The first Russian prototype developed by BR Engineering, the construction branch of SMP Racing, the BR01 was officially unveiled a few months behind schedule at Le Castellet in the presence of its designer, Paolo Catone, who had previously worked on the 905 and 908 for Peugeot Sport, and the founder of the project, Russian businessman Boris Rotenberg, after whom the LM P2-class car is named.

After missing out on the official ELMS tests and the season’s opening round at Silverstone, the BR01 will make its racing debut at Imola on 17 May. It is also actively preparing for the 83rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with over 3,700 miles (6,000 km) logged since its first outing and a simulated 24-hour race completed this week at Le Castellet for which all six drivers were called up.

An international lineup and a 100% Russian lineup will share the wheel of the two BR01s: David Markozov, Maurizio Mediani and Nicolas Minassian, who has claimed two podium finishes - in 2008 and 2011 - at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in car n°27, and Mikhail Aleshin, the former IndyCar Series driver, and brothers Anton and Kyrill Ladygin in car n°37.

After picking up two ELMS titles (LM GTE and GTC), SMP Racing celebrated its debut FIA World Endurance Championship season last year by clinching the trophies for LMP2 Teams and Drivers with Sergey Zlobin, now the team’s sporting director, despite a disappointing showing at Le Mans. However, following the success of the recent endurance tests, confidence is high for this year’s race!

Cécile Bonardel / ACO – English translation by David Goward

Photo credit: D.R. SMP Racing

PHOTO: LE CASTELLET (VAR, FRANCE), CIRCUIT PAUL RICARD, 20-22 APRIL 2015. SMP Racing has completed a test session at the Le Castellet circuit with a simulation of a 24-hour race.