Gulf backing for Tockwith P2 at Le Mans

The familiar blue and orange Gulf colors will be back on a prototype entry for the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans, after Gulf Oil International announced the company will back the efforts of reigning Asian Le Mans Series champions, Tockwith Motorsport at the endurance racing classsic. Tockwith's Ligier LMP2 JS P217 will run in the famous Gulf livery at Le Mans and for other WEC and ELMS races over the balance of the 2017 season.

The TMS Ligier will run in the LMP2 category, complementing Gulf's established WEC partnership in the GTE Am category with the Porsche 911 RSR GTE of Gulf Racing, driven by Mike Wainwright, Ben Barker and Nick Foster.

"This new agreement with Tockwith Motorsport will give an added dimension to our endurance motorsport programme throughout the 2017 season," said Gulf Oil International Global Vice President of Marketing, Vicki Kipling. "2017 is a year of great significance to Gulf, as not only is it the 50th anniversary of Gulf's first Le Mans, but also 50 years since our Blue and Orange color scheme came into racing. Having two cars racing in Gulf colors at Le Mans – one in GTE Am and now a car in LMP2 is great news for the many Gulf guests coming to Le Mans, as well as Gulf enthusiasts everywhere."

"It's an extremely exciting development for TMS and we are delighted to be carrying the iconic blue and orange in the year when Gulf is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first ever participation at Le Mans," added TMS' Simon Moore. "Like many, I grew up, watching and loving GT40s, 917s, Mirages and McLarens sporting Gulf colors and we hope to add our own small chapter to Gulf's long racing history."

Tockwith, based in the north of England, earned its place at Le Mans by winning the LMP3 category of the 2016-'17 Asian Le Mans series – Nigel Moore and Phil Hanson being crowned champions in the team's Ligier JSP3. Since then the team has moved into LMP2, to run a full season of the ELMS and selected WEC rounds. The team will also be back in Asia this winter to defend its series crown.

At Le Mans, the now well established pairing of Moore and Hanson – the latter of whom, aged 17, became the youngest driver to compete in a WEC six hour race at Spa – are joined by ex-F1 driver, turned F1 TV pundit, Karun Chandhok. Karun is one of only two Indian drivers to have competed in the F1 World Championship and is already a huge star in his native country and an increasingly well-known figure in the UK.

The Le Mans 24 Hours is set for the weekend of June 17-18.