Swiss racing driver Harold Primat will enter his third year of LMP1 racing with the prestigious Aston Martin Racing team in 2011.  Today it has been announced that he will continue as an official works driver for the British-based team in its 2011 campaign.

The partnership between Harold and Aston Martin has already generated strong results with three podiums being recorded in the 2010 Le Mans Series and American Le Mans Series and a sixth place finish in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010.  2011 marks Harold’s sixth full season competing in LMP1 in which time he has achieved over ten podium finishes.

Based on the new regulations for 2011 instigated by the Le Mans governing body; the ACO, Aston Martin Racing has chosen to change strategy this year in designing an open cockpit car. In line with the new 2011 rules, the AMR-One features the new blade-fin and has a significantly down-sized engine in keeping with the championship’s efficiency focused regulations. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a six-speed transverse semi automatic pneumatic shift, Xtrac racing gearbox.

Harold will be contesting both European and American races, which form part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, including Paul Ricard, Spa, Silverstone, Petit Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with a few more races likely to be confirmed in the coming months. The AMR-One is expected to test for the first time in early March.

Team Principal George Howard-Chappell said: “We are very pleased to be confirming Harold Primat as part of the Aston Martin Racing team that will be contesting a programme of selected races around the world including Le Mans in 2011. Harold has helped the team to some great results since he began racing with us and is very much part of the Aston Martin family.  We are all looking forward to working with him again this year.”

Harold Primat said: “Embarking on a third year of racing with this prestigious team is a real honour for me and represents a mark of trust from the team in my ability to help them successfully contest their 2011 programme.  The team and I have a strong working relationship which has already generated some very good results over the past two years and I am looking forward to building on these in 2011 with the new car. The team at Aston Martin Racing have done an incredible job on this season’s car which is a very exciting project. They have been working day and night over the winter and I would like to thank each and everyone of the team for their hard work and look forward to driving the AMR-One car in the coming weeks.”

“I would also like to thank my personal sponsors for their continuing support this year; Banque Baring Brothers Sturdza, Harwood International, Crans Montana and Primland;” continued Harold Primat.