Lotus Sport Cadena Race Team To Be Based At Hethel

The Lotus Sport Cadena race team (which will campaign two Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race cars

after the signature of a two-year deal between Cadena and Lotus Sport, the performance arm

of Lotus Cars) has announced that it is to be based at the Group Lotus headquarters in Hethel,

Norfolk.

Situated in a newly-converted workshop facility, the team will have access to the established

Lotus Sport expertise and infrastructure, in addition to the all important 2.25 mile Lotus Test

Track. This will be used as part of the team's testing programme throughout its maiden season

in this year's Avon Tyres British GT Championship, with an eye on entering the FIA GT3

European Championship in 2007.

Commenting on the move to the Hethel site, Paul Whight, Team Principal of the new racing

outfit explains: "It is important that we work in close collaboration with Lotus Sport in what will

be a development year for both the team and the Exige GT3. Although Lotus Sport Cadena

isn't an official factory team, we have a very close relationship with Lotus and by basing

ourselves at Hethel it reinforces our long term commitment to Lotus and to the Avon Tyres

British GT Championship."

Lotus Sport Cadena will field four drivers to contest the 2006 British GT series, all having raced

previously in Lotus racing cars. Cadena Lotus Sport Elise British GT driver Barrie Whight will

once again be partnered by Gavan Kershaw, Principal Vehicle Dynamics Engineer for Lotus

Engineering and driver of the Lotus Sport Elise in 2004 and the Mosler MT900R for the Cadena

GTC team during the 2005 season. George Mackintosh, who claimed last year's Yokohama

Mid-Engined Sportscar championship in a Lotus Elise, and Sam Blogg who took second place

in the series also competing in a Lotus Elise, complete the team's second pairing.

The opening round of the 2006 Avon Tyres British GT season takes place at Oulton Park on

the 16th and 17th of April, with subsequent visits to high profile national circuits, Mondello Park

in Ireland and Pau in France.