Monday 8 March 2010

French Le Mans Series driver Franck Mailleux has enjoyed a trouble-free debut test session as an Official Aston Martin Racing Team Partner Driver as his Signature team got their 2010 season preparations firmly underway at Circuit Paul Ricard in France on Sunday and Monday.

The two-day test marked the official start of trackside preparations for the season-opening race, which also takes place at the southern French circuit in one month’s time. Teams will be hoping for nicer driving conditions after battling continuing cold weather, coupled with the common and often disruptive feature of the Mistral wind.

For Franck, it was the first occasion to really get to grips with the Lola Aston Martin LMP1 after a successful shakedown of the car at Lurcy-Levis last week. Joined by his team-mate Pierre Ragues, with whom Franck will be sharing driving duties for a second consecutive season, Franck embarked on initial exploratory set-up laps with the car, evaluation of the aerodynamics and the beginning a new working relationships with tyre suppliers Dunlop.

Although the Signature team were not seeking fast lap times, the performance of the Aston Martin allowed both Franck and Pierre to frequent the top end of the timesheets throughout Sunday’s morning, afternoon and night-time sessions, as well as throughout Monday.

Franck said: “We have had a very productive two days here at Ricard and I am pleased with the way everything has gone, even if it has been cold and windy throughout the test. It was definitely worth the wait to get in the cockpit of the Aston Martin and we have received excellent support all round, from Aston Martin, from our tyre suppliers Dunlop, and of course from everyone within the Signature team. We completed nearly 300 laps over the two days and put in some very commendable lap times, so I think we have set a very solid foundation for the next test at Magny-Cours.”

Franck will resume pre-season testing at the Magny-Cours circuit in France at the end of March before the first race weekend of the season at Paul Ricard from 9-11 April.