Ayari aims for FFSA GT3 title

Soheil Ayari will have a full program this season, with the piloting of a prototype, the Oreca 01 AIM, during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and that of a GT car, the Audi R8 GT3, in the French FFSA GT3 championship. In the latter, the native of Aix-les-Bains will team up with Bruno Hernandez for the Oreca team, and hopes to make the Audi R8 triumph on the French circuits.

« The choice of Oreca and the Audi R8 GT3 was made at the same time, at the end of last season, explains Soheil. We tested the best cars in the field (Corvette GT3, Ford GT GT3), and listed some sure values ​​from the field in terms of the teams that could have exploited them to the best. Bruno and I were impressed by the performance of the Audi R8 GT3, and as Oreca had already brought it to success in just a few races during the second part of the 2009 season, the choice seemed obvious. In addition, the relationships and mutual trust between Audi and Oreca represent an undeniable asset in our season. »

With a car that proved itself in 2009, including a victory in the last race, at Lédenon, thanks to Yvan Lebon and Stéphane Ortelli, Soheil Ayari is now thinking of the ultimate reward. “ We are hungry for victory and we know that with such a program we have what it takes to win the 2010 title. »

For Bruno Hernandez, who will team up with Soheil Ayari, the pressure will also be there. The driver hopes to take up the challenge proposed in the new French FFSA GT3 championship. “ I am very happy to be associated again with Oreca for this ambitious program, and to find a team that I really appreciate, with whom I have won and in which I have always had confidence. The support from Audi France puts pressure on us but Soheil and I like this kind of challenge. At the end of the 2009 season I had quite a few regrets about leaving GT1, but with this Audi-Oreca program, I no longer have any reluctance to go to GT3, especially as the championship promises to be very tough. »

The French championship should have 35 competitors, with nine different brands, with Audi, Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, BMW, Dodge, Aston Martin, Ford and Corvette. The first meeting will take place in Nogaro, from April 3 to 5.