Murphy Prototypes, fifth in LM P2 at Le Mans last year, have penned a deal with Ave-Riley to run the official AR-2 in the forthcoming European Le Mans Series season – the outfit’s first as a factory-endorsed team.

The Ave Motorsports–Riley Technologies partnership, based in North Carolina, has been selected by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest as one of the constructors of LM P3 prototypes, the entry-level tier in the endurance pyramid. Ave will be responsible for assembling the AR-2 while Riley takes care of the design.

Like all other LM P3 entries, the AR-2 will be powered by a Nissan engine and eligible for the ELMS. The car will be driven by Tony Ave, the boss of Ave Motorsports, who will be teaming up with his usual Trans Am Series partner, Doug Peterson.

Greg Murphy, Team Principal: After four years of competition in the European Le Mans Series as a private entry, we are delighted to be running a factory-endorsed team for the first times. We are also pleased to continue our partnership with Oreca engines into LM P3. We are confident that our experience of competing at the front of the field in the LM P2 category, both in the ELMS and at Le Mans, means that we will hit the ground running from the start of the season.

The Murphy Prototypes Ave-Riley AR-2 will make its race début at Silverstone on 16 April.

Cécile Bonardel / ACO – Translated by David Goward (quote courtesy of Murphy Prototypes press release)