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8^th June 2007 (Source: EEMS )

EEMS Campaign Partners Barwell Motorsport made motorsport history on 3 June when Paul Drayson’s E85 bioethanol-fuelled Aston Martin DBRS9 six litre V12 sportscar, in the hands of co-driver Jonny Cocker, crossed the line to score its first win of the season and top step of the podium in round five of the highly competitive Avon Tyres British GT3 Championship. This is the first biofuelled car to win a major motorsport event in the UK.

Appropriately this was the EEMS-supported Snetterton round, an action-packed two hour race requiring consistent good driving, excellent team strategy and faultless pitwork by the Barwell crew, a real test of the car and fuel. The DBRS9 runs on E85, a blend of 85% bioethanol with 15% petrol. Bioethanol is produced from biomass such as sugar cane, sugar beet or crop waste.

This is the first race win in the UK for a racing car running on biofuel, an important milestone for energy efficient motorsport. EEMS, the Energy Efficient Motorsport Programme, has been working to promote measures which put energy efficiency at the heart of modern motorsport, such as alternative fuels, powertrain and hybrid technologies. EEMS also supported the first biofuelled car to finish the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2003, the British Nasamax Judd LMP1.

The car started from pole position on the grid, team mate Jonny Cocker having beaten petrol-driven Ferraris, Moslers, Porsches and Vipers, as well as the other two Barwell Aston Martins, to clinch the fastest qualifying time. After Paul Drayson’s starting stint at the wheel, Jonny took over the car for another superb performance under pressure to take the chequered flag with huge applause from the team. The Aston Martin DBRS9 is based on the DR9 road car, developed by Prodrive for racing and with further changes to the fuelling system and ECU calibration for the biofuel. Composite bodywork helps to reduce the weight.

‘It’s very exciting to have this first in UK motorsport,’ said team manager Mark Lemmer. ‘Paul Drayson has been the driving force behind the conversion to biofuel and we are delighted to have this first biofuel victory. This was a great team effort, both drivers did brilliantly and the car performed perfectly throughout the two hours of endurance racing, which certainly will have tested it.’

Paul Drayson was also delighted, ‘This is not a one-off, the car has been competitive all season, taking two pole positions and it now leads the championship. It goes to prove that running a car on biofuel does not mean any compromise of performance. I hope we can get this message across to motorists everywhere.’

Alan Mercer, Programme Manager of EEMS was on hand to witness this piece of history. ‘What a great achievement, Barwell has certainly shown that racing with biofuel can be exciting! They are a superb team to carry the flag as EEMS Campaign Partners, demonstrating what can be achieved. Today is a piece of history for UK motorsport, and it will encourage other competitors and championships to adopt new fuels and energy efficient technologies.’

Barwell Motorsport’s biofuel V12 DBRS9 Aston Martin now heads the championship tables with 34 points.

ends

For more information on EEMS, please contact
Moira Mathers, telephone 0,

For media information on EEMS, contact
Janice Minton, EEMS Press and Communications
Mobile +44 (0)7803 050266,

For information on Barwell Motorsport, please contact
Chris Needell, telephone ,

Photographs
There are photographs for download on the EEMS website
eemsonline.co.uk
or contact Chris Needell at Barwell Motorsport

Editor’s notes
The EEMS website has information on past EEMS projects. Other EEMS projects include the Formula Woman Championship, which will run its Caterham 1600 cars on E85, and the Oaktec Honda Insight Hybrid competing in the Formula 1000 Rally Championship, developing regenerative technology.

EEMS is an industry initiative whose vision is to work with the UK motorsport industry to put energy efficiency at the heart of modern motorsport. By stimulating the use of more sustainable technologies and fuels, EEMS aims to ensure that the automotive and motorsport industries benefit from the new opportunities that arise in the development of energy efficient competition now and in the future. EEMS is backed by Government through Motorsport Development UK, a public private partnership supported by four regional development agencies and the DTI.

eemsonline.co.uk

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