Newsletter n°01/2013 – 25 January 2013, Spa 24 Hours Pro Am entry presentation French foursome gunning for Spa 24 Hours Pro Am class victory Just before Christmas announced the three drivers who will defend its colours in the five rounds of the Blancpain Endurance Series in 2013. Alvaro Parente, and Alexander Sims will be gunning for outright victory and the Pro-Cup title, the top category in the championship. The team also announced that it would enter a second McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Spa 24 Hours, the Blancpain’s blue riband event, to win the Pro-Am category. Its crew will combine the brilliance of platinum, the purity of gold, the flash of silver and the robustness of bronze! By putting together a line- up consisting of Olivier Panis, Côme Ledogar, Laurent Cazenave and Eric Debard, Hexis Racing team manager, Philippe Dumas, has created an ideal alloy between the different grades of drivers among the combinations allowed by the category regulations. In long-distance events in the Blancpain Endurance Series, the Pro-Am category is the one with the highest number of starters. In the 2012 Spa 24 Hours it attracted 39 cars or almost 60% of the total number of entries. The skills of the drivers are one of the most important factors to guarantee success, and this is why Dumas is particularly happy to be able to count on such a well-balanced second line- up. “As it’s a long race the main aim is to finish. But the four drivers are among the best in their respective grades so we can aim for victory in Pro-Am and score a good result in the overall classification. Olivier Panis, Laurent Cazenave and Eric Debard are part of our team in the French FFSA GT Championship. Côme Ledogar will be making his GT debut in a McLaren with Hexis Racing in the Spa 24 Hours with a former F1 driver as team leader. Not a bad way to start!” The 65th Spa 24 Hours will take place on 27-28 July. With six months to go the drivers, some of whom are already familiar with the race while for others it will be their maiden outing, are already champing at the bit to race in this event like no other in the world. Eric Debard (Grade Bronze driver, a member of the Hexis team in the GT Tour-FFSA GT French Championship, 3rd start in the Spa 24 Hours in 2013): “I’ve raced in the last two Spa 24 Hours and every year I circle the date in my diary! In 2011, our Mercedes-Benz AMG retired during the night. Last year in the we finished on the third step of the podium in Pro-Am and eighth overall in the general classification. What really struck me in 2012 was the violence of the rain, and sometimes I asked myself what I was doing at the wheel of a racing car in such conditions! A 24-hour race is always a red-letter event from an emotional point of view, especially when the car takes the chequered flag. You have to be humble, not overdo it, keep something in reserve and then around midday see where you are.” Laurent Cazenave (Grade Silver driver, a member of the Hexis team in the GT Tour-FFSA GT French Championship, 1st start in the Spa 24 Hours in 2013): “I Know the Spa 24 hours through TV and the media! It’s one of the greatest GT races in the world with only GT cars at the start: it’s also a great human adventure and a huge sporting challenge. No matter what rivals you’re up against, this type of race is always difficult to manage from the human point of view as well as the mechanical aspect and the race strategy. A raft of different parameters has to be taken into account and you can never be sure of mastering them all. Côme and I are both rookies and we want to avail ourselves of the experience of the other two, in particular that of Olivier, our team leader. In 2011, Hexis Racing proved that it could do miracles with the Aston Martins in which people no longer believed. The team will be tightly-knit as it’s based on the notion of friendship between all its members.” Côme Ledogar (Grade Gold driver, Hexis Racing Junior driver, 1st start in the Spa 24 Hours in 2013): “It’ll be the greatest race of my life! I’ve got every confidence in the squad, which is multi-talented, and my team-mates are reliable drivers. I’m going to try and glean as much of their experience as I can. I don’t know the event or the category but the Spa circuit no longer holds any secrets for me. I’ve raced there four years running in single-seaters and I set pole twice in Formula BMW beating Robin Frijns in 2010. I’ll go to as many of the opening races in the Blancpain Series as I can to soak up the ambience in the team and that of the championship. In my opinion, Hexis Racing is the best team in the world, and I’m really happy to be making my GT debut with Philippe Dumas whom I’ve been very close to since I began racing. He’s taught me a lot as a mentor so that will make it all the more interesting to be driving for his team. It’s a dream come true and a fitting reward after I filled the runner-up spot in the 2012 Matmut Carrera Cup.” Olivier Panis (Grade Platinium driver, a member of the Hexis team in the GT Tour-FFSA GT French Championship, 3rd start in the Spa 24 Hours in 2013): “I’ve got very good memories of my two outings in the Spa 24 Hours. In 2011, I was with my Le Mans team-mate, Nico Lapierre. The following year’s race resulted in a podium finish with Eric Debard, Morgan Moullin-Traffort and Fabien Barthez, so I’m really looking forward to going back there with two drivers I know well, plus young Côme Ledogar for whom it will certainly be a great experience. Last year, the night was particularly tricky because it was raining cats and dogs! At the end of my stint I went to catch some sleep but I kept the team’s radio on. I wasn’t asleep when I heard, “it’s raining too much, go and wake up Olivier!’ I got dressed and got back behind the wheel. It was absolutely awesome out on the track, but that’s what the Spa 24-Hours race is all about with its unique weather conditions that always spring a few surprises. You’ve got to be ready for everything.” The Hexis Racing team is currently focused on preparing for the winter tests which will begin at Lédenon on 12th February. Winter tests schedule : Lédenon 12 Feb. (GT Tour) and 13 Feb. (Blancpain), Alcaniz 26-27 Feb. (GT Tour) and 28 Feb. (Blancpain), Lédenon 8 March (GT Tour), Paul Ricard HTTT 12-13 March (Blancpain). GT Tour-FFSA GT French Championship calendar (two 1-hour races per meeting) : Le Mans Bugatti 27-28 April, Imola (Italy) 18-19 May, Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) 8-9 June, Val de Vienne 6- 7 July, Magny-Cours 7-8 Sept., Lédenon 12-13 Oct., Paul Ricard 26-27 Oct. Blancpain Endurance Series calendar (3-hour races except Spa and Nürburgring) : Monza (Italy) 13-14 April, Silverstone (UK) 1-2 June, Paul Ricard (France) 29-30 June, Spa 24 Hours (Belgium) 26- 27 July, Nürburgring 1000 km (Germany) 21-22 Sept. Hexis Racing’s achievements: 3rd in the French Formula Renault Teams Championship (2005), 2nd in the FFSA French GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the FFSA GT3 French Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Photos by Romane Didier Series info: www.blancpain-endurance-series.com Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected]

Team info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°02/2013 – 11 February 2013, pre-season tests and 2013 livery presentation The Hexis Racing McLarens resplendent in their 2013 livery prepare to start testing Hexis Racing is getting ready to head for the circuits again. On Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th February the team’s two McLarens will have to cover only a few metres to roll into the pits on the Lédenon track and kick off their pre-season preparation. Alvaro Parente, Alexander Sims and Stef Dusseldorp, the three drivers entered in the Blancpain Endurance Series Pro Cup, will be on hand to do the testing as well as Olivier Panis, who is spearheading the team’s attack in the French FFSA GT Championship. The main aim of the test is to get to grips with the 2013 version of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3. Modifications have been made to the ecu, the electrical system, the dampers and the car also has a new aero package and cooling system. These evolutions will be tested with both the Pirelli tyres used in the Blancpain Series and the Michelins in the French Championship. This test also provides an opportunity to admire the 2013 livery of the Hexis Racing McLarens. It is low-key, hard- hitting and faithful to the decoration used in the 2011 campaign in which the French squad clinched its first world title. Adrien Paviot’s design agency Com’On is behind the project. “The aim was to integrate new partners while keeping the visual identity in compliance with the team’s graphic chart. We’ve worked with new tools to present the result in 3D!” After Lédenon, Hexis Racing will go to Motorland Aragon for more testing on 26-27-28 February. There the four drivers present in the South of France this week will be joined by the rest of the squad: Laurent Cazenave, Jean-Claude Police, Eric Debard and Côme Ledogar. NB : Pictures of the 2013-specification Hexis McLarens will be available after the first track tests. Hexis Racing’s achievements: 3rd in the French Formula Renault Teams Championship (2005), 2nd in the FFSA French GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the FFSA GT3 French Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected]

Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°03/2013 – 11 March 2013, official website www.hexisracing.com presentation Hexis’ history on-line! Hexis Racing is working flat out to prepare for the 2013 season. After Lédenon and Motorland Aragon the team will take part in this week’s official Blancpain Endurance Series tests on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit. The French outfit, winner of the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship, has also made a point of developing its internet site to provide its supporters and media throughout the world with all the relevant information about its rich past plus all the latest news. The site www.hexisracing.com, which was totally revamped at the beginning of 2012, is now full of new information about the 2013 season. On it you can find in French and in English all the latest news, the team’s history, the list of all the drivers who have raced for the French squad since it was founded in 2002, the staff and drivers in 2013 and information about the Hexis Group. The McLaren MP4-12C, the Blancpain Endurance Series and the GT Tour are also previewed, and you can follow the position of the team in these two championships throughout the year. Antonin Grenier’s superb photo reports and videos can be viewed in the Gallery. The 2013 innovation is in the Partners’ section. In addition to the links to the companies that back the team, a new heading ‘Downloads’ has been added. This enables surfers to consult the 2013 Hexis Racing presentation, as well as a compilation of all the press releases since 2007, which retrace the history of the team over 122 pages! Finally, a selection of 350 press articles and web pages devoted to Hexis has been collected in quarterly press books. You can also discover Hexis’ VIP Pass offer is another new page. This information base will be completed by an increased presence on the social networks. The two Hexis Racing 2013 McLaren Evos shod with Pirelli tyres will take part in the tests organized by SRO on Tuesday and Wednesday 12-13 March on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit. The team will do an extra day’s testing on Thursday 14th, but this time on the Michelin rubber used in the GT Tour. The first races will take place in April with the opening round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Monza on the 14th followed by the kick-off to the FFSA French GT Championship at Le Mans two weeks later. NB : New pictures of the 2013-specification Hexis McLarens will be available after this week’s tests. Hexis Racing’s achievements: 3rd in the French Formula Renault Teams Championship (2005), 2nd in the FFSA French GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the FFSA GT3 French Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected]

Photo by Antonin Grenier

Infos Hexis : www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°04/2013 – 11 April 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series, Monza, round 1 preview (14 April 2013) Hexis Racing at Monza: don’t miss a second! Hexis Racing will kick off its season this coming weekend on the high-speed Monza Autodromo in the first round of the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series. Five months ago to the day the French team dominated the final of the same championship. We’ve compiled for you the different media – TV, sites and social networks - that will enable you to follow this thrilling event. You can also read the comments of team manager, Philippe Dumas, in this newsletter about a race in which no fewer than 60 driver line-ups representing nine prestigious makes of sports cars will take the fight to the Hexis Mclaren driven by Alvaro Parente, Stef Dusseldorp and Alexander Sims. Monza in streaming: The start will be given at 14h30 (local time). To watch the 3-hour race live, the best solution is to connect to the brand new official Blancpain Endurance Series site (www.blancpain- endurance-series.com) where you will hear the on-the-ball comments of David Addison, and read the live text, also on-line on Twitter (www.twitter.com/BES_GT #MonzaGT). Photos will be published on the team’s facebook page. To whet your appetite before battle begins a presentation clip with images of the Blancpain tests on the Paul Ricard circuit, as well as a summary of the 2012 season are on line on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEC8B95916B0BA0A2). Live timing can be consulted at this address: http://static.sportresult.com/federations/fia/app/portal/ Monza on TV: You can watch the race on TV thanks to the wide coverage negotiated by SRO, the promoter of the series. Find out all the information about the coverage provided by the different countries by reading the TV Guide on the Blancpain Endurance Series site (http://www.blancpain- endurance-series.com/pages/tv-guide). Monza by Philippe Dumas: “We’ve got a better grip on things than was the case in 2012. We’ve helped improve the performance and the reliability of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3, and this has probably encouraged some teams to buy the car! In terms of preparation we’re where we should be and I’m happy with our approach. We’ll see where we really stand at Monza and I can’t wait for the green lights to go on. The fact of having an experienced team comprising guys who work together in perfect harmony on a single car is a big asset in such a series. In fact, there have never been so many cars of such quality in a championship like this one. I think that’s simply fantastic! Our aim is simple – to win the Blancpain Championship title and the 2013 Spa 24 Hours! This requires a good dose of humility, know-how and intelligence. For example, not to try and win every race, especially when you realise that there’ll be more than 60 cars on the track! To achieve these targets I’m counting on our fantastic team and also on our three professional drivers, Alexander, Stef and Alvaro. I’m also counting on the backing of McLaren GT, and as we’ve both got the same aims things couldn’t be better! After all who dominated the end of the 2012 season head and shoulders? I don’t see any reason for this to change. We’re going to tackle this season like the previous ones with a huge amount of confidence in ourselves and also with our doubts. That’s what drives us forward. The only difference is that year after year we gain more experience – it’s tough on our rivals! ” If the no. 7 McLaren doesn’t win on Sunday it’ll be an even bigger shame as the team’s on a winning roll at the moment. Hexis Racing took a one-two in the last race of the FIA GT1 Championship at Donington, scored its first victory in endurance in Navarra followed by a telling win in the City Challenge in Baku. Hexis Racing’s achievements: French Formula Renault Teams Championship, 3rd (2005), FFSA French GT Cup, 2nd (Porsche, 2006), FFSA GT3 French Championship for Teams, 3rd (Aston Martin, 2007), ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship, 3rd (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole & 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole & victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info : www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°05/2013 – 14 April 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series, round 1, Monza, 14 April 2013 Unexplained power loss dashes Hexis Racing’s hopes Hexis Racing, which arrived at Monza after three consecutive victories, suffered a major disappointment on the famous Italian circuit. It was all looking good for the French squad at the first round of the Blancpain Endurance Series with their three very talented drivers, a McLaren MP4-12C well adapted to the layout and a reputation for excellence that is known far and wide. Unfortunately, right from the start of the race Alvaro Parente complained of a down-on-power engine. The Portuguese driver and his team-mates Stef Dusseldorp and Alexander Sims could do nothing about the situation, and they bravely soldiered on to a disappointing twenty-fifth place finish overall and thirteenth in the Pro Cup. In the huge field of 60 cars in the Blancpain Endurance Series on the ultra-rapid the three Hexis Racing drivers did not have an easy time. Despite the blows to their morale on the long straights they never gave up trying till the chequered flag. The pit stop men, who made a super-human effort to limit the damage, were also beyond reproach. Half-an-hour after the race, team manager Philippe Dumas still hadn’t got over the race from hell he’d just lived through. ”On Saturday we had no problems in practice; everything was under control. We thought we could win the race even starting on the seventh row. But being on the pitwall for three hours watching the car lapping several seconds below its potential was a really soul-destroying experience. We don’t understand the reason for this loss of power, and this evening we still haven’t found any explanation. It’s very frustrating for the whole team, but despite everything we were determined to keep on running till the very end.” The Hexis Racing team will soon put this disappointment behind them, and they are already concentrated on preparing for the opening round of the French FFSA GT Championship at Le Mans on 27-28 April. Hexis Racing’s achievements: Runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole & 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole & victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Results, info, videos: www.blancpain-endurance-series.com Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°06/2013 – 25 April 2013 French FFSA GT Championship, 1st round preview GT Tour at Le Mans (Bugatti), 27/28 April 2013 Hexis Racing out to hit the headlines at Le Mans! Throughout the winter and in early spring there was nothing but good news for the French FFSA GT Championship. Hexis Racing started the ball rolling well before anybody else by announcing its return and the names of its four drivers at the wheel of the team’s two McLaren MP4-12Cs. Seven makes will be represented among the 26 cars that will turn up in the Sarthe: Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, , BMW, Nissan and McLaren. Hexis Racing is running one of the two former F1 drivers in the field, Olivier Panis, the other being the 1997 world champion, . The field consists of top-class teams and there are around fifteen possible victory contenders in the two 1-hour races on this weekend’s programme. The 2011 FIA GT1 World Champions are among these when it comes to forecasting the result. Panis with his old mate Eric Debard and Laurent Cazenave with local driver Jean-Claude Police are determined to burn up the track - all the more so as one of the Hexis Racing McLarens is on the official poster! Also it is vital for the team to put its Monza setback at the opening round of the Blancpain Endurance Series ten days ago behind it. “We’ve just been through a rough patch, but it’s not the first time and we’re not going to give up,” says team manager Philippe Dumas. “I’ve got 200 percent confidence in the team and the drivers. We’re going to stick together come hell or high water!” Tens of thousands of surfers are expected to log on to the official site of the French FFSA GT Championship, which will show the races in live streaming (www.gt- tour.fr/webtv/) relayed by Dailymotion. But to really enjoy the spectacle nothing beats the grandstands of the legendary Sarthe circuit! A stroll through the paddock means that you can say hello to a driver well-known to Hexis Racing fans – Manu Rodrigues. He will take part in the races at the wheel of a Ferrari to prepare for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June, which he will start for the fifth time alongside none other than Philippe Dumas! Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tel. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Infos Hexis : www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°07/2013 – 15 May 2013 French FFSA GT Championship, rounds 3 & 4 preview Imola (Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari), 18-19 May 2013 “Our season begins at Imola” Three weeks after Le Mans the French FFSA GT Championship caravan is heading for the in Italy where it will race for the first time. It will also be Hexis Racing’s maiden outing in the Emilia Romagna region, and the French team is determined to bounce back after its disappointing results in the Sarthe and in the Blancpain Series at Monza earlier on in the season. It is said that history sometimes repeats itself. 2012 began with a major setback followed by a fifth place and a stunning victory. So victory at Imola is a must! At Le Mans Olivier Panis and Eric Debard kicked off their season in the French FFSA GT Championship with fifth place in race 1. The next day a penalty cost them the points that went with eighth position. For Jean-Claude Police and Laurent Cazenave a low-key Saturday was a prelude to a tough Sunday as the latter had a big shunt on lap 3 when he was lying sixth. The no. 7 McLaren has been rebuilt, shaken down at Lédenon and loaded into the transporter with no. 17. Team manager Philippe Dumas sums up the situation: “From a sporting point of view we’re going through a rough patch at the moment. We ran into a raft of problems in winter testing, as well as in our first race in the Blancpain Endurance Series. No. 7’s big shunt in race 2 at Le Mans didn’t help matters either. In fact, it’s more down to the fact that we’ve not been very lucky rather than in-depth problems. Fortunately, Laurent wasn’t injured and that’s far and away the most important thing. Others were less fortunate during that hectic weekend and we would like to wish them a speedy recovery. We’ve used up our wild cards; now it’s up to us to get our challenge back on the rails and show our fighting spirit! “I’d like to say a big thank you on behalf of the whole Hexis Racing team to all the people at McLaren GT for their support in this tricky period. We can fight at the front in both the GT Tour and in the Blancpain Series. I’ve still got as much confidence as ever in our engineering squad as in our eight 2013 drivers. Our season starts now. Watch this spot for the next episode!” Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info : www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°08/2013 – 27 May 2013 GT Tour, 3rd and 4th rounds report, Imola (Italy), 18-19 May 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series, 2nd round preview, Silverstone (UK), 2 June 2013 Beginning to see the light! Oscillating between fifth, sixth and seventh places in the French Championship doesn’t have much zing let alone glamour after racking up international wins, which was the case for Hexis Racing over the past few years. That’s motor racing, though, and while this kind of situation has occasionally to be borne with the fortitude of a Sisyphus there is no question of staying there! The team has learned the lessons from its Italian outing in the GT Tour, and it is now preparing to return to the joys of endurance and overcome its rivals at Silverstone thanks to its fighting spirit! Since the start of the French FFSA GT Championship the team’s two McLaren MP-4 12Cs have shown bullet-proof reliability. “The only problem was no. 7’s accident at Le Mans,” points out team manager, Philippe Dumas. “The good news is the car ran perfectly at Imola. Hats Off to the team and to the guys at McLaren GT whose help has been invaluable in enabling us to be ready in time. In terms of potential I think we have what it takes, but the overall level in the GT Tour is very high. In each driver line-up the As and Bs have to give 100 per cent all weekend and not make the slightest mistake. Everything has to be in the right order to score a good result.” So will the team be back among the front-runners at Silverstone? The McLaren’s reliability is the positive point when it comes to tackle a three-hour race. Stef Dusseldorp from the Netherlands, Portuguese Alvaro Parente and Brit Alexander Sims will share the car again and they have but a single aim – open their score in the Pro Cup classification in the Blancpain Endurance Series. “Things haven’t really gone off according to plan so far but our ambition is still as strong as ever,” continues Dumas. “We really must get back into the top three in the next two races and do a good job preparing for the Spa 24 Hours, our priority objective this season. We’re under a fair amount of pressure. Mistakes are out of the question as we lost a big haul of points at Monza due to more than our fair share of bad luck!” Rendezvous on Sunday at 14h50 on www.blancpain-endurance-series.com French FFSA GT Championship - Imola results: Olivier Panis / Eric Debard (Hexis-McLaren #17): 7th in race 1 / 12th in race 2 Laurent Cazenave / Jean-Claude Police (Hexis-McLaren #7): 6th in race 1 / 7th in race 2 Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photo by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°09/2013 – 02 June 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series, round 2 report, Silverstone (UK), 02 June 2013 The best is yet to come! The Hexis Racing team had a stunning race in the second round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Silverstone. The no. 7 McLaren, which qualified twenty-fourth, fell back to forty-seventh place at the end of lap 1 after being punted into a spin. Alexander Sims, Stef Dusseldorp and Alvaro Parente, with fantastic backup from the pit stop crew, managed to fight their way back up to seventh place by the end of the 3-hour event. Overall, the team had a tough time on the Northampton circuit as in qualifying the best it could do was a place on the twelfth row of the grid. The first lap of the race sent shivers down the French squad’s spine when Sims was pushed into a 360° spin in Stowe. “I felt a blow at the rear when I was under load in the middle of the corner,” explained the English driver. “Luckily, the car didn’t leave the track but I lost a lot of places. I pulled back several during my stint thanks to the fact that the car was handling perfectly in race trim. While it feels good to overtake other cars it’s a great shame we lost so much time when you realise that we finished only three seconds off fourth place!” Alexander had already gained around thirty positions when Stef Dusseldorp took over for his stint and the Dutchman fought his way up to seventh place just before half distance. Then Alvaro Parente consolidated this result with brio enabling the French team to finish in front of all the other McLarens entered for the race. “The team did a fantastic job during the pit stops and found the ideal setup,” chorused the Portuguese driver and Philippe Dumas. “We needed to make a strong statement about our team spirit and I think it would have been difficult to do better. We’re not here to score seventh places, though. Our watchword is to do everything to race at the front, to be the best and to win. Today, we can be proud as we had a very solid race. There was the little hiccup on the first lap and the three drivers were simply great. I’m happy to work with these guys and I think it’s reciprocal. The best is yet to come!” The car that raced at Silverstone and the team’s other McLaren will now go to the English manufacturer’s workshops in Woking to be prepared for the Belgian round of the French FFSA GT Championship at Spa-Francorchamps on 8-9 June. Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photo by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°10/2013 – 30 June 2013 3rd round of the Blancpain Endurance Series race report, Paul Ricard (F), 30 June 2013 A good result in preparation for Spa This evening a sad ambience reigned at Paul Ricard after the fatal accident of which Andrea Mamé was the victim in the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo race, a curtain-raiser to the third round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. On home turf the Hexis Racing team achieved its best result of the season with a second-place finish after three hours’ racing, and it would like to send its condolences to the family and friends of the Italian driver. This afternoon at 15h00 the 60 cars were unleashed after a minute’s silence in memory of Andrea Mamé and Allan Simonsen, the Danish driver killed in the Le Mans 24 Hours. Alvaro Parente, who had qualified the Hexis Racing McLaren in fifth place, quickly moved up to fourth. The Portuguese driver fought like a lion to get into third place before the end of his stint. The team’s first pit stop was so fast that Stef Dusseldorp went out in second place and he then passed the no. 3 Marc VDS BMW to take the lead. The Dutchman managed to stay in front for ten laps before being overtaken by the Kessel Racing Ferrari, winner at Monza. Once again the Hexis pit squad pulled off another lightning stop and Alexander Sims rejoined in the wake of the F458, which he promptly shot past! Once the British driver was firmly installed in the lead he kept the Ferrari at bay until the latter was penalised for an infringement during refuelling. The French-entered MP-4 12C GT3 then came under threat again from the BMW. On the 75th of the 81 laps they exchanged places and the Hexis Racing McLaren took the flag in second position. Thanks to this result the French team is now back in contention in the fight in the overall classification for the championship title. A week after crossing the line in the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Corvette entered by Larbre Competition, Philippe Dumas was back in his job as Hexis Racing team manager at Paul Ricard. “I’ve got an attack of the blues, a bit like the way Benoït Tréluyer said he felt after the Le Mans 24 Hours. In the race the team was almost perfect and it deserves hearty congratulations. I’m very happy with the pit stops, the strategy and our three drivers never put a foot wrong. When you do a job like that normally you win. I’m not at all bitter; I’m very pleased to bring a trophy to the workshop before Spa. I’d also like to dedicate it to McLaren GT.” Hexis Racing will be at Val de Vienne this coming weekend for the next round of the French Championship. Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél. : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photo by Antonin Grenier Hexis info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°11/2013 – 18 July 2013 Spa 24 Hours preview, Blancpain Endurance Series, round 4, 24-28 July 2013 Hexis Racing’s biggest 2013 adventure! Over the last three seasons Hexis Racing’s biggest adventure was the FIA GT1 World Championship. From Europe to China, from Argentina to Russia and from Brazil to Abu Dhabi, the French team won the World title sandwiched between two runner-up finishes. This year its priority aim is to put on an outstanding performance in the Spa 24 Hours. It has what it takes to back the challenge it has launched against the established front-runners in GT endurance, namely: talented drivers, the backing of McLaren GT, excellent results in the Blancpain Series and a maiden outing in the Belgian classic in which it almost scored a top-3 finish in 2011! The programmes implemented this season dovetail perfectly with this strategy. Hexis is taking part in a Pro championship, the Blancpain Endurance Series of which the Spa 24 Hours is the blue riband event. The French team is also entered in the FFSA French GT Championship, which has a Pro- Am formula. At Spa-Francorchamps it will run one of its McLaren MP4-12C GT3s (no. 7) in the Pro Cup with its usual line-up consisting of Stef Dusseldorp and works McLaren GT drivers Alvaro Parente and Alexander Sims. The second car (no. 107) is entered in the Pro-Am Cup for Olivier Panis, Laurent Cazenave and Eric Debard, three of the four drivers racing in the French Championship backed up by young charger, Côme Ledogar. Philippe Dumas gives us his impressions with just a week to go to the opening of hostilities! “I’ve got a strange feeling about this race. On the one hand, I’m split between the pressure of the event and the desire plus the obligation to do a good job. On the other, we’ve been preparing for this race in such a meticulous fashion that I’ve got great confidence in our team and I believe we can pull off a fantastic result. Over the years this event has become the greatest GT endurance race in the world. Even if we’ve already written a few fantastic lines in our results, this one would undoubtedly be one of the most prestigious, before possible major changes within our team in the near future. So we’re racing in the Spa 24 Hours to win, with our drivers, mechanics, engineers, our technical and logistics squads, with - and for - McLaren GT.” Motors TV will provide live coverage of the race and Eurosport will broadcast the highlights. 7 questions for 7 drivers Is the Hexis Racing team capable of winning the Spa 24 Hours? Alvaro Parente (no. 7 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 / Pro Cup, 2nd start in the Spa 24 Hours): “I think Hexis is very capable to do the job and I'm sure we are very motivated. Fingers crossed everything goes well, anyway we will be looking very strong.” Among your rivals who do you think will be the hardest to beat? Alexander Sims (no. 7 McLaren / Pro Cup, 1st start in the Spa 24 Hours): “I think it is difficult to single out just one car! From racing against our competitors in the Blancpain Endurance Series so far this year it is clear that the competition is fierce at every weekend. The WRT and Phoenix Audi's, Kessel Racing Ferrari, Marc VDS BMW, Gulf and ART McLaren's and JRM Nissan are probably the cars we will be racing from the main series. However with Spa there are some one off entries and this adds another factor into the race that we are not sure of, for example I expect Bruno Senna and his co- drivers in the Von Ryan McLaren will be pretty strong!” Do you think the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 has what it takes to win at Spa? Stef Dusseldorp (no. 7 McLaren / Pro Cup, 3rd start in the Spa 24 Hours): “I think Hexis and McLaren did everything they could to prepare the car for the race. We showed in Paul Ricard the car has a good pace and I think Spa will also suit the car well. With the strong teammates I have and the best team, I’m sure we have a chance to win!” In this kind of race what are the main traps to be avoided? Olivier Panis (no. 107 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 / Pro-Am Cup, 3rd start in the Spa 24 Hours): “The key to a good result will be the traffic as there are seventy cars on the track. You have to anticipate what’s going to happen and be on your guard. You can gain a second per lap and then lose half-an-hour in the pits. It’s also important to eat properly and rest. Like Le Mans it’s a long, tiring week. The last six hours are very tough, both physically and mentally.” In your opinion, what makes this race magic? Côme Ledogar (no. 107 McLaren / Pro-Am Cup, 1st start in the Spa 24 Hours): “It’s obvious that the circuit’s magic, and in general I’ve gone pretty well there. I’m also amazed at the number of prestigious makes at the start and the level of the drivers. I’d like to thank Hexis and the drivers in no. 107 for their confidence in me.” Which is more difficult: winning the race or the Pro-Am category? Laurent Cazenave (no. 107 McLaren / Pro-Am Cup, 1st start in the Spa 24 Hours): “I think it’s going to be very hard to win in the two categories. In the Pro category there are several works drivers and Porsche has joined the party. It’ll be a flat-out sprint. In Pro-Am the Platinum and Gold drivers have the same level as in the Pro Cup; the amateurs are becoming quicker and more skilled, and in addition to the quality we’ll also have quantity. So the battle’s going to be as intense as the one for outright victory. I wouldn’t be surprised that with the pace we’re going to see, there’ll be more retirements than usual.” What particular memory have you got of your previous outings? Eric Debard (no. 107 McLaren / Pro-Am Cup, 3rd start in the Spa 24 Hours): “In 2012 in the last hour we were heading for a top-three finish in Pro-Am. Olivier [Panis] was at the wheel behind the safety car and I was waiting in the pits with the headset on. Suddenly, I heard him say that he could no longer change gear! I said to myself that we were going to lose everything so near the finish. An engineer then broke in and said to Olivier, ‘recheck, recheck.’ The car started working again and we had our top-three finish!” Information... … About the Spa 24 Hours: -The Spa 24 Hours is one of the oldest endurance events in the history of motor sport. The first race goes back to 1924, a year after the creation of the Le Mans 24 Hours. It was won by Springuel and Becquet in a Bignan – a 100 per cent French victory! Twenty-seven cars started: 89 years later 70 are expected! -Former winners: Chenard-Walcker, , Excelsior (the only win by a Belgian make), Ford, , Jaguar, , , , , BMW, which holds the record with 21 victories, Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin and Nissan. The last six will be at the start of the 2013 event. -For a long time it was a touring car event. Since 2001 it has now become the greatest endurance race for grand touring cars. The GT1s and GT2s have been replaced by the GT3s so the performances are pretty evenly matched, and there is a wide choice of favourites as the nine makes entered will all be competing in the Pro Cup. -The distance record is 4498,436 km (187,431 kph) set by and Hans-Joachim Stuck in a Ford Capri in 1972 on the old circuit, which was much quicker than the present layout. The 4092,961 km (171 kph) covered by Bartels, Bertolini and Van de Poele in a Maserati GT1 is the current benchmark of the modern era. -the Belgian driver holds the record number of victories with a total of five wins. -Four former Le Mans 24-Hours winners will be on the grid as well as 5 former F1 drivers including Olivier Panis with Hexis Racing. …About Hexis Racing: -The Hexis Racing team was founded in 2002 and started with racing in Formula Renault. At that time, its current team manager Philippe Dumas was part of the driver line-up. From the first event he offered Hexis Racing its first pole position and its first podium finish. -In 2005, while they were doing one of their best seasons in Formula Renault, finished 3rd of the “Teams” championship, the team added another string to their bow by purchasing a Porsche Cup. It finished 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup the following year. -The Aston Martin era began in ‘07 with a third place in the French FFSA GT3 Teams Championship. - The next four seasons confirmed the arrival on the international scene of Hexis Racing, which finished 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship and 2nd in the FIA GT3 European Championship in 2008. It became FIA GT3 European Champion in 2009, filled the runner-up spot in the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship and clinched the FIA GT1 World Championship title in 2011 with Aston Martin. - Since 2012 Hexis Racing has been defending McLaren GT’s colours. The team gave the MP4-12C its debut at the highest level, filled the runner-up spot again in the FIA GT1 World Championship and then scored its first victory in the Blancpain Endurance Series at Navarra. The team finished its season by dominating the Baku City Challenge (Azerbaijan). The 2013 endurance season got off to a difficult start at Monza. However, at Silverstone Alexander Sims, Stef Dusseldorp and Alvaro Parente, who were in forty-seventh place on the first lap, saw the flag in seventh spot! In Paul Ricard, the Hexis McLaren came home 2nd and the team lies 5th in the Blancpain Endurance Series Pro Cup provisional standings before the Spa 24 Hours. …About Hexis Racing in the Spa 24 Hours: -Hexis Racing discovered the challenge posed by the Spa 24 Hours in 2011. With two of the aging Aston Martins and limited experience of long-distance racing, Philippe Dumas’s squad created a sensation by fighting for the podium until a collision three hours from the chequered flag dashed their hopes. Despite this incident both cars finished with the highest-placed filling eighth spot. Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tél.: +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Hexis Racing team info Team Manager : Philippe Dumas (F) Team launched in 2002 (Formula Renault 2000 French Championship).

Philippe Dumas Hexis Racing’s achievements: 3rd in the French Formula Renault 2.0 Teams championship (2005), 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). 2013: 5th in the Blancpain Endurance Pro Cup provisional standings after round 3 (2nd in Paul Ricard). McLaren MP4-12C GT3 #7’s line-up, Pro Cup Stef Dusseldorp’s bio: Dutch, born 27th September 1989. Karting: European Championship finalist (2004-2005-2006). Formula Renault 2.0: 5th in the Northern European Cup, 1 race win (2008). Formula 3: ATS Cup runner-up, 2 race wins, 15th in the Macao GP (2009), 4th in the ATS Cup, 2 race wins (2010). GT Racing: 7th in the FIA GT1 World Championship, 1 race win, Teams World Champion (Hexis AMR Aston Martin, 2011), FIA GT1 World Championship runner-up with 5 wins, 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (Hexis McLaren, 2012), 1 podium finish in the Blancpain Endurance Series (Hexis McLaren, 2013). Alexander Sims’ bio: British, born 15th March 1988. Karting: National Super 1 champion (Cadet, 2000), Monaco Kart Cup winner, 6th in the European Championship, National Super 1 champion (Junior, 2002), Formula A World Championship finalist (2004-2006). Formula Renault 2.0: British championship runner-up, 2 race wins (2008). McLaren Autosport BRDC Award winner (most promising British driver, 2008). Formula 3: 4th in the Euro Series, 1 race win, 5th in the Masters (2009), 4th in the Euro Series with 1 race win, Masters runner-up, 1 race win in the British Series (2010), 1 race win in the British Series (2011), 1 race win in the Euro Series (2012). McLaren F1 test (2010). GP3 Series: 6th, 1 race win, (2011). LMP2 prototype: 1 podium finish in the European Le Mans Series, took part in the Le Mans 24 Hours (2012), McLaren GT works driver (2012-2013), 1 podium finish in the GP3 Series, 1 podium finish in the F3 European Championship (2013), 1 podium finish in the Blancpain Endurance Series (Hexis McLaren, 2013)

Stef Dusseldorp, Alexander Sims and Alvaro Parente Alvaro Parente’s bio: Portuguese, born 4th October 1984. Karting: Portuguese Cadet champion (1994), European and Portuguese Junior Champion (1998). Formula 3: 4th in the Spanish championship, 1 race win (2002), 1 race win in the Italian championship (2003), 7th in the British Series, 1 race win (2004), British Champion, 11 race wins (2005). Formula Renault 3.5 Series: 5th, 3 race wins (2006), Champion, 2 race wins (2007). Renault F1 test (2008). GP2 Series: 8th, 1 race win (2008 and 2009), 15th (2010), 16th (2011), 8th in GP2 Asia (2009-10). Formula Superleague: 1 race win in 2009, 3 race wins in 2010. GT Racing: 4th in the Spanish GT Championship, 2 race wins (2007), 3rd in the Spanish GT Championship, 2 race wins (2010), 1 race win in the International GT Open (2010), 2nd in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series (Hexis McLaren, 2012), 1 race win in the British GT championship (United Autosport McLaren, 2012), McLaren GT works driver (2011-2012-2013), 1 podium finish in the Blancpain Endurance Series (Hexis McLaren, 2013).

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 #107’s line-up, Pro-Am Cup

Olivier Panis’ bio: French, born 2nd September 1966. Started racing in Formula Renault in 1988. Single-seater: French Formula Renault Champion in 1989, French F3 championship runner-up in 1991, F3000 intercontinental champion in 1993. F1 career: Ligier (1 win in 1996), Prost, Bar and Toyota. LMP1 Sport-prototypes: 3rd in 2009 Le Mans Series, 1st in 2011 Sebring 12 Hours, took part in the Le Mans 24 Hours 4 times (5th in 2009 / -AIM). GT racing (Corvette, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Ferrari): FIA GT1 World Championship (1 event), French GT Championship (runner-up in 2012), 3rd in Pro-Am class in the 2012 Spa 24 Hours. Miscellaneous: took part in the first edition of the Pau electric GP, Ice racing Andros Trophy (6 race wins).

Côme Ledogar’s bio: French, born 23rd May 1991. Won ACO/Auto Hebdo’s scholarship contest (Bugatti circuit, Le Mans, 2007). Started racing in Formul’Academy Euro Series, runner-up with 6 podium finishes including 4 race wins, 3 pole positions. Formula BMW Europe: 6th with 3 podium finishes and 2 pole positions (2010). Formula Renault 2.0: 1 podium finish in the Northern European Cup (2010), 1 fastest lap in the Eurocup, 1 podium finish in the Northern European Cup (2011). Porsche Carrera Cup France : 2nd with 9 podium finishes including 4 race wins, 2 pole positions, 2nd in the « Matmut Young Talent » Trophy, Porsche Motorsport International Cup Scholarship Program finalist (2012). 3rd in the provisional standings with 2 race wins and 1 pole position after 3 out of 6 rounds (2013).

Laurent Cazenave’s bio: French, born 25th April 1976. Started racing in the French Formula Campus championship in 1995. Formula Ford in 1996. Touring cars: 3rd in the French Super Production championship in 2000, Super Touring Championship, WTCC (Independent’s Trophy class winner in the 2008 ). GT racing (Viper, Porsche, Corvette, Aston Martin): FIA GT1 World Championship, FIA GT3 European Championship, Blancpain Endurance Series (1 event with Hexis in 2011), 4 race wins in the French GT championship. Miscellaneous: took part in the first edition of the Pau electric GP.

Eric Debard’s bio: French, born 4th October 1964. Started racing in the Clio Cup in 1996. Touring cars: 3rd in the French Super Production championship in 2001, French Super Touring Cup Winner in 2005. GT racing (Viper, , Corvette, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Ferrari): French GT Champion in 2009, runner-up in 2012, 3rd in Pro-Am class in the 2012 Spa 24 Hours. Photos by Antonin Grenier Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm: Tel.: +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile: +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected]

Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

65th Spa 24 Hours: The anti press release To come back next year! 02

The main thing about big adventures is that they don’t come along all that often and that things never quite go to plan, and therefore they give those lucky enough to live through them real and unique emotions. The Total 24 Hours of Spa were to be Hexis Racing’s big adventure for the 2013 season, as it was a major race, and they were aiming to win. The whole team had prepared for this objective. Any uncertainties concerning their future only multiplied their determination, which through the accumulation of wins and titles, has become a defining quality of the team. It was also a big celebration, shared by tens of thousands of people at various levels : the public who enjoyed the parade and the race, the team members, drivers, members of the press, officials and volunteers, without forgetting all those partygoers who got drunk on decibels during Saturday evening’s concert at the foot of the famous Raidillon. Personally, the 24 Hours of Spa have given me many moments of passion, since my very first visit to Francorchamps. That was back in 1984, when Jaguar beat BMW in an event which gathered together the leading cars from the European Touring Car Championship. Twenty-nine years later, I am happy and proud to have followed the race with the Hexis Racing team. Unfortunately, luck was not with them, but the memory of these days spent with the team will remain with me always. 03

The week started with the Wednesday afternoon parade, a moment to relax and meet the public who lined the eight kilometres between Francorchamps and Spa. GT cars are based on road cars, so they are quite capable of driving down the road to the city centre. On display around the Casino, the crowds flocked to admire them, a moment when motorsport takes over the city centre. Racing around tracks built in the middle of nowhere is good, but it is warming to see how a town, which has gained much from motorsport over the past century, welcomes the participants into their midst. The cars then headed back to the track, with some surprising drivers behind the wheel! The nr 7 McLaren, for example, was in the hands of the team’s technician Pierre Comby, who had Alexander Sims as a co-driver. Back from their excursion, the teams had plenty of work in order to put the cars back into ‘circuit’ mode. In order to go on the normal roads, it is vital to increase the ride-height in order to avoid damaging the undertray or the splitter on any bumps in the road. 04 05

Watching all the team members complete their final checks before the timed sessions began, I was delighted that the team had opted to be based in the old pit lane, full of history, right at the pit exit, in front of the Raidillon. Away from the comfort of the F1 garages, the media centre and the luxurious hospitality suites, the heart of the circuit nevertheless beats in the endurance pit lane. The garages may be minuscule, but Hexis had four of them, and, along with other advantages, this allowed the team to work in comfort. I was also surprised by the team’s decision not to place their pit perch on the pit wall as all the other teams did. But what was the point in being one metre from the track, with the cars going by at over 200 kph? The computers and timing screens were set up in one of the four garages, well away from inclement weather, close to the rest of the team, and with an impressive view of the Raidillon. Invention is one of the many qualities of a team which has learned to question every given opinion. 06 07

Thursday was, for me, the most thrilling day. Under the oppressive July heat in the Ardennes, all 66 cars would finally be in action. Everyone was keen to evaluate the potential of each brand, to see which team would be able to make the most of it. The morning’s first free practice session was followed by the final warm-up, the pre-qualifying session. Everyone was ready for battle for the first qualifying session, which lived up to all expectations as far as the show was concerned. The second session, which took place under the full moon until midnight, was just as captivating. Those outside the top 20 were desperately hunting for that elusive tenth of a second to allow them to take part in Friday evening’s Superpole session. But with the track dirty, greasy and dusty, very few were able. 08

In the McLaren clan, Hexis Racing was satisfied with a job well done. Eighth on the combined qualifying timesheet, the team had met with no technical issues and was well ahead of the other MP4-12C cars, just as it had been in Silverstone and at the Paul Ricard. The closest car to them was that of Von Ryan Racing, shared by Bruno Senna, Rob Barff and factory test driver . It was 28th, over a second slower ! It was clear that the set-up defined by engineer Gautier Bouteiller was working perfectly, and once again, Alvaro Parente had proved his talent. The team’s second car, the #107 entered in the Pro-Am category, 09 was further back, in 44th place, but the car had been making steady progress since the start of the event. After all, for his first race in this category, and making his debut in the MP4-12C, Côme Ledogar was only 53 hundredths of a second slower than Senna, and 27 from the official McLaren GT driver Rob Bell behind the wheel of the Gulf Racing car. However, for those close to the team, who could follow the expressions on the face of team manager Philippe Dumas, there was an element of resignation, confirmed the next day during the Superpole. Putting the McLaren tenth on the final starting grid, the team and their lead driver had done their job. They had got the most possible out of the car, but there was no longer any talk of victory. Objectives had been downgraded, with a top five finish becoming the most realistic aim. For that, a faultless performance would be necessary, needing to hope for bad luck from their rivals in order to claim a podium finish. 10

However, the race started like a fairy tale for Hexis Racing. Alvaro Parente put in a masterly performance, managing to avoid the chaos on the first time through the Raidillon, when ’s Ferrari spun in front of the pack! What a sublime surprise to see the car reach the Combes in third position! The official McLaren GT driver put in a fine stint, being in the Top Three for the whole of the first hour. But fate had other things in store for the French team. The nr 7 lost 18 laps due to a broken alternator cable connection. The nr 107 was stuck in the pits for eight laps, after the brake pedal remained stuck in position. Despite the torrid heat, the team worked hard to fix these issues, which tested them to the limit. But despite these worries and the effect they had on the team morale, everyone was soon back in the fight. To finish, to score points towards the Championship, it was well worth the hard work... 11

…Right up until the 7th hour of the race, when Alexander Sims collided with another car at the bus stop. He brought the nr 7, badly damaged, back to the pits. The team started the repairs, but the more they dismantled the car, the more they realised that it was seriously damaged. The phrase ‘to give up’ is not in the Hexis Racing dictionary, but Philippe Dumas had no other option but to fill out the form signalling their retirement. Luckily, the nr 107 was still going round like a Blancpain watch, gaining places on a regular basis. 49th after three hours, it climbed back into the top 30 at the mid-race point. The team allowed me to listen in on the radio conversations with the driver. I heard them discuss the fuel consumption, the state of the track during a brief shower, and the encouragements from Philippe Dumas during the difficult double stints. 12

Around 5 am, I decided to head to the nearby hotel. Shortly afterwards, the nr 107 came to a final halt at the side of the track. When I woke up, it was my Auto Hebdo colleague who gave me the sad news by text message. I could write many paragraphs on the understandable disappointment from the whole team, on the long hours of work and much sweat which had brought them to that point. For their second 24-hour race, Hexis Racing shone but did not reach their dream, and it is never easy to come down from such hopes and expectation! The biggest teams, the best-prepared factories, the most experienced drivers, have all gone through this phase. It is important to know that you gave your all, that you faced up to each difficulty with courage, and, most importantly… to come back the next year and try again! Romane Didier Many thanks to the team, Special thanks to Antonin Grenier for the pictures Press Relations : Romane Didier / future racing commm : Tel.: +332.47.55.67.79 / Mobile: +336.10.65.30.16 [email protected] Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°12/2013 – 17 September 2013 Blancpain 1000 at Nürburgring preview 5th and final round of the Blancpain Endurance Series, 22 September 2013 Crunch time at the ‘Ring! Hexis Racing is looking forward to racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series at the Nürburgring this coming weekend. The car entered by the French team for Alvaro Parente, Alexander Sims and Stef Dusseldorp is one of the front-runners in this top-class championship. The no. 7 was the highest- placed McLaren at Silverstone and Paul Ricard where it finished second, and was the quickest MP4- 12C in the Spa 24 Hours even though it failed to see the chequered flag. The Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit has bitter-sweet memories for the Hexis team members. Last year Frédéric Makowiecki and Stef Dusseldorp clinched pole in the second-last round of the FIA GT1 World Championship. In the race, however, technical problems stymied the victory chances of the Franco- Dutch pairing who scored one point - they needed just one more to clinch the world championship title! There will be points aplenty up for grabs in Germany. Because the race distance is 1000 km, a reminder of the great endurance events, extra points will be awarded for the fifth and last round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. This gives several drivers, including the three aces in the no. 7 McLaren, a chance to win the title in the Pro Cup. The leaders have 50 points, Dusseldorp, Sims and Parente have 24 and on Sunday the winners will score 33. May the best men win! “It’s a circuit that should suit us,” says team manager, Philippe Dumas. “It’s the second big race in the series. We’re going there in a win or bust frame of mind, to pull off a coup and finish the championship on a high note, which could salvage our season.” The race will take place over 1000 km or 6 hours maximum. On Saturday 21st September each driver will race against the stopwatch for 15 minutes during the three qualifying sessions between 16h50 and 17h50. The start of the race will be given on Sunday at 11h45 and it can be followed on live streaming on: http://www.blancpain-endurance-series.com/pages/live Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photo by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°13/2013 – 22 September 2013 Blancpain 1000 @ Nürburgring race report 5th and final round of the Blancpain Endurance Series, 22 September 2013 Disappointment is part of the game! The Hexis Racing McLaren MP4-12C GT3 did not see the chequered flag in the final round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at the Nürburgring. At the start of the third of the six hours in the race the English car was caught in a sandwich between two . The double impact resulted in damage to the left-hand front and right-hand rear drive trains, which it would have taken too long to repair. Hexis Racing, whose drivers arrived in Germany with a slim chance of finishing in the top 3 in the championship, has absorbed this disappointment in a philosophical manner. The team has been having a tough season in terms of results, but in the world of sport nobody is protected from a run of bad luck. The first setback came in qualifying. As has often been the case no. 7 was the quickest of the McLarens in free practice and during the pre-qualifying session with the second time overall. The combined times of the three qualifying sessions meant that the French-entered car could do no better than 14th place on the grid. Given the overall driver level, the quality of the teams entered and the exceptional stakes in the last race of the 2013 championship, the opening laps looked like being a free-for-all! As at Paul Ricard and in the Spa 24 Hours, Alvaro Parente managed to pull back places as a few drops of rain sprinkled the circuit and moved up to eleventh overall and ninth in the Pro Cup category. The Portuguese driver’s next target was the no. 23 Nissan, which he passed. Almost immediately he was punted into a spin by the no. 44 Ferrari that had followed in his footsteps! Thus, at the end of the first hour the Hexis Racing McLaren was in 15th place. Stef Dusseldorp took over and the deployment of the safety car gave the team an opportunity to make up some time. Hexis Racing decided to call in its driver for a refuelling stop. Unfortunately, the team would never find out whether or not it was the right call. Dusseldorp tells us what happened at the start of the third hour: “Fifteen minutes from the end of my stint I tried to pass a BMW that was much slower than me on the entry to the Michael Schumacher Esses, but the driver closed the door. Although I lost momentum I was able to get level with him on the approach to turn 11. Another BMW tried to take advantage of its greater speed to overtake us both. In my opinion, it was a dicey move. I was hit on the left-hand front and the right-hand rear. I was able to bring the car back to the pits, but the team soon realised that repairs would take too long and that we had no choice but to retire.” “This race just about sums up our season,” said a resigned Philippe Dumas, the Hexis Racing team manager. We’ve had a lot of lows and not too many highs, but we mustn’t let it get us down. It can happen to anybody. As team manager and in the name of all its members we have to accept the way the race panned out and get over it as soon as possible. We invested a lot of hope in this event but things didn’t turn out as we’d have liked. It was the case in qualifying and then Alvaro was tagged. But a great first pit stop and the decision to refuel under the safety car could have put us back in the running for a place in the top five. I’m not given to hindsight so whatever happens now we can be very proud of what we’ve achieved over all these years. We’re going to do everything we can to stop the rot in the French GT Championship and score a good result on home turf.” The team won’t have to travel far as the sixth round of the GT Tour will take place on the Lédenon circuit a few dozen metres from its workshops on 11-12 October! Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°14/2013 – 9 October 2013 Hexis’ home race, GT Tour @ Lédenon, 12-13 October 2013 Hexis Racing – 6 years on In 2004, Hexis Racing set up shop in workshops adjoining the Lédenon paddock. The last time the team raced at home was in 2007 when it won both rounds of the French FFSA GT3 Championship. Six years later the # 7 and 17 McLaren MP4-12Cs entered for the sixth round of the GT Tour will have plenty of supporters on the squad’s test track, because the headquarters and the main production facility of the Hexis Group are based in Frontignan in the neighbouring Hérault department. A quick look back at the start of the 2007 season. Hexis Racing had just moved up into a different league with the arrival of two Aston Martins in its workshops. Brière-Yvon had scored a second place finish in the first round on the Nogaro circuit, and left their rivals gasping in their wake at Lédenon. The second car, damaged at the start of race 1, was repaired during the night, and Manu and Julien Rodrigues managed to fight their way up into fourth place in race 2, which completed a stunning overall result for the fledgling team managed by Philippe Dumas. A few days later, Hexis Racing set off for Silverstone with Fred Makowiecki in the driver line-up opening a new chapter in its history - international races crowned by the 2009 FIA GT3 European Championship and 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship titles. “I reckon we haven’t done too bad a job since 2007,” says Philippe Dumas. “Today we represent McLaren GT and that’s a great honour. In 2012, we shared seven victories, five pole positions and numerous top-3 finishes on the international scene as well as double runner-up placings in the world championship. The 2013 season has been more difficult; it’s not been much fun but that’s racing: we’re still hard at work fighting back.” The two Hexis Racing McLarens will be driven by Cazenave-Police and Panis-Debard. For the latter Lédenon also has good memories as he was crowned FFSA GT French Champion there in 2009 with none other than Olivier Panis! * More than 25 cars will take part in qualifying on Saturday 12th October at 10h40. The start of race 1 will be given at 17h05 for an hour of intense combat with a driver change between the 28th and 35th minute. Race 2, which follows the same format, will begin on Sunday at 13h45. The event will be shown on live streaming on the official GT Tour site. And don’t forget to keep up to date with all our latest information on the Hexis Racing team’s Facebook page! *That year Olivier Panis finished third in the French Championship as he missed the GT event at Dijon, which clashed with the Le Mans Series Spa 1000 km. Hexis Racing’s GT achievements: 2nd in the French FFSA GT Cup (Porsche, 2006), 3rd in the French FFSA GT3 Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2007), 3rd in the ADAC GT Masters Teams Championship (Aston Martin, 2008), runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2008), FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin, 2009), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin, 2010), FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin, 2011), runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams, 1 pole and 1 race win in the Blancpain Endurance Series, pole and victory in Baku’s City Challenge (McLaren, 2012). Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photo by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°15/2013 – 16 October 2013 Hexis Racing stops its activities although the adventure may continue The French team, Hexis Racing, has been one of the front-runners on the international scene in GT racing since 2007, the highlight being its world title in 2011. It is going to close down in its current form and cease its activities at the end of the year. The team belongs to the Hexis Group, which founded it in 2001. It has had various faithful partners, but the main financial backing has always come from the Hexis Group. Without the French company the team would not have had such a successful career with its long list of pole positions, victories, titles, premiers and records. For example, Hexis Racing never finished lower than second in the FIA European and World Championships between 2008 and 2012. In a company there are always priorities in terms of investment and development, which today justify the decision of the Hexis Group to withdraw its support from financing a racing team. Its CEO Michel Mateu, who was the driving force behind the setting up of Hexis Racing, gives us his point of view. “The dream’s lasted for twelve years. When we started off we never expected to see the name Hexis reach the summits it has to the point of becoming European and World Champions. It’s been a difficult decision for me, but we now need all our resources to pursue the international development of the Hexis Group.” Mateu would like the team’s sporting and human adventure to continue. “The competence of the staff needs no further proof. This team has the ability to fight at a higher level, aim for greater challenges. It needs resources which we cannot provide today. If we manage to find a buyer who can supply them, the team is ready to continue with its management, its engineering, its staff, its premises and its close partnership with McLaren GT.” But this continuation isn’t feasible except in the context of an ambitious sporting programme. The aim can only be to score victories and titles in important championships and top- class events as confirmed by Philippe Dumas, the Hexis Racing team manager since 2004: “Above all else on behalf of all the people who’ve worked in this team, I’d like to thank Michel Mateu and Hexis to have enabled us to live this unique adventure. I want to continue; we all want to continue, but not at any price, that’s for sure. We’ve got the know-how and in-depth GT experience. Our aim is to carry on doing this great job in the best possible conditions, namely: to help top-level cars, drivers and manufacturers win.” A month and a half remains to find a solution. In the meantime the team will take part in the final round of the GT Tour on the Paul Ricard circuit on 26-27 October. However, the adventure could not stop without an ultimate challenge in keeping with the team’s reputation - to take part in a major event at the other end of the world! Hexis Racing was the winner of the first Baku City Challenge at the end of 2012 in the streets of Baku, so the French squad will return to Azerbaijan on 22-24 November for the final round of the FIA GT Series. The Baku World Challenge has attracted over 30 cars and a great field of drivers so it will be a kind of unofficial GT3 world final. Originally, the date of the event prevented Hexis from taking part. The change from October to November has modified the situation, but other teams that represent McLaren have taken on the men who have driven for Hexis Racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series. Philippe Dumas knows he can count on Rob Bell, one of the works McLaren GT squad. The team is looking for another top-class international racer to complete its driver line-up. ENDS Hexis Racing, major results: 2008 Runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2009 FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin) 2010 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2011 FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin) 2012 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (McLaren) Hexis Racing, the firsts: Winners of the first FIA World Championship event ever organised in Russia (2012) Winners of the first international GT race ever organised in Azerbaijan (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series (2012) Hexis Racing, the records: Record number of race wins and points scored in the history of the FIA GT1 World Championship (2010, 2011, 2012) Record number of race wins, pole positions and fastest laps in the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°17/2013 – 28 October 2013 GT Tour, FFSA French GT Championship final rounds, Paul Ricard HTTT, 26-27 October 2013 Hexis Racing finishes on a high note ! While waiting to see what the future holds, Hexis Racing was back in the top 3 in the last leg of the 2013 GT Tour on the Paul Ricard circuit. In qualifying Eric Debard set the sixth-quickest time and made a great start to race 1 after cleverly avoiding getting caught up in the scrum in the first corner! Olivier Panis relayed him in the no. 17 McLaren at half distance and came out on top in a spectacular three-handed scrap to finish on the third step of the podium. The team’s other driver line-up also came close to causing a sensation. Nicolas Métairie, who was having his first outing with Hexis Racing and the McLaren MP4-12C, was the revelation of the afternoon! He qualified eleventh, made up six places on the opening lap and spent most of his stint in second spot. Unfortunately, no. 7 tumbled down the time sheets on the 32nd of the 41 laps when it spun with Laurent Cazenave at the wheel.

No miracles, however, in race 2 as the cars qualified in 20th and 23rd places and saw the flag in 12th and 16th positions. “On Saturday our McLarens had a superb race and both had the potential to finish in the top five,“ analysed Philippe Dumas. “I’m happy for the drivers and for everybody that we’ve finished the French Championship on the podium at a meeting which received the best entry of the 2013 GT Tour. The last round attracted a field of thirty cars backed up by some top-class international teams. I’d also like to congratulate Nicolas Métairie who put on an exemplary performance both on and off the track.” The Hexis Racing team spent an extra day at the Paul Ricard circuit to prepare for its last event of the year, the Baku World Challenge, which will be the most challenging, hotly-contested and wildest Grand Touring sprint race in 2013! Rendezvous in Azerbaijan on 22-24 November 2013. Hexis Racing, major results: 2008 Runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2009 FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin) 2010 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2011 FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin) 2012 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (McLaren) Hexis Racing, the firsts: Winners of the first FIA World Championship event ever organised in Russia (2012) Winners of the first international GT race ever organised in Azerbaijan (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series (2012) Hexis Racing, the records: Record number of race wins and points scored in the history of the FIA GT1 World Championship (2010, 2011, 2012) Record number of race wins, pole positions and fastest laps in the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Romane Didier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°18/2013 – 19 November 2013 FIA GT Series, final round, Baku World Challenge, 23-24 November 2013 A new face for the last outing! In 2012, the Hexis Racing team emerged victorious in the first City Challenge in the streets of Baku, and it’s common knowledge that the French squad is at a turning point in its history. However, it is coming back to Azerbaijan absolutely determined to write one of the greatest pages in its glorious history. Will it be the final chapter of a fantastic saga or the start of volume 2? The only thing that’s sure is the determination each team member feels to get out there and get stuck in in what is the final throw of the dice of the season. The greatest GT sprint race of the year? A quick look at the entry list of teams and drivers for the final round of the FIA GT Series gives the impression that there are as many favourites for victory as there are entries! City street races are nearly always full of upsets, and the fact that none of the belligerents can test in Baku adds even greater uncertainty to this type of race, which makes forecasting the outcome like looking for a needle in a haystack! Last year the Hexis Racing McLaren driven by Fred Makowiecki and Stef Dusseldorp won and the French squad almost pulled off a double. But this experience doesn’t confer a decisive advantage as the 4.380-long circuit for this year’s event is very different and much longer and quicker. Driver no. 50 To tackle this world challenge Hexis Racing can count on a top-class driver line-up consisting of Rob Bell (34) and Kevin Estre (25). This weekend, the latter will become the 50th driver to get behind the wheel of a Hexis Racing car since the team was founded in 2002.

Bell is a double GT2 champion in the Le Mans Series and he was already part of the Hexis line-up in Baku last year. He qualified on the front row for the main race with Alvaro Parente before being obliged to retire 11 laps from the end with gearbox problems. The Brit is one of the McLaren works GT drivers, and he is also taking part in the FIA World Endurance Championship in an Aston Martin. Kevin Estre was taken on by the team after a promising test session at the end of October on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit where he was able to get to know the McLaren MP4-12C GT3, his team-mate Rob Bell, and the whole Hexis squad. The French driver won the French Porsche Carrera Cup in 2011, finished second in the Supercup in 2012 and clinched the eagerly sought-after German Porsche Cup title this year. He has won a total of 38 races in these three championships since the debut of his career as a Porsche driver. In July, he dominated his rivals on the Norisring city circuit, which shares certain characteristics with the Baku layout. The final battle? The McLaren bearing the number 27 left for Germany last week while the car and the team are flying to the Azerbaijan capital, today, Tuesday. Team manager Philippe Dumas sets the scene as this race unlike any other approaches: “We’re ready. The team’s well rested, trained, determined, confident and relaxed for what, as things stand at the moment, will certainly be our last battle together!” Baku World Challenge timetable (local time): Friday 22 November 2013: Street Parade: 18.00 Saturday 23 November 2013: Free Practice 1: 09.00-10.20. Free Practice 2: 11.55-13.15. Qualifying Practice: 16.15-17.15 Sunday, 24th November 2013: Warm-Up: 08.00-08.20. Qualifying Race: 09.15-10.15. Main Race: 13.00-14.00. Hexis Racing, major results: 2008 Runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2009 FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin) 2010 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2011 FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin) 2012 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (McLaren) Hexis Racing, the firsts: Winners of the first FIA World Championship event ever organised in Russia (2012) Winners of the first international GT race ever organised in Azerbaijan (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series (2012) Hexis Racing, the records: Record number of race wins and points scored in the history of the FIA GT1 World Championship (2010, 2011, 2012) Record number of race wins, pole positions and fastest laps in the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Korncholio Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°19/2013 – 25 November 2013 Baku World Challenge race report, FIA GT Series’ final round, 23-24 November 2013 No victory but a stunning feat! All the right ingredients were combined to make Hexis Racing’s trip to Baku end on a high note, especially in view of the threat of the team being closed down. It achieved a major exploit in a far-off country with a dream team. The magic of motor sport and of races in city streets all helped to rack up the tension to fever pitch! Rob Bell started the main race in third place, and he was down in twenty- second spot when he was tagged in the first chicane chaos and had to pit with a puncture. Then he hit a traffic jam at the pit entry, which cost the no. 27 McLaren another few precious seconds. Around half-an-hour later Kevin Estre crossed the line in second place only 1.3 seconds behind the winner: he finally finished third!

“This race was a mirror image of our team’s adventure,” said team manager Philippe Dumas after the finish. “A dash of craziness, a heap of talent, the occasional disappointment and above all, above all, we again proved that we never, ever give up! As the weekend draws to a close and after everything we’ve lived through together over all these years racing in the four corners of the world, today’s result isn’t maybe all that important. We’re still the best team and nobody should have any regrets. I’m proud of this whole adventure and also to have put my trust in an incredible driver, Kevin Estre.” By cumulating Rob’s fifth-fastest time in the first qualifying session and Kevin’s eighth-quickest lap in the second, the Hexis Racing McLaren was in eighth place on the grid for the qualifying race. Estre did the first stint and he moved up to fifth place thanks to couple of brilliant overtaking manoeuvres. The squad’s pit stop team again did honour to their legend beating their closest rivals by 2.384 seconds changing the wheels! Bell rejoined in third place for his stint, which was marked by a long safety car period and a red flag. The race was restarted for 15 minutes and there were no changes at the front of the field. Rob saw the flag in third place behind two fighting off former Hexis Racing driver Alexander Sims in the process! Bell also did the first stint in the main race lining up on the inside of the second row. The race got off to a chaotic start due to the very slow pace imposed by the pole sitter, Niki-Mayr-Melnhof. Rob was hemmed in behind the Austrian and he was overtaken by a host of cars, which had made a faster start, as the squabbling field roared down to the first chicane. The Hexis Racing McLaren was tagged on both sides and the Englishman had to do three kilometers with a punctured front tyre before pitting. When he went back out Bell was only able to fight his way back from 23rd to 17th place as the safety car was again deployed after 10-minutes racing. A kerb had to be repaired and the race didn’t restart until the pit stop window opened.

Another hitch hit the French squad when Bell came in for his stop. Rob was delayed at the entrance to the pit lane by a car that had stopped. Although the team achieved another lightning turnabout when changing the wheels around 20 seconds were lost. Estre then began a series of awesome overtaking moves setting mind-boggling lap times as he fought his way up to fourth place behind yet another former Hexis driver, Alvaro Parente. With three laps to go the Portuguese driver felt the threat looming and plunged down the inside to get past Alon Day’s Mercedes-Benz on the run into the hairpin. Kevin took the opportunity to try and slip through the tiny gap as well and rounded the hairpin between the German car and the wall. On the exit from the corner Day hit Parente’s McLaren, which slammed into the right-hand door of Kevin’s car. The French driver managed to continue at unabated speed and crossed the finishing line in an unbelievable second place! After the race the incident between Day, Parente and Estre was investigated by the Stewards. The Mercedes-Benz driver was given a 10-second penalty for causing an avoidable accident. Kevin got the same fine for exceeding the track limits putting him back to third place. As Philippe Dumas said above, the place on the podium was of secondary importance like the size of the cheque (25 000 euros), as the team’s performance spoke for itself. If Hexis Racing is obliged to quit the racing scene it will have done so on a high note in addition to giving a driver, who certainly has a great future ahead of him, the opportunity to display the full range of his talent! Hexis Racing, major results: 2008 Runner-up in the FIA GT3 European Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2009 FIA GT3 Teams European Champion (Aston Martin) 2010 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (Aston Martin) 2011 FIA GT1 Teams World Champion (Aston Martin) 2012 Runner-up in the FIA GT1 World Championship for Teams (McLaren) Hexis Racing, the firsts: Winners of the first FIA World Championship event ever organised in Russia (2012) Winners of the first international GT race ever organised in Azerbaijan (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 (2012) First race win of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 in the Blancpain Endurance Series (2012) Hexis Racing, the records: Record number of race wins and points scored in the history of the FIA GT1 World Championship (2010, 2011, 2012) Record number of race wins, pole positions and fastest laps in the 2012 FIA GT1 World Championship Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm Tel.: +33 2.47.55.67.79 / Mobile : +33 6.10.65.30.16 / [email protected] Photos by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ info: www.hexisracing.com

Newsletter n°20/2013 – 3 December 2013 The curtain falls on Hexis Racing From Nogaro 2002 to Baku 2013 the Hexis Racing adventure started and ended with a top-3 finish. Between these two dates the team set up by Michel Mateu became the only private French squad to win an FIA World Championship title in circuit racing. It’s difficult not to feel a certain twinge of nostalgia when using the word, end. For all the men and women who have worked with this team, followed and supported it, and appreciated its achievements, its exceptional career will always remain engraved in a corner of their memories and their heart. The Hexis winning machine produced a human experience, technical skills and a set of results and an exciting, never-to-be-forgotten heritage. These memories are beyond price and they will always have an incalculable value. The images, noises, smells, words, laughter and tears are all firmly anchored there and they will never be lost. They will make everybody stronger to face what the future holds!

This story couldn’t continue without a top-level sporting project, the partnership of a manufacturer or a wealthy investor. In the past few weeks there were a lot of contacts, but it was impossible to put together the right package. The 2014 season has already arrived and each person has to think of his/her professional future. Thus, Hexis Racing will shut its doors at the end of this year, but the ex- Hexians will win again! Let Philippe Dumas, who has been with the team over the past 12-years racing, have the last word: “We can never thank the Hexis Group and the Mateu family enough for making it possible for us to live this incredible adventure.” Bring down the curtain! THE END The team’s archives can be found at www.hexisracing.com including: > The teams’s record and the list of the 50 Hexis Racing drivers > The 2007 – 2013 press release collection Press Relations: Romane Didier / future racing commm : T : +33 (0)2.47.55.67.79 / M: +33 (0)6.10.65.30.16 / E: [email protected] Photo by Antonin Grenier Hexis’ Info: www.hexisracing.com