Murphy Prototypes confirms line up for 2016 Le Mans
Irish Endurance racing team Murphy Prototypes is pleased to confirm that Ben Keating, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Marc Goossens will form its three-driver line-up for this year’s 24-Hours of Le Mans. They will drive the team’s Oreca 03R in the highly competitive LMP2 prototype sportscar category.
Having been invited to take part in the world’s most famous motor race last month, the Murphy Prototypes team will compete at Le Mans for the fifth time in succession this year. After finishing an impressive fifth in class and 13th overall in 2015, the team aims to better its previous performance with its new driver line up, which has come about through its recent association with the Ave-Riley LMP3 project.
“We are delighted to be going back to Le Mans with such a strong driver line-up”, said team principle Greg Murphy. “We met the guys through our tie-up with Ave-Riley, after they were unable to secure an entry for Le Mans this year. It therefore made sense for them to run in our LMP2 car, as not only do they get to compete, but it further strengthens the association between us.”
Ben Keating from Texas and Jeron Bleekemolen from Holland, competed together in last year’s Le Mans driving a Riley Motorsports Dodge Viper in the GTE-Am class. For Keating, 2016 will see his first time driving a prototype sportscar in the event and his second appearance at the race, whereas for Bleekemolen, this year represents his third time in an LMP2 car – having been part of the winning LMP2 team on his first appearance in that category in 2008 – and his 11th time at Le Mans.
Belgian Marc Goossens is a highly experienced GT and prototype sportscar driver, having competed at Le Mans 12-times since 1996. His most recent outing in the 24-hour race was in 2013, driving the Riley-run factory Dodge Viper in the GTE Pro Class.
After confirming its intention earlier this year that it will run the official Ave-Riley LMP3 entry in the European Le Mans Series, the Murphy Prototypes team hopes to announce plans for an ELMS LMP2 campaign in the next few days.
