Ex-Ferrari driver Stefan Johansson Teams With Alex Yoong & Jan Lammers

For the 2006 LE MANS 24 Hours

Former Ferrari driver, Stefan Johansson who won the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hrs with his Ferrari team mate Michele Alboreto and Tom Kristensen in a TWR Porsche completes the RfH team line up of Alex Yoong and RfH team owner, Jan Lammers, for its assault on the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans race next month.

Johansson, from Sweden, who also drove for McLaren, presently runs his own American Spirit Racing Champ Car team in America.

A1 Team Malaysia driver and shareholder, Alex Yoong and Jan Lammers, who also owns A1 Team Holland, have already competed in a Le Mans Series race with their Dome LMP1 car, in Turkey and prior to the season, took part in a 24 hour test. Further testing for the team is planned before official testing for the Le Mans 24 hour race takes place on 4 June. The blue riband race will start on 17 June.

Yoong is looking forward to competing in the race with Lammers and Johansson, saying, “I’m pleased that Stefan is joining the team for the 24 hour race. We have a strong driver line-up which is very important in a race such as this. Experience counts and we all have the ability to drive long stints whilst staying on a good race pace. In an event such as this it is teamwork that is the key to success. With three drivers contributing their skills and expertise, we give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving our goals. Stefan, Jan and I will certainly be a formidable trio for our opponents to be up against.

“We’ll have our first chance to share the car at the pre-event test at the beginning of June and this will be a great opportunity for us to work together to develop the strategy for the race. And I think it’s at these times, that our professionalism as drivers can help to raise our game. The three of us, with such diverse racing careers, will compliment each other and draw on each others strengths to unite for the team.”

Yoong will be driving in the famed 24 hour race for the first time this year and is excited about the prospect, saying, “I think every driver wants to have experienced this unique race. It’s a part of motorsport heritage which touches so many people. For the fans it’s an annual pilgrimage and for the drivers it sits with the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix and Indy 500 as one of the ‘dream’ races. I’m lucky enough to have driven in the Monaco F1 event, but with the IRL/champ car split, not the Indy 500, although I did race through turns one and four in the F1 race! Racing at Le Mans will fulfil a dream for me and I think it’s going to be a unique experience.”

Jack Cunningham, Chief Executive of A1 Team Malaysia and Yoong's partner, said, “It says a lot about Alex that drivers such as Jan and Stefan should choose to drive with him. These guys aren’t driving with Alex on June 17 because they haven’t got anything better to do! Their doing so is a major statement of their intent to do well at Le Mans and a clear tribute to Alex. His driving with such experienced individuals is very helpful to us as we build on this year for our own efforts at Le Mans and we thank them for that.”

The RfH team will be competing with car number 14, a famous number in Holland from the legendary soccer player Johan Cruyff. With the football World Cup taking place during the Le Mans event, Lammers has paid homage by liverying the racing car with black and white football imagery.

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