Having endured the tragic and traumatic loss of Allan Simonsen at Le Mans in June, it would have surprised no one had Young Driver AMR decided to withdraw from this season’s FIA WEC. Instead, the Danish team has announced that Kristian Poulsen and Christoffer Nygaard will be racing on in memory of Allan and will be completing the season.
“It was not easy to decide if we should stop or continue our 2013 FIA WEC project after Le Mans,” Young Driver AMR´s Jan Struve said. “It has of course been a very emotional time for all of us, so we have spent more time together and phoned regularly to support each other and the final decision to continue in the 2013 FIA WEC was first taken recently after Kristian and Christoffer had a test in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE in England.
“It has been a big puzzle to make this happen. On top of the emotional part, we also need a new car to continue, and I’m very thankful to the entire Aston Martin Racing crew, where people have cancelled their holiday to make it possible that we can have a new car ready for the next FIA WEC round at Sao Paulo.
“I’m happy that we all separately came to the conclusion to continue in the 2013 FIA WEC in the memory of Allan.
“Allan Simonsen was a pure breed racer, who usually raced every weekend and most of time on different continents from weekend to weekend. We are very sure, that he would have wanted us to continue racing, as he was a great sports man and one of the greatest lovers of motor sport.”
“It was of course very emotional to get back into the race car,” said Christoffer Nygaard. “But we didn’t want to make a decision whether to continue with our program before Kristian and I sat in the car again. The test was obviously very emotional for us. But it was important to both of us how we would feel in the car and if we felt that we are able to continue in the FIA WEC.”
“Allan was a racer, he would wanted us to go out there and racing,” added Poulsen. “This is what we will do and we will race in his memory.”
A decision has yet to be taken as to whether the #95 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE will have a third driver for the remaining five rounds of the FIA WEC.
Donations are still being accepted for the Allan Simonsen Memorial Fund and anyone wishing to donate should use these account details:
Allan Simonsens Mindefond (The Allan Simonsen Memorial Fund)
c/o Dansk Automobil Sports Union
Idrættens Hus
Brøndby Stadion 20
DK-2605 Brøndby
Jyske Bank
København
Erhverv
Vesterbrogade 9
DK-1557 Copenhagen V
Account no. 5078 1117416.
IBAN number: DK1350780001117416.
Swift (BIC address) is JYBADKKK
