2009 Season Review

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2009 SEASON REVIEW ENDEAVOUR REWARDED - A YEAR TO SAVOUR
At the end of what has been a memorable year for Gulf in motorsport, we look back at the 2009 season and some of the highlights of what has been a very successful year for the Gulf brand.

GULF SPONSORED AMR TEAM WINS LE MANS SERIES
Gulf and Aston Martin Racing's successful partnership began in 2008, with the Gulf-sponsored Aston Martin Racing DBR9 winning the GT1 category at the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race. This was the first year of Gulf's association with Aston Martin Racing (AMR) and gave a taster of what was yet to come. At the start of 2009 AMR announced that it would be moving up to the top, LMP1 category, not only contesting the Le Mans 24 Hours but also the full Le Mans Series (LMS) with two prototype coupes running in the now legendary Gulf colours. The decision to move to the LMP1 category was a highly ambitious one, given that it was taken late in the day, with barely enough time to get the cars together in time for the start of the season. The Gulf-sponsored machines would be competing against the giants of Audi and Peugeot, as well as the established front running contenders from Pescarolo, Courage-Oreca and Zytek. Ultimately, however, it would prove to be hugely successful, with podiums galore, multiple race wins and championship honours to celebrate. The season began with two blue and orange LMP1 machines making their debut at the Official Le Mans Series Testing days at Magny Cours in March. However, as if the challenge was not difficult enough, only one would return home intact, as a testing accident on the first day damaged 007's chassis beyond repair. This left the team with a real uphill struggle to get both cars to the start of the opening race in Barcelona a few weeks later. AMR put in a truly valiant effort, working almost round the clock to get both entries ready and they were rewarded by victory at the first time of asking. Stefan Mücke, Jan Charouz and Tomas Enge taking the lead with around forty minutes of the six hour race remaining and steering 007 to victory. The photo of Stefan Mücke kneeling in front of the car and kissing it is undoubtedly one of the images of the season. The team went to Spa in high spirits but suffered setbacks with both cars from the outset. 007 and 009 both had to make their way from the back of the field after 007 had suffered engine failure in qualifying and had been relegated to the rear. Meanwhile 009, piloted by Darren Turner, Harold Primat and Miguel Ramos also had problems, having been struck from behind at the first corner, resulting in a puncture that meant a slow lap back to the pits to change tyres. However both team and drivers performed admirably, with 007 managing to secure a third place podium finish, while 009 scored some valuable championship points by coming home in 5th. The LMS field temporarily took a break from championship action to focus its attention on the Le Mans 24 Hours itself. A three car Aston Martin Racing Team, featuring the new 008 numbered car, piloted by ex-F1 stars Jos Verstappen and Anthony Davidson together with 009's usual pilot Darren Turner, joined its two sister cars to take on a very strong field including no less than ten diesel Audis and Peugeots. Never before had Gulf's presence at Le Mans been as strong as it was in 2009 and not only in terms of race entrants. The famous Orange Disc seemed to be present everywhere once looked, both at the circuit and on the roads in and around Le Mans. Gulf branded cars, vans and motorbikes graced the famous French town and even a double-decker bus, resplendent in full Gulf racing livery, was spotted! In the race, the Gulf AMR machines proved to be the class of the non-diesel field and 007 came home ahead of seven of the ten diesels, in fourth place overall. The Gulf AMR team achieved the distinction of being the first petrol-engined machine to cross the line. Given the undisputed advantage that the 2009 regulations gave to the diesels, it was a great result. However the best was still to come as the LMS season progressed....

The race at Portugal's new Algarve track signalled the next round of the LMS and a first for the series, as it was run at night. The nature of the track and the relative lack of visibility in the closed-cockpit of the LMP1 coupe seemed to stack the odds in favour of the open topped cars. However the race itself saw 007 contesting the lead throughout, coming home second, with 009 once again scoring well in fifth place. With two LMS races remaining and 007 in with a real chance of championship honours, Aston Martin Racing strengthened its attack for the Nürburgring race.... and to the best possible effect. The blue and orange cars dominated the field and took an unprecedented clean sweep of the podium places. 007 with its usual crew finished a minute ahead of 009, which was now driven by Darren Turner and Harold Primat. A couple of laps down, 008, crewed by Miguel Ramos and young Britons, Stuart Hall and Chris Buncombe completed the Gulf-AMR clean sweep. With the retirement of main championship rival, the works Pescarolo, the team was able to establish a healthy lead in both the LMS Team and Driver standings. For the Silverstone LMS finale, AMR again entered a strong three car challenge with 007, 008 and 009. The driver line-up remained the same, as the team sought to secure the coveted LMS championship honours. With the Pescarolo again hitting trouble during the race, the titles were all but decided with several hours left to run. However, the team was taking no chances. 007 and 009 were always in contention for a race victory but the sequence of pit stops meant that 007 ran to the finish in third, with 009 only ten seconds behind. Both cars finished on the same lap as the race winning Courage-Oreca. The Gulf-sponsored cars winning the Teams and Drivers LMS titles is, on its own, a feat that is impressive enough, however it is also important to note that: 007 had an incredible 100% record of podium finishes Every car that AMR entered achieved a podium finish Aston Martin Racing on its own contributed enough points to secure the Manufacturers' LMS title for Lola-Aston Martin. However Gulf's successful 2009 season did not finish there....

WINNING TEAM HEADS EAST
November saw the staging of the inaugural Asian Le Mans Series races and AMR, supported by Gulf, saw 007 compete in the double three-hour race weekend at the Okayama circuit in Japan. Stefan Mücke and Harold Primat drove the car and despite fears that the circuit would not be suited to AMR's LMP1 car, 007 simply got quicker and quicker as the weekend progressed. Were it not for the team being forced to pit twice in the last few minutes of the first race for repairs to the front bodywork (to keep the car in line with the series regulations), 007 might well have won both races. As it was, the blue and orange LMP1 car finished fourth in the first race having led for large portions of the three hours and went on to take a fine victory in the second race. Primat and Mücke drove excellently and the team's pit work was exceptional. Aston Martin Racing and Gulf finished the season as they had started....with victory!!

VICTORY FOR GULF ON TWO WHEELS!
Success in endurance racing in 2009 was not confined to four wheels, as Gulf‘s support of the Ducati Endurance Racing Team (DERT) continued into its second year. Through the auspices of Caroil SA (Gulf‘s official lubricants distributor in the regions of France and Belgium), and Ducati Chambourcy, the programme that commenced in 2008 achieved well deserved success in 2009. The Gulf sponsored DERT Ducati 848 ridden by Nicolas Nowacki, Lionel Ancelin and Jeremie Rasting, took a fine victory in the Open Category at the legendary Bol d'Or 24 Hour Race, at the Magny Cours track in France. The race formed part of the 2009 World Endurance Championship for motorbikes and, by taking the win, the blue and orange machine recorded Ducati's first endurance racing win in a world championship event for more than fifteen years. The Gulf -sponsored Ducati also finished as runner-up in the 300 Miles de Carole endurance race earlier in the year. "What an amazing year it has been for Gulf's motorsport programme" sums up Gulf Oil International Brand and Marketing Manager, Sam Cork. "Once again it has seen Gulf's presence in global motorsport raised further. This achievement will continue to build the brand in terms of global awareness and provide a marketing platform that Gulf affiliates around the world can exploit for the benefit of their businesses. "Our thanks go to all of our partners involved in the motorsport programme for having given Gulf so much to be proud of in 2009. We look forward to continuing our associations in 2010, for what looks to be another extremely exciting year."