The opening Le Mans Series race of the 2009 season saw the first race for the new Team Modena Ferrari 430 GT, and the team started their alliance with one of the greatest names in motorsport with fifth in the LM GT2 class at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Team regular Antonio Garcia led for the first third of the race, and with Leo Mansell making his Team Modena and sportscar debut, the driving duo recorded a fine result today after six hot and hard hours of racing.

"It was an exciting race, we are pleased we finished and we are in a better position leaving here than we were last year,” said Team Principal Graham Schultz. “The car is new to us but ran very well, we took a big hit in the back but luck was on our side, and Leo was very good on his first run with us.”

Antonio was in the Ferrari for the start of the race at a warm and sunny Circuit de Catalunya, and from second on the LM GT2 grid took the class lead on the opening lap of the race. He eased clear of the class rivals and a well-timed first stop, just before the second Safety Car period of the race, saw the Team Modena car almost a lap clear of the rest of the LM GT2 runners.

Antonio pitted from the lead on lap 65 for the first ‘full’ stop of the race, a change of tyres, fuel, and to hand over to Leo. The LMS-rookie emerged sixth in class, and that became the lead as others pitted, but he had two experienced sportscar racers on his tail and came in for his fuel stop in third, 23rd overall of the 43-cars who had started the race.

Near the end of his second stint in the car Leo was sent spinning after being hit by a quicker car as it lapped him, but he quickly rejoined the race with minimal time loss.  Leo stayed aboard the Ferrari until lap 128, bringing the car in from third in class to hand it back over to Antonio.

Antonio emerged from his stop in fifth, the Team Modena Ferrari by this time out of step in the pit stop sequence with its rivals. A combination of quick laps and the others stopping saw him climb up the order, and with an hour to go Antonio pitted from third in class, and twentieth overall, for another fuel stop.

Another Safety Car period with 40-minutes to go closed up the LM GT2 front runners, Antonio circulating in the train of cars right behind the car he had been chasing to take the next position. When racing resumed Antonio battled hard for fourth – but had to be satisfied with fifth in class and 19th overall at the chequered flag.

“Towards the end I could lap fast, but not fight for position,” said Antonio. At the start we were as quick as anybody, I was battling with the other Ferrari, we were finding the best way through traffic, and I was the one who made the move and got away.

“We have learnt a lot about the car, we have learnt how to manage the tyres, how we need to drive the car, and we have learnt what we need to do with the race strategy.”

“It was a solid start to the season for us,” said Sporting Director Rik Bryan. “We have some points from here which we didn’t manage last year. We were unfortunate on the last Safety Car, I think without that we possibly could have got on the podium.