Hines in Team LNT Panoz Test

British Touring Car ace Luke Hines took part in the recent Sebring testing with Team LNT. Hines travelled with the Yorkshire based team for the second part of the teams extensive Sebring testing last week. Team LNT have now conducted 6 days at the Florida circuit in preparation for the 12 hour race in March.

Hines, left and Kimber-Smith

Hines was experiencing his first time in a sports car and conducted several runs in the Panoz Esperante GT2 car. The team are evaluating several drivers for the second BGT seat alongside Tom Kimber-Smith for 2006. Also driving at Sebring were Lawrence Tomlinson, Tom Kimber-Smith and Richard Dean.

LNT managing director Richard Dean commented, “Luke has raced for me in the British Formula Ford championship so I know he is very capable and very quick. We wanted to take a look at him and see how he adapted to a 500bhp sports car and he did a good job at Sebring which is a particularly difficult circuit”.

After the test, Hines commented “The car is bloody quick and handles much more like a single seater than I expected. I really enjoyed the test and it now has me thinking about a change of direction with Motorsport. I will look at my options over the next week or so with my sponsors and the BTCC and the British GT championship”.

Team LNT are now on day 15 with the Panoz Esperante testing programme. The two cars in the UK have now been fully rebuilt after running up 20 + hours each and the third car in the USA will be rebuilt in time for the Sebring race having completed over 20 hours testing at Sebring.

Technical director Alan Mugglestone commented “We couldn’t have asked for more in terms of reliability and performance from these cars and assistance from the Panoz factory. We are now ahead of schedule with the testing programme and we can concentrate on driver line up and development parts we anticipate will come through during the season”.