Mercuria and DAMS, a Winning Synergy

GENEVA, March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercuria is delighted to announce the partnership between Mercuria and DAMS racing team has got off to a terrific start with a victory by driver Romain Grosjean at the Imola circuit on Sunday, confirming DAMS supremacy in the Asian GP2 series. Mercuria is looking forward to an exciting racing season partnering with this impressive team.

Mercuria and Dams have signed a partnership for the 2011 season. The logos of the Swiss energy company appear on Romain Grosjean's car and will remain throughout the whole GP2 Series season.

French team DAMS has built up an impressive set of international results. It was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and René Arnoux, and is based in Le Mans (France). It has raced successfully in numerous branches of motor sport, ranging from the Le Mans 24 Hours to top-level single-seater events. The team won the F3000 Championship in 1990, 93 and 94 as well as the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport title in 2006. Two years ago, Kamui Kobayashi bagged the GP2 Asian Championship for DAMS. This year, the French squad is racing in the GP2 Series, AutoGP and the World Series by Renault 3.5 and is aiming for the title in all three.

The GP2 Series was created in 2005 with the aim of becoming the final stepping stone to Formula 1, and has fulfilled this role in impressive style as drivers like Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Heikki Kovalainen, Timo Glock, and former DAMS aces Kamui Kobayashi, and Jérôme d'Ambrosio, have all used it to graduate to the pinnacle of world motor sport.

This year, the championship will consist of 18 rounds. The first events will be held in Istanbul (7-8 May), and the teams will then race in Barcelona (21-22 May), Monte Carlo (27-28 May), Valencia (25-26 June), Silverstone (9-10 July), the Nürburgring (23-24 July), Budapest (30-31 July), Spa-Francorchamps (27-28 August), and the final round will take place on the legendary Monza circuit (10-11 September).

DAMS's attack will be spearheaded by Romain Grosjean, one of the most talented drivers of his generation. The French squad has made intensive technical preparation for this season. The Team is very focused on adding fresh victories to its laurels with Mercuria.

Jean-Paul Driot: "We're very happy to welcome Mercuria to the DAMS family. This partnership is great news for our team and will help us to build up a solid relationship for the future. Our aim is to see this collaboration crowned with success in 2011, and we're absolutely determined to fly the colours of our new partner proudly on all the circuits in Europe."

Mercuria is a privately-owned international group of companies active over a wide spectrum of global energy markets including crude oil and refined petroleum products, natural gas (including LNG), power, coal, biodiesel, vegetable oils and carbon emissions. It is one of the world's five largest independent energy traders and has a longstanding sector expertise.