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16 Oct 2013, 13:24 (Ref:3318437) | #1 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 500
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Hexis - more bad news
Hexis Racing stops its activities although the adventure may continue
The French team, Hexis Racing, has been one of the front-runners on the international scene in GT racing since 2007, the highlight being its world title in 2011. It is going to close down in its current form and cease its activities at the end of the year. The team belongs to the Hexis Group, which founded it in 2001. It has had various faithful partners, but the main financial backing has always come from the Hexis Group. Without the French company the team would not have had such a successful career with its long list of pole positions, victories, titles, premiers and records. For example, Hexis Racing never finished lower than second in the FIA European and World Championships between 2008 and 2012. In a company there are always priorities in terms of investment and development, which today justify the decision of the Hexis Group to withdraw its support from financing a racing team. Its CEO Michel Mateu, who was the driving force behind the setting up of Hexis Racing, gives us his point of view. “The dream’s lasted for twelve years. When we started off we never expected to see the name Hexis reach the summits it has to the point of becoming European and World Champions. It’s been a difficult decision for me, but we now need all our resources to pursue the international development of the Hexis Group.” Mateu would like the team’s sporting and human adventure to continue. “The competence of the staff needs no further proof. This team has the ability to fight at a higher level, aim for greater challenges. It needs resources which we cannot provide today. If we manage to find a buyer who can supply them, the team is ready to continue with its management, its engineering, its staff, its premises and its close partnership with McLaren GT.” But this continuation isn’t feasible except in the context of an ambitious sporting programme. The aim can only be to score victories and titles in important championships and top-class events as confirmed by Philippe Dumas, the Hexis Racing team manager since 2004: “Above all else on behalf of all the people who’ve worked in this team, I’d like to thank Michel Mateu and Hexis to have enabled us to live this unique adventure. I want to continue; we all want to continue, but not at any price, that’s for sure. We’ve got the know-how and in-depth GT experience. Our aim is to carry on doing this great job in the best possible conditions, namely: to help top-level cars, drivers and manufacturers win.” A month and a half remains to find a solution. In the meantime the team will take part in the final round of the GT Tour on the Paul Ricard circuit on 26-27 October. However, the adventure could not stop without an ultimate challenge in keeping with the team’s reputation - to take part in a major event at the other end of the world! Hexis Racing was the winner of the first Baku City Challenge at the end of 2012 in the streets of Baku, so the French squad will return to Azerbaijan on 22-24 November for the final round of the FIA GT Series. The Baku World Challenge has attracted over 30 cars and a great field of drivers so it will be a kind of unofficial GT3 world final. Originally, the date of the event prevented Hexis from taking part. The change from October to November has modified the situation, but other teams that represent McLaren have taken on the men who have driven for Hexis Racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series. Philippe Dumas knows he can count on Rob Bell, one of the works McLaren GT squad. The team is looking for another top-class international racer to complete its driver line-up. ENDS Hexis Racing, major results: 2008 Runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2009 FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin) 2010 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2011 FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin) 2012 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (McLaren) Hexis Racing, the firsts: Winners of the first FIA World Championship event ever organised in Russia (2012) Winners of the first international GT race ever organised in Azerbaijan (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series (2012) Hexis Racing, the records: Record number of race wins and points scored in the history of the FIA GT1 World Championship (2010, 2011, 2012) Record number of race wins, pole positions and fastest laps in the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship. |
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16 Oct 2013, 15:41 (Ref:3318488) | #2 | ||
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,834
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That's sad to hear. I have always had a soft spot for the Hexis boys since the heady days with the DBR9 GT Astons in their various forms.
I hope ALL the team members find something useful, and remunerative, to do, for 2014. |
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Tim Yorath Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Fan of "the sacred monster Christophe Bouchut"... |
16 Oct 2013, 16:53 (Ref:3318513) | #3 | |
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 9,024
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Sad to see a team of that calibre go.
If there are any manufacturers out there looking to make a new regs GT then they could do a lot worse than hiring the ex-Hexis guys. Unfortunately there is a very small window to achieve that before they all split up. |
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