With Jarod Lindsey receiving a two-race ban following his incident at Indianapolis, KLM Team 23 have asked Jean Mattson to retake his place in the team as driver of the number 19 car. He will race the next two races for sure, but it is unknown who will drive after these races.
The Frenchman, who finished second in the 2013 Drivers' Championship, said: "I'm really happy to be back on the grid again. It's really annoying to watch a race knowing you should have been part of that." Asked how Mattson felt about being shoved aside for the Canadian GP, he said: "It was a big blow for me, and to be honest I still don't really understand the reasoning. I don't feel betrayed or anything, I just want to prove myself these next two races and then we will take it from there." Team principal Andae d'Hazormé: "I'm very happy that Jean responded positively to our request to resume his role at KLM Team 23. I'm sure he will be very valuable to the team in the next two races." Rumours has it that title sponsor Air France-KLM is unhappy with Team 23's management and the lack of results. There is a possibility that the team will lose their title sponsor mid-season.
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Today, the IJGPC returns, with the next race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway mere moments away, and the race starts on a wet track.
Downton have announced a partnership with new European Junior Grand Prix team Formation Competition in a bid to help young drivers come through the ranks.
Downton introduced the Downton Young Driver Academy (DYDA) last season, but have admitted it hasn't quite worked as they'd hoped, as their time has been focused on the Virtual Grand Prix series.
Today, Mathershaw Technology announced that this season would be the only one in which they would carry the Liverpool branding, and that for next season they will return to the series in partnership with the legendary French team Lapierre Competition. In a statement, Robert Mathershaw said: 'We have very much enjoyed our partnership with Liverpool this season, and it has been a very successful year so far. The success has meant I have been able to afford to buy back the full stake in the team, and the deal with Liverpool will complete at the end of this season. This year, we will strive to give the Liverpool name a send off with a 100% record, something which would be befitting for such a legendary football club and sporting institution. This ending of the partnership is a very amicable one, which will still bear fruit between the two brands of Liverpool and Mathershaw Technology in the future. However, while we are still firmly focussed on the present season, I am proud to announce the structure of the team for next season. We will be beginning a partnership with the legendary French team Lapierre Competition, with myself and owner Arthur Lapierre 50/50 owners of both teams. In the VGPC, we will be known as Lapierre Mathershaw Technology, and as Mathershaw-Downton in the constructors championship. The IJGPC team will be run by Lapierre solely, while they will continue in the EJGPC. In addition, their Le Mans squad will remain in full operation. Arthur will become President of Mathershaw-Lapierre Holdings, and will take the role of Team Principal for press conferences and interviews, while I will be able to move into the technical role I have had such little time for over the past two years. We have kept the sponsorship from Lapierre's many partners: Air France, Richard Mille, Total, Motul and Eurodatacar, while we carry over our partnership with Downton as engine supplier. You may have heard earlier that Adrien Simon will be remaining with us for next season, and this is in no small part due to his wonderful performances for us since making the deal, and with some operations moving to Lapierre in Magny Cours, it enables Adrien to move back to France nearer to his family. Karl Beckenbauer will be our other driver, and we are in talks with numerous individuals with regard to a role as test driver. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to many years with Arthur at the front of the championship.'
Lapierre Competition were founded in 2005, and have ran numerous junior single seater campaigns in France and throughout the national championships in Europe with great success, including running Adrien Simon to the Championnat de France Monoplace title in 2008. Since then, they shifted focus to Le Mans, and partnered with Peugeot to win numerous races in America and finish second at Le Mans in 2011, only being beaten by a factory Audi. This year, they are taking part in the inaugural EJGPC, and from next year will run in the IJGPC and be part of Lapierre Mathershaw Technology. Stuart Harrison, the new Peugeot IJGPC driver is now the firm favourite to race a Meteor next season despite only recently being announced as a replacement for Odile Abel in the junior series.
Confirmation that Adrien Simon will not join Meteor next season has been confirmed by Kazuki Armos and Liverpool.
Round 6 had everyone dumbfounded when Diego Campos, Enzo Domenicalli, Tumo Kinnumen, Abel Osterhagen and Kurtis Gardner crossed the line as the Top 5. The only person to score any points was Dylan Lopez, who topped the round with a mere 2 points. Yes, what you're reading is true.
Our pundit in the paddock, Neil Allenby interview Lucas GP boss Lucas Wilson on the teams future, success and Peugeot
In a first exclusive interview, Neil Allenby for VirtualSport speaks to Kazuki Armos in the wake of the announcement Peugeot will no longer commit to his racing team.
Breaking news coming from the paddock is that Peugeot Automotive have pulled out of the current racing project with immediate effect, a team representative has confirmed. The team will continue to race though.
In what can only be described as a chaotic United States Grand Prix, team Principal Jamie Franklin confirmed that he was outraged by the driving seen here today.
After a break in the series, the Canadian Junior Grand Prix today took place on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Team 23's decision to replace 2013 World Championship runner-up Jean Mattson with test driver Jarod Lindsey came as a huge surprise to many in the paddock, no more so than Lindsey himself, who was so unprepared for the Canadian Grand Prix he had to run one of Mattson's helmets.
The matter was never spoken of however rumours coming out of the United States Grand Prix paddock this morning suggest that Jean Mattson may be undergoing surgery in a French hospital. |
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