Matt McMurry will make his European Le Mans Series debut at Britain’s famed Silverstone Circuit for the first race of the 2014 ELMS season April 18 –19. The inaugural member of the Dyson Racing Junior Development Program will join Chris Dyson and Tom Kimber-Smith in the #41 Caterham–liveried Greaves Motorsport LMP2 Zytek–Nissan.
McMurry, 16, joined Dyson and Kimber–Smith with the Greaves team at the ELMS’ official pre-season test at the Circuit Paul Ricard near Marseille, France. The #41 Dunlop–shod entry was third fastest during the Tuesday evening session and second fastest Wednesday morning. This was McMurry’s second outing in the Greaves Motorsport LMP2 entry. He has competed in fifty–six races in the past two years in Formula Skip Barber, US F2000, Formula Mazda and Prototype Lites. McMurry will also be competing in this year’s International Motorsports Association Prototype Lites Championship. He is the son of sportscar racing veteran Chris McMurry, who finished third in the American Le Mans Series Drivers Championship with Dyson Racing last year.
“I feel well prepared to take on the next challenge,” commented McMurry. “Dyson Racing, Greaves Motorsport and everyone involved have taken me under their wings, shared their knowledge and have given me a lot of seat time. I couldn’t be more appreciative and honored to join the team at Silverstone, and I look forward to rewarding everyone with everything I’ve got.”
“Matt had two very good days at Paul Ricard,” said Chris Dyson, Vice President and Sporting Director of Dyson Racing. “Paul Ricard is a daunting and technical track that is quite physical. He showed maturity and the same aptitude that he displayed during his first test at Carolina MotorSports Park.”
Dyson observed that McMurry’s confidence and pace increased session by session over the course of a test that included many regular ELMS competitors. “Matt’s biggest strength is his ability to listen and learn. He has a measured and mature approach. That’s what’s impressed me over the last two years as I’ve watched him make a naturally seamless upwards transition.”
Commenting on the Paul Ricard test, Dyson also noted that the team has built on the baseline it established at last month’s tire test at Sebring. “At Paul Ricard, for the first time this season, we were able to measure the car against the top runners in the series. We left confident that the car is very good in all conditions, which will translate well at Silverstone, Matt’s first race in the European Le Mans Series.”