returning to the Speedway and will no doubt see many old friends to exchange tall stories with.
“Mark and I were team-mates in F1 at Brabham [1991] and Ligier [1993] but we’ve never actually shared a racecar together. We’ve been close friends since the first time we met on the pit wall at Montreal in 1990 while I’ve known Zak through the business of F1 for a number of years and greatly admire his determination and sheer energy. So when the opportunity arose to race at Daytona with these guys, it was an easy decision.
“In recent years I’ve been closely following my son Alex’s motor racing career but I’ve been aching to race again myself. Now that I’ve cleared my diary of several other obligations, Zak’s invitation to do Daytona was perfectly timed.”
Blundell meanwhile, who is a Dayona rookie, is also looking forward to the event: “The Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona is one of the most recognised races in the world and it will be my first attempt at this great event – I’ve never been to Daytona even as a spectator. I’d not driven a DP until last week at Homestead but it’s essentially similar to a Le Mans sports-prototype with much less downforce," Mark continued.
“The team and car has huge potential. This aligned with the fact that I will be co-driving with my very close friend, Martin, to finally fulfill a dream that the pair of us have had to drive the same car as part of the same team, is fantastic.
“The icing on the cake is that I will also be sharing driving duties with my good friends Mark and of course Zak.
“My last race in the US was the Sebring 12 Hours in 2003. Before I raced in the CART World Series [1996-2000], oval courses were alien to me coming from Europe although I enjoyed racing on them and won the Marlboro 500 at Fontana.
"I’ve not raced on a banked/infield combination like I’ll face at Daytona but I’m looking forward to that challenge. I raced with United Autosports in the 24 Hours of Spa last summer and Daytona is another of those very big races that, for whatever reason, I didn’t get a chance to do previously but am very excited to be doing so now," he concluded.
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