Qualifying for Round 5 of the Le Mans Series took place at Estoril Circuit (Portugal) on September 24th. Equipped with the NISMO-developed NISSAN VK45DE engine, the Greaves Motorsport-run Zytek Z11SN-NISSAN LMP2 machine captured both the Team and Drivers championships by taking pole position for the following day's race, the final round of the 2011 season.

Greaves Motorsport had already taken a total of three wins from four rounds in 2011, and needed only a single point to capture the titles as they headed into the final round. In qualifying, held on Saturday the 24th, lead driver Tom Kimber-Smith clinched pole position, and with it, the critical sole point needed to guarantee both titles, one day before the last race of the season.

The NISSAN VK45DE* engine used in the LMP2 class is based on the VK45DE powerplant originally developed by NISMO for the GT500 class of Japan's SUPER GT series, modified to comply with LMP2 regulations. The engine that won the GT500 class title in 2008 performed well in its debut season with the team in the Le Mans Series this year. In addition, Greaves Motorsport took the engine to the Le Mans 24 Hours in June and won the LMP2 class.


Greaves Motorsport owner Tim Greaves :
“We started not really knowing how the opposition would perform with new cars and new rules in place for 2011. We were confident in the engine programme with Nissan and they have proved to be faultless. We stayed with the Zytek chassis, which is well known and well developed. This combination, along with our Dunlop tyres, has given us the platform for success. Our three drivers have driven almost without mistake. Today has seen the culmination of six years of hard work and is a proper reward for all the effort put in. Tomorrow we will have the chance to demonstrate the ability of the team and the drivers to exploit the full speed of the car. I am looking forward to the race tomorrow and we will try and end 2011 on a winning note.”

Greaves Motorsport�fs results in the 2011 Le Mans Series :

3	Apri	6 Hours of Le Castellet (Paul Ricard)	1st
7	May	1000km of Spa-Francorchamps	8th
3	July	6 Hours of Imola	1st
11	September	Autosport 6 Hours of Silverstone	1st
25	September	6 Hours of Estoril	TBD

* Also won the LMP2 class in the Le Mans 24 Hours