Rebellion Racing Team Principal Dies

The Le Mans Series (LMS) lost one of its leading figures today, after Rebellion Racing team boss Hugh Hayden died at the age of 66 following a suspected heart attack. The man considered by his team “an inspirational leader” suffered the heart attack while he was driving a kart in a post-season team building event somewhere in Portugal.

The members of the team, together with their leaders, decided that activity will continue as usual, because they feel this is what the former boss would have wanted. The LMS team will from now on be led by Bart Hayden, Hugh's son.

"Rebellion Racing team owner Alexandre Pesci and Rebellion Racing team manager Bart Hayden, Hugh's son and director of Sebah Automotive, have decided that the team's activities will continue in memory of Hugh and because he would have wanted that too," Rebellion said in a statement.

"Hugh's inspirational leadership will be carried forward by Bart as the team moves on into 2011. Hugh Hayden was a natural born leader and a real racer until the end."

Hayden started his racing career by founding SEBAH Racing, with the team winning the MICHELIN Green X Challenge and finishing 2nd in the LMP2 category at the Le Mans 24h. This happened in the 2004 and 2005 seasons, while in 2008 he founded together with Alexandre Pesci Speedy Racing Team SEBAH, which in 2010 became Rebellion Racing.

This year, Rebellion Racing ran a two-car Lola LMP1 program, as the team ranked second in the manufacturers' championship and third in the teams' standings.