Sean Doyle to make International Sportscar Racing Début
Wicklow Racer Sean Doyle is set to make his International Sports Prototype Racing début before the end of 2015 as the first step towards a full time drive in 2016. Doyle will sample Prototype Endurance Racing for the first time as he competes in the LMP3 class in the Estoril 4 Hours on October 17th & 18th.
The multiple Young Irish Racing Driver of the Year nominee has been working with European Le Mans Series team Murphy Prototypes throughout 2015 and that association has opened up an opportunity for the ambitious Irishman to race an LMP3 car at the final event of the season in Estoril, Portugal.
The LMP3 Championship is the main feeder series for the LMP2 European Le Mans Series and LMP1 World Sportscar Championship, as well as the Le Mans 24 Hour race, and is Doyle’s target for 2016. Racing at Estoril as part of the European Le Mans series finale will be a big step up for Doyle but it will offer him a fantastic opportunity to get a better understanding of what will be involved in a full assault on the LMP3 series next year.
Sean Doyle had been racing in the ASK Supercar series at home in Ireland during 2015, but having suffered a disastrous penultimate weekend in the championship, found himself out of the running to win the series. A decision was then taken to miss the final weekend of the year to focus on his new opportunity and the beginning of his progression to international competition.
The Wicklow Town resident has a lot of work to do in preparation for the Estoril weekend and his step up from the ASK Supercars, including finding the much needed funding and working on his fitness levels in preparation for the much tougher demands of Sports Prototype endurance racing.
Speaking about this latest step in his career Doyle said, “This opportunity to race in LMP3 is just what I have been looking for. My goal this season was to make some progress towards racing internationally and with the help of Greg Murphy of Murphy Prototypes I now have the chance to make the first significant move towards that goal. We still have a lot of work to do but we are determined to be fully prepared when I get on the LMP3 grid in Portugal this time next month.”
The Estoril 4 hours is the final event of the five round European Le Mans Series calendar which has taken the teams to Britain, Italy, Austria, France and now Portugal. All races are 4 hours in duration and feature a mixture of purpose built ‘Prototype’ Racers and Road Car based GT’s.
For further information on Sean Doyle see www.seandoyleracing.com or follow him on facebook.com/seandoyleracing.
For details of the LMP3 Series see www.europeanlemansseries.com.
