DAMS (formerly Driot-Arnoux Motorsport, currently Driot Associés Motor Sport) is an auto racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsport. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. In 2022 it was bought by ex-F1 driver Charles Pic. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit. DAMS has enjoyed success in both drivers and team championships in multiple formula series across the world, and has helped launch the careers of several high profile drivers. History The year after its foundation, DAMS joined the International Formula 3000 Championship. They stayed in F3000 until 2001. DAMS were one of many French teams that were part of the Elf young driver sponsorship program. Aside from F3000, DAMS planned to join the F1 World Championship in , with a car (the GD-01) developed by Reynard, but lack of funds prevented the team from advancing. DAMS enter in sports car racing since 1997 until 2002 where it helped the Michel Vaillant movie, preparing and racing cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In August 2019, founder Jean-Paul Driot died, aged 68. His two sons, Olivier and Gregory Driot, took over as co-team principals, until former Formula 1 driver Charles Pic bought the team in February 2022. Formula 3000/GP2 Series/FIA Formula 2 Championship Right from its inception, the French team entered the FIA International Formula 3000 Championship, which they won in 1990 with Érik Comas, 1992 with Olivier Panis and 1994 with Jean-Christophe Boullion. In 13 years, 1989 to 2001, DAMS won 4 team titles, 3 drivers titles, 21 wins, 19 pole positions and 19 fastest laps, making DAMS one of the most successful Formula 3000 teams with Super Nova Racing and Arden International. The team competed in the GP2 Series since its beginning in 2005, winning races with drivers José María López and Nicolas Lapierre. DAMS was associated with the Toyota Drivers Program (TDP) from 2006 to 2009, and ran their drivers in the GP2 Series. In 2006, it was Franck Perera and then Kazuki Nakajima in 2007, who finished 5th in the GP2 championship and raced in the last Formula One Grand Prix of the season with Williams. Following this he won a full-time race seat with the team for 2008 and was retained for the 2009 season. In 2008, TDP driver Kamui Kobayashi replaced Nakajima at DAMS GP2