Pirelli-Shod Aston Martins in 1-2 Finish at Utah Grand Prix

Just two weeks after their win at Lime Rock Park, Pirelli and Aston Martin returned to the winners circle in the USA at the inaugural
Utah Grand Prix, fifth round of the American Le Mans Series, held at the brand new Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City. The road racing circuit is the longest in the US at 4.5 miles; a challenge of 24 curves made all the more challenging by hot weather and the mixture of salt and sand continually blown onto the asphalt, making it highly abrasive.

Notwithstanding these challenges, the Aston Martin DBR9s of Tomas Enge/Darren Turner and Stephane Sarrazin/Andrea Piccini on their P Zero race tyres dominated the weekend throughout practice, qualifying and race. Enge and Sarrazin monopolised the front row of the GT1 grid with respectively 1st and 2nd qualifying positions and went on to repeat that order in the race.

Commented winner Enge of the Czech Republic: “We had a brilliant set up. Brilliant tyres, as well, this weekend; they were working right from the beginning to the end.”

“Our P Zero Racing tyres undoubtedly made the decisive difference on the slippery sand covered track whose surface at the beginning of the race was over 130 degrees,” said Italian Piccini. “The new Pirelli tyres produced for this race faced a baptism of fire but in the end contributed handsomely to the ongoing technical development of the Aston Martin.”