BACK TO LE MANS AFTER THREE YEARS

Albufeira, Portugal — Algarve Pro Racing today announced its lineup for the 2017 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. Mark Patterson and Vincent Capillaire will be joined by young ace Matthew McMurry who was part of the team’s Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 championhip effort. The team will run under the banner Algarve Pro – SO24!, the latter being the association based in Le Mans that supports Le Mans-based drivers such as Capillaire.

“After the success of winning Asian Le Mans Series championship, we’re looking forward to our second Le Mans,” said team principal Stewart Cox. “We’re really happy to be partnering with SO24! and we’re confident in our preparations and driver lineup.”

American racer Patterson rejoins the team after competing with it in this year’s Asian Le Mans Series, scoring two podiums.

“After the recent success with Algarve, I couldn’t be happier signing up with Vincent and Matt for Le Mans, my fifth time competing at this fantastic event,” stated Patterson. “The LMP2 field is chock-a-block with talent and we look forward to a thrilling race where, as usual, anything can happen.”

McMurry meanwhile is still one of the youngest sportscar drivers on the planet at just 19-years of age, but has competed at Le Mans before, when he took on the race in 2014 with Greaves Motorsport, shattering the 55 year old record for the youngest driver to start and complete the race. He is contesting a full season LMP2 campaign with Algarve in the European Le Mans Series this year, as well as North American Endurance Championship in the GTD class of IMSA with Park Place Motorsports Porsche GT3 R.

This year he’s looking forward to making a return to the French classic. “I’m incredibly excited to be going back to Le Mans again and cannot thank Stewart (Cox) and (team manager) Sam (Cox) enough for giving me this opportunity,” McMurry said. “There is no race on earth that compares. Le Mans was great in 2014 but it will be even better now because of the experience I have gained. I was a wet-behind-the-ears 16-year-old back then and it will be a much more comfortable experience this time around. I’m glad to be going there with a team I’m familiar with, and Mark and Vincent in the driver lineup.”

Capillaire competed in the European Le Mans Series last year with SO24! by Lombard Racing and this year brings his branding to the Algarve Pro Racing team for the Le Mans event.

“I’m really pleased to join Algarve Pro Racing and push the SO24! colours at Le Mans this year,” Capillaire added. “A good partnership is born as Algarve Pro Racing grows every year and they are fully-prepared with a great driver line-up. I have a lot of respect for Mark, he’s very experienced. Matt is fast and both are really nice guys. I’m determined to get involved in this programme to deliver the best possible result.”