Dumas back in prototype cockpit for LMP1 points leading Muscle Milk AMR team
Romain Dumas will be back with the LMP1 points leading team on the new street circuit in Baltimore, Maryland. The Frenchman will be in the cockpit of the (Team Cytosport) Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing team for the inaugural American Le Mans Series event on Labor Day weekend sitting into the cockpit for Lucas Luhr. The German signed with Pickett this season which brought him back to the series but due to Luhr’s previous commitment, he will miss the Baltimore GP race.
Romain has become part of the Muscle Milk family ...
“We truly enjoyed working with Romain last season so it was an easy decision to ask him to join us once again" said team owner Greg Pickett. "We will miss Lucas, but we knew coming into this that he had a conflicting GT1 race that weekend. Romain has become part of the Muscle Milk family and we're very excited to have him co-drive for us in Baltimore.”
Dumas first ran with the team in 2010 in Canada as the substitute driver for the injured Pickett. Teaming with pole sitter Klaus Graf, Dumas stood on the top step of the podium when the duo took the victory at Mosport International Raceway. Last year, Pickett’s team was known as Team Cytosport Muscle Milk and they were campaigning in the Porsche RS Spyder for what would be its final year of competition. Dumas was one of the Porsche factory drivers who knew the RS Spyder inside and out so it was fitting that he was loaned to the team.
"I'm honored that they've asked me to drive with Klaus. The team is fighting for a championship and coming in like this, not knowing the car, won't be easy so it's a big vote of confidence on their part and I want to give back to them in the best way possible."
As the relationship with Pickett and Porsche came to an end in 2010 -- the final season for the Porsche RS Spyder -- it was fitting that since Dumas was one of the Porsche factory drivers of the Spyder to give the prototype its final runs. Luhr and Sascha Maassen, along with Graf, raced the Spyder for the final time at the Petit Le Mans race. The finale in 2010 also led to the close connection formed by Pickett and Luhr.
With the history that Pickett has with Porsche, Dumas was again granted approval to take on the challenge on the 2.1-mile street circuit. He will be on equal par with the rest of the field since this is the first race at the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore.
"I want to thank Porsche for allowing Romain to take part in this race with our Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing team,” Pickett said.
As Dumas commented, he has never driven the Aston Martin coupe before but he has proven in the past that he can easily make any adjustment as he looks forward to being with the team again. "I'm very happy to be able to join Muscle Milk Aston Martin Racing for the Baltimore race. We had a great time together last season at Mosport and I'm looking forward to returning with them once again. I felt very welcome and I enjoy the great atmosphere in the team,” said the twice ALMS champion
His titles were shared in LMP2 with his good friend and teammate Timo Bernhard with the Porsche RS Spyder Penske Racing team. In 2010, he was with the LMP1 Audi Sport North America team and along with Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller, earned his first 24 Hours of Le Mans victory.
The Porsche factory driver will also race at Laguna Seca in the debut of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0 in the American Le Mans Series. The car is not eligible for points since it is not part of the GT regulations. However after its debut at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in July, Porsche elected to see how the Hybrid will fare at the home of the famous Corkscrew road course.
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