Swiss-Syrian driver Karim Ajlani has joined ART Grand Prix for the 2014 European Le Mans Series.
Ajlani, who returns to the cockpit of a GT car for the first time since 2005, will race one of the ART’s GTC Class McLaren MP4-12C GT3’s alongside Ricardo Gonzalez and Alex Brundle, all of whom come from racing LMP2 cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
“I’m delighted to be competing in the 2014 ELMS season with ART Grand Prix and would like to extend my thanks to Sebastien Philippe for such a fantastic opportunity,” said Ajlani. “I’m sure that driving for a new team in an unfamiliar car and category means this season will prove to be a new chapter for me.
“The driving style required for GT cars is slightly different from LMP2, especially in terms of braking and downforce. However, the basics remain fairly similar and I’m sure an experienced outfit such as ART will help me to adapt quickly.
Talking about his targets this season, Ajlani said: “My target this season is to consistently produce error-free drives and compete for GTC victories. I am extremely happy to be embarking upon this new adventure and cannot wait for the season to begin.”
The 2014 ELMS season starts on April 18/19 at Silverstone alongside the FIA WEC.
