Drayson Aston joins LMS field

Last year the team, running under the Drayson-Barwell banner, focused primarily on the American Le Mans Series, but this time they only plan to participate in three ALMS races - the Sebring 12 Hours, the Petit Le Mans and the season finale at Laguna Seca - around their European campaign.

Paul Drayson and Jonny Cocker will remain as the team's full-time driver pairing, and the squad will continue to be an official partner of Aston Martin.

Drayson Racing also intend to enter the non-championship events at Fuji and Shanghai in November, and hope to earn a Le Mans invitation.

"My ambition is to race at the Le Mans 24 Hours, that's the whole focus of the programme," said Drayson at the Autosport International Show. "We hope that's going to be a goal we can realise this year.

"I was born blind in one eye so it's always been a bit of a battle to show that you can be safe and confident. There has been a long-standing rule at the highest level that had an absolute ban on people doing the top level of racing like Formula One or the Le Mans 24 Hours if you're blind in one eye.

"But I'm really pleased that in December of last year the FIA changed the rules. Now, if you can prove that you're competent and that you're safe, no disability is a bar - which is the way it should be.

"So you can now go the full distance so I'm really going to put all my effort into getting to the iconic 24-hour race."

Drayson have also recruited Dale White - who ran the highly-successful Petersen/White Lightning GT squad - as team manager. White had previously worked for the team as a consultant and strategist, but will now manage their operations.

The team will also continue to run bio-ethanol fuel in the ALMS, and plan to work on new environmentally-friendly innovations.