With Briton Rob Bell committed elsewhere Ford works driver Colin Braun has been drafted into the Robertson Racing line-up for the two endurance races in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).
The 22-year-old will join David Murry and Anthony Lazzaro in the no.04 Ford GT at the 12 Hours of Sebring, held later this month, as well as Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta later in the season.
“Sebring is such a special race so I'm really excited and looking forward to it,” said Braun. “The opportunity to run with Robertson Racing and the Ford GT in particular – it's just such an iconic car – means it's going to be a lot of fun. I jumped at the chance knowing how great the team are, especially now they're running with Michelin tyres, and think there's a lot of potential for a strong result.”
While, perhaps, best known in recent seasons for stints in Ford's programs in both the NASCAR Nationwide and Truck series Braun also has considerable GT and sportscar experience. This includes a Sebring debut, aged just 18, in 2007 – a year which also saw him score a second place in the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Braun could add a Le Mans drive to Sebring and Petit outings
“That I've raced at Sebring before is also going to be a big help,” adds Braun. “It's a tough place to learn so I'm really excited to be going back. We'll also be testing again there before the race, which will be a useful refresher. I know how hard the team is working to prepare the cars and they have clearly taken a step forward in terms of performance over the winter. I'm sure we can get a strong result.”
The deal with Robertson Racing also gives Braun the chance of a return to Le Mans, the team confirming he is also the third driver for the entry which was named as the first reserves for the GT classes when the entry list for June's race was announced last month.
