Team LNT, who will be campaigning two Ginetta G60-LT-P1 AER-powered LMP1 cars in the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship, has announced an innovative fan-engagement programme for the new season. The announcement has been warmly and enthusiastically received by sportscar racing’s fan base.
The team, based in Garforth, Leeds, was founded in 1958 and has continued to be at the cutting edge of GT and prototype car production since the business was acquired by Lawrence Tomlinson in 2005. The new initiative will see the team offering fans the opportunity to win ‘Orange Ticket’ access to their garage for every round of the 2019/20 FIA WEC season with guided tour of the car and the facility as well as the chance to watch the team in action.
There will also be a regular fan-facing podcast at race weekends hosted by Graham Goodwin, editor of Dailysportscar and FIA WEC commentator.
The team is embracing the growth and popularity of enthusiast communities on social media by placing logos from leading communities on its two G60-LT-P1s. Logos will be displayed representing Sportscar Worldwide, the FIA World Endurance Championship Fans Forum and a further sportscar racing enthusiasts’ community.
Team LNT owner and Ginetta Cars chairman Lawrence Tomlinson explained why his team has decided to embrace fan engagement in this new and exciting way.
“From the second that Ginetta announced our intention to enter LMP1, the public response has been phenomenal – the interest in the car, and in particular, the Team LMT effort for the coming season has been massive.
“That level of enthusiasm deserves a response, so we have decided to reward the fans by providing access to the team, the like of which has not been seen before in the top; class of sportscar racing. So we will be offering a range of opportunities for real fans to get close to the team at the track.
“There will be garage tours every day of every race weekend, where real fans can see what’s going on with the preparation of the two Ginettas. We’ll also be giving over a section of our body work to fans too – Silverstone will see the first of a number of social media groups which support the WEC represented on the cars, and there will be competitions throughout the season to get even closer to some Ginetta action!
“Ginetta has an unrivalled reputation in the sport for bringing talent to the fore. We do this by offering unbeatable performance for the money we charge for cars. Now we are going to apply that same formula by providing simply the best access that we can to the highest level of sportscar racing in the world.”
Founders of Sportscar Worldwide, Ian Chicken and Sean Randall, are delighted at Team LNT’s fan engagement activity and believe this could be the start of a change in how race teams, and other parties involved in the sport, interact with their supporters.
“Firstly, I am thrilled for Sportscar Worldwide to be part of the initiative started by Graham Goodwin and Lawrence Tomlinson to engage the fans in the LMP1 project,” said Sportscar Worldwide owner Ian Chicken. “It’s giving the fans the opportunity to get close to all involved and see how the team and the series is run each season.
“This, I hope, will give everyone engaged more insight in how day-to-day operations are run to make these events work. All of this subsequently gives the teams a chance to see what it is the fans like about them and what they would like to see more of and why they turn up to support them.
“We are hoping that this is just the starting point and will encourage more to open up, be they series’, teams, drivers or sponsors.
“Being in at the start of this gives us a good starting point to help and advise others who are brought in to the fold to make this work.”
“True fans have always craved to get closer to the teams and drivers,” said Sportscar Worldwide Sales Manager Sean Randall. “This makes the fans feel part of the “family” and understand more of what it takes to run a team. A lot of other series have always given the “them and us” impression and this creates negativity from the fans point of view.
“Being given the chance to take part opens up the chance for the fans to feedback to the teams, and the organisers, what’s good and what’s not.
“After 35 years of attending endurance racing, interaction has always been required to keep the fans coming. That is why the pit walks are so popular because the fans love to get up close to the cars, the teams and the drivers.”
Team LNT will be in action at the opening round of the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship at Silverstone on August 30 – September 1.