The GZ09S used a 4.5 litre, 635 hp Zytek ZJ458 naturally-aspirated V8 engine. It was designed for the new LMP1 regulations that were announced for the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, and it was an evolutionary update of the Zytek 07S. For 2009, it was announced that Strakka Racing would be moving up into the LMP1 class for the first time, entering a GZ09S, at both that year's Le Mans Series, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Danny Watts gained his first pole at the 1000 km of Catalunya, the first event of the season, and the car's debut event, before eventually finishing fifth. The team managed to finish 14th in class at Le Mans, but the Team LNT entry failed to finish due to a fuel line rupturing. ALMS team Corsa Motorsports entered a hybrid version of the GZ09S at the 2009 Northeast Grand Prix, the first time a hybrid car had ever been run in the series. The hybrid's debut proved to be a successful one: the team finished third overall, running reliably throughout the race, to the surprise of its drivers Johnny Mowlem and Stefan Johansson. Corsa Motorsports entered four other events that season, with the team being the only ALMS team to utilize the GZ09S. The list of Ginetta-Zyteks was further expanded when former Formula 1 world champion Nigel Mansell announced he was entering the 1000 km of Silverstone, the final race of the 2009 LMS season. It would not prove to be a successful event for Mansell, as his team finished 28th overall, last of the LMP1 cars to be classified.
