2014 WEC/ELMS&TUSC news.

[Rob]

AUDI GOES TO JAPAN WITH CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Audi looks at a good interim tally. In the FIA World Endurance Championship that has been held since 2012, the brand has now clinched 13 victories in 20 races. The most recent success at Austin (USA) marked the turnaround in the battle for the title and Audi, for the first time this season, took the lead in the manufacturers’ classification. The team is aiming to further extend this advantage in WEC round five at Fuji (Japan) on October 12.

The hunter has become the hunted. At the season’s midpoint, Audi turned the tables and now, after four of eight rounds, has an 18-point advantage over Toyota. And now the new leader of the standings is facing a major task at the beginning of the second half of the season, as WEC round five is a tough one. The circuit some 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo features combinations of highly opposite requirements for the aerodynamics of the race cars. Very slow sectors alternate with extremely fast ones on this circuit and the 1.4-kilometer section near the start and finish numbers among the longest straights in international motorsport. This is where engine power is the dominant factor.

Fuji remains an exceptional venue for Audi. Around the world, the brand with the four rings has been victorious at least once on eight of the nine tracks where WEC events have been held since 2012. The circuit near Mount Fuji has been the only blank spot on the WEC calendar to date. In the 2013 round in Japan, Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer (CH/D/F) were on the pole position. However, heavy rain, which is not uncommon in this mountain region, prevented a regular race. After 16 laps behind the safety car, the race director stopped the event and the entrants received only half the number of points. Disappointment was not only great among the teams and drivers but with the crowd as well. The Japanese fans are very fond of sports car racing, fill the grandstands at Fuji year after year, and impress the drivers with great expert knowledge, numerous self-made fan posters, and a big rush for autographs.



This year now, Audi is set on complementing its success tally with a victory at Fuji. Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer have most recently scored WEC wins twice in succession – in the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the turbulent round at Austin. Audi clinched the advantage in the manufacturers’ standings with clever tactical decisions and impeccable driving in Texas. At the same time, the brand’s best driver trio has narrowed the gap to the leading Toyota drivers to eleven points.

But the Lucas di Grassi/Loïc Duval/Tom Kristensen (BR/F/DK) driver squad should not be underrated either. The number one Audi R18 e-tron quattro took second place three consecutive times in the past races. In the Far East, the trio is aiming to battle for the top spot just like their brand colleagues in car number two. Di Grassi and Kristensen are trailing their team-mates in the standings by only 13 points.

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “An interesting constellation has emerged in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the season’s midpoint. Following a tactically clever race at Austin, we took the lead in the manufacturers’ classification and are now closer to our competitors in the drivers’ classification. At the most recent event in Texas, the fans again saw a very thrilling battle by the three brands Audi, Porsche and Toyota, like previously at Le Mans. We know how challenging the race will be at Fuji but are set on making up more ground in the World Championship. And we’d really love to finally win in Japan too.”

Chris Reinke (Head of LMP): “In Japan, we’ve still got something to make up for. Last year, there was a formal race result but factually no race because the drivers were only able to follow the safety car. This year, we’d like to experience a nice race without interruptions and are going to do everything within our means to repeat our performances at Le Mans and Austin in Japan. We’re hoping to be in contention for victory even though the track isn’t exactly ideal for our car.”

Ralf Jüttner (Team Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “We’re very much looking forward to Fuji. The Japanese fans have a tremendous capacity for enthusiasm and love endurance racing in the WEC. The track at Fuji is very special. A year ago, we were on pole there but the race literally became a washout. It’ll be exciting to compete against Toyota in their home race and to challenge them. We’re going to leave no stone unturned to win at Fuji for the first time.”

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers

Lucas di Grassi (30/BR), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Is experiencing his debut at Fuji this year
-Was the runner-up at Spa, Le Mans and Austin
“I’ll be driving at Fuji for the first time and am preparing for my debut in the simulator. I’m trying to build a wealth of experience this way without ever having been on this track before. That’s important because all of us can only do relatively few laps before the race, as there are three of us sharing a car in endurance racing. All of my team-mates have been there before, so I’m beginning with a small deficit. But I’m sure that with proper preparation I’ll be able to quickly achieve good lap times and hope that we’re going to score as many points as possible in the championship battle.”

Loïc Duval (32/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Together with his team-mates completed a one-two victory for Audi at Austin
-Has regularly been racing in Japan since 2006
“Some of us Audi drivers have a special relationship with Japan due to our careers – and I’m one of them. This year, we’re aiming to deliver a particularly good performance at Fuji after last year’s race was held only behind the safety car. Fuji is a unique track in a beautiful region in the foothills of Mount Fuji. We’re set on showing an equally beautiful result to our many fans. It would be great to win there.”

Tom Kristensen (47/DK), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Spent his career in Japan from 1992 to 1995
-Is in third place of the standings together with his team-mate Lucas di Grassi
“I’m happy to be returning to a country that I owe a lot to. At the beginning of my career, I lived near Fuji and often raced on this track. This country played a decisive part in opening up the opportunity of a professional racing career for me. I’ve still got many friends there from the old days. Traveling to Japan with the world’s best automobile manufacturer today is a great feeling. I’ve competed at Fuji in the WEC twice before. The first track sector is very fast, the second one is still relatively fast, and the third one is narrow and slow.”

Marcel Fässler (38/CH), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Won the last WEC race at Austin with André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer
“Two years ago, I drove in Japan for the first time and have very positive memories of my two WEC runs at Fuji. Japan is a beautiful country with fantastic fans that enthusiastically support us. As this is a kind of home round for my two team-mates, we’re aiming to battle for victory with particularly great determination. Driving in the mountains with Mount Fuji in the background is an unusual feeling. It almost reminds me a bit of the Swiss mountains. The track has a unique character with its many different types of corners.”

André Lotterer (32/D), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Won the Le Mans 24 Hours with his team-mates in June
-Was on the pole position in Japan last year
“The race is a very special one for me because I’ve been living in Japan for more than ten years and am active in racing there as well. I’m highly motivated to battle for Audi’s first victory in Japan in front of many fans. Benoît Tréluyer knows the track very well. I’ve frequently driven there before too and by now Marcel Fässler feels comfortable in Japan as well. The track is very demanding and the set-up isn’t easy to achieve. On the long straight, our car mustn’t lose too much speed due to downforce but we’ve still got to be fast in the turns.”

Benoît Tréluyer (37/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Has spent twelve years of his career in Japan
-Is the runner-up in the standings together with his team-mates
“Fuji is the race track on which I’ve won most of the races in my life. I really like the circuit and would now also like to win there with Audi. A year ago, we were on pole but unfortunately there was no real race. Our Japanese fans are important to me and we’d like to show them a great performance this year. The battle with Toyota and Porsche is promising.”

From Audi Sport

[Rob]

TOP SPEED AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT FUJI FOR PORSCHE LMP1

08/10/2014 - 11h33

For the fifth of its eight rounds the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) heads to Japan, where the race takes place at the foot of Mount Fuji on October 12. The traditional Fuji Speedway has been fundamentally modernised in the past decade and is famous for its long main straight. It stretches a good 1,500 metres and should allow the Porsche 919 Hybrids to reach top speeds of around 300 km/h. But as desirable as low drag might appear for this long straight, a high price would be paid for it on the remainder of the lap. The fast corners in the middle sector require high downforce, while the last sector is narrow and winding. The race car has to be an all-rounder. In year one especially of Porsche’s return this is not an easy task for the Porsche Team, which enters the most innovative and complex prototype in the WEC field, and in which every circuit means a journey of discovery into unknown territory.

Quotes before the race:

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “We are looking forward to the challenges Fuji provides. Recently in Austin we have been strong in qualifying by being second and third and thanks to the right tyre choice we were leading the race for 43 laps, but could not benefit in the end. With the number 20 car we lost a lap in the chaotic rainy conditions before the restart, and with the leading number 14 car we suffered with a technical problem. A tear in the pipe for the charge air cooling led to a loss of power. The analysis in Weissach has disclosed a manufacturing defect in the part we had bought.”

Drivers car number 14
Romain Dumas (36, France): ”After we have been so close to taking the first win for the Porsche 919 Hybrid in the States, I can’t wait to go and try again. I raced in Fuji a long time ago. This was in 2001 when I was doing the Japanese GT500 series, so it was obviously the old circuit. To learn the new track I will go to our simulator once I’m back from the Rallye Alsace. I am very much looking forward to racing in Japan again. Everything is so different to what we are used to.”

Neel Jani (30, Switzerland): ”I raced the Rebellion in Fuji in 2012 and I do remember well that this was the most difficult circuit for me with this car. Due to the low positioning of the driver’s seat, I could hardly see the apexes of the corners in sector three. Therefore, I’m very keen to learn how much this has changed since the rules now require that we sit higher. Fuji is a modern track with huge run-off areas and it has great scenery with the volcano. The long straight is significant. Following this, the circuit has a good flow, and for the tight corners in the final sector downforce is required. If we manage to find a good compromise for the aerodynamics, we should be competitive.”

Marc Lieb (34, Germany): ”I love racing in Japan, the enthusiasm of the fans creates a very special atmosphere. In Fuji I raced the Porsche GT3 RSR in 2012 and the 911 RSR in 2013. The circuit, with the view of Mount Fuji, is beautifully embedded into the landscape and offers a great variety of corners. It has its long straight and fast, but also slow, corners. Last year we started behind the safety car in the rain. Without ever having been green flagged, the race had to be cancelled. The weather can play a crucial role at this time of the year in Fuji.”

Drivers car number 20
Timo Bernhard (33, Germany): ”Although I haven’t been racing in Fuji yet, I was able to learn the track in 2006 when I was there for the introduction of the Porsche 911 Type 997 for the Japanese Carrera Cup. The circuit had just been renewed and I was an instructor for Porsche. We offered taxi rides and literally everyone wanted to go on a lap with me. It was a hell of a lot of fun to serve the long queue. I think the layout of the Fuji Speedway may suit us better than Austin did. In 2006 I only saw Fuji in the rain.”

Brendon Hartley (24, New Zealand): “It will be my first time in Fuji and also my first time in Japan. I am very much looking forward to it, as I have heard so many positive things about both the Fuji Speedway and the country. The result in Austin was slightly disappointing but, nevertheless, the car had a good pace when the track became cooler. So in terms of performance I’m quite confident for Fuji. I will learn the track on the simulator. We have just experienced in Austin that practice time can easily become limited due to weather conditions, so it is always good to be prepared as well as possible.”

Mark Webber (38, Australia): “I’m looking forward to going back to Fuji. As I have raced there twice in my Formula One career, I know it is a challenging circuit with a long straight, and in the last sector it’s quite difficult to get everything together. There are combined corners where the car’s balance is important and the technique on braking is quite tricky. In one race there I had food poisoning, which is not the best memory, but I always enjoyed driving at Fuji and I love Mount Fuji in the background, as it is such a nice setting. Japanese fans are passionate and very emotional and the sports car race in Fuji is a very famous one. I hear there are many Porsche fans in Japan and I look forward to seeing a lot of them cheering us on when we return.”



Facts and figures:

- A lap on Fuji Speedway is 4.563 kilometres and with 16 turns – ten right handers and 6 left handers.

- On the 1,500 metre long straight the Porsche 919 Hybrids should reach a top speed of around 300 km/h.

- In accordance with the regulations, the Porsche 919 Hybrid can produce and use 3.11 mega joule of electrical energy per lap. At the same time fuel consumption is limited to 1.8 litres of fuel per lap. In normal race conditions (with no safety car being deployed) and with a restricted fuel load of 68.3 litres, the Porsche 919 Hybrid is expected to stop for refuelling after every 38 laps.

- According to simulations, the race distance covered during the six hours might be up to 248 laps (1,132 kilometres).

- Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707. It is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 metres and is regarded as a holy mountain.

- The circuit is located about 100 kilometres southwest of the capital of Tokyo on the Japanese main island of Honshu.

- In 2005 the circuit was rebuilt for safety reasons and became, once again, the venue for the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix in 2007 and 2008.

- The weather in the Japanese Alps can be very changeable in October. In 2013 heavy rain made it impossible to run the WEC race.

Porsche Motorsport

[Rob]

PRESS RELEASE
Fuji Speedway, Japan - 10 October 2014
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

2015 FIA WEC CALENDAR UNVEILED

• Eight races on four continents. Same number of races as 2012 – 2014.

• 6 Hours of the Nürburgring is the new race on the calendar.

• Renovation work means race in São Paulo not included in 2015 but could be back in 2016

• Montreal is still under discussion for an entry in 2017.
The 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar was unveiled today at Fuji International Speedway by CEO Gerard Neveu, in the presence of Pierre Fillon, President of l’Automobile Club de l’Ouest, Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, President of the FIA Endurance Commission and Henri Pescarolo, Grand Marshal of the 6 Hours of Fuji. The 2015 schedule is a continuation of the previous three seasons, with eight races once again filling the line up of 6 Hour and 24 Hour events, including a new event at the Nürburgring in Germany at the end of August.

The 2015 season will start on the 27/28 March with The Prologue at the Circuit Paul Ricard in France for the official test and is the traditional first chance for the media and fans to see the new cars all in one place, including the new LMP1 manufacturer entry from Nissan alongside the hybrid prototypes from Audi, Porsche and Toyota.

As in the previous two years, the opening race of the year will be at Silverstone, where the teams will compete for the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy at the season opener. The 2015 WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will be the fourth time the Belgium round has taken place at the start of May for the customary last race before the ‘Big One’, the 24 Heures du Mans in June.

The 6 Hours of Nürburgring is the new race in 2015 and means that German teams Audi and Porsche will race at home for the first time in the history of the World Endurance Championship. The 6 Hours of São Paulo is not being held due to the pit building renovation work which will not be completed in time for the August race date.

The 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas in September is the first of four races overseas, with the Lone Star Le Mans event being a joint race weekend with the Tudor United Sports Car Championship.

It will be followed by races in Fuji, Shanghai and the finale in Bahrain at the end of November.

“This calendar represents continuity and stability,” said Gerard Neveu. “We are very excited about visiting the Nürburgring and holding the first FIA WEC race in Germany, which will be a good homecoming for Audi and Porsche. Nürburgring has a long history with endurance racing and this event will be a good opportunity to celebrate it with both a modern paddock with the FIA WEC, and a historic paddock with the 50th anniversary of the 1000 Kms of Nürburgring. With this new calendar we have reduced the summer break and it will provide around one race per month.”

“The eight race calendar means we are also building the tradition of 6-hour events in the countries we visit,” said Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO. “To maintain all of the races at the same time of the season for at least three years is a very positive move. The 2015 FIA WEC calendar will provide a great mix of entertainment and sporting action, with the highlight of the season coming in June with the 24 Heures du Mans, which remains the jewel in the endurance racing crown. We look forward to seeing you in 2015.”

2015 FIA World Endurance Championship Provisional Calendar**
27 / 28 March : Prologue Castellet
12 April : 6 Hours of Silverstone
02 May : 6 Hours of Spa
31 May : Tests Le Mans
13/14 June : 24h du Mans
30 August : 6 Hours of Nurburging
19 September : 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas ( Lone Star le Mans)
11 October : 6 Hours of Fuji
1 November: 6 Hours of Shanghai
21 November : 6 Hours of Bahrain

** Subject to clarification by the FIA World Motor Sport Council

[Rob]

HOME COMFORTS FOR TOYOTA RACING
Friday 10 October 2014

TOYOTA Racing made a solid start to its home event, the Six Hours of Fuji, with promising performances during practice for the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The #8 TS040 HYBRID of Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi ended the day fourth quickest while the #7 of Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Kazuki Nakajima was fifth following a productive day of set-up development.

TOYOTA Racing is in the middle of a tough fight for both World Championships, with the #8 crew leading the drivers’ standings by 11 points while the team is just 18 points behind Audi in the Manufacturers’.

So a significant haul, including the bonus point for pole position, is the target this weekend.

This morning’s first practice started in bright sunshine, a marked contrast to the last time LMP1 cars drove at Fuji 12 months ago when the race was cut short due to torrential rain.

With quite different track characteristics and temperatures at Fuji compared to the last race at Circuit of the Americas, the team faced a busy session as both cars evaluated mechanical, aerodynamic and powertrain set-ups.

Alex and Stéphane shared driving on the #7 with Kazuki, already a winner at Fuji in Super Formula this season, waiting for the second session to get his first taste of the TS040 HYBRID at this track.

Stéphane set the fastest lap for the #7 midway through his stint, earning fifth, while Anthony had that honour in the #8 as he took third.

Kazuki, who last drove the TS040 HYBRID at Le Mans, finally got on track again at the start of second practice. He and Anthony both completed a very long stint to analyse race performance and tyre behaviour.

The session finished with short stints for Alex, Stéphane and Sébastien as track conditions continued to evolve. Kazuki set the quickest lap in the #7, taking fifth, while Sébastien earned fourth for the #8.

Tomorrow sees final practice (9.30-10.30) followed by qualifying (13.55-14.20). The six-hour race starts on Sunday at 11am local time.

TS040 HYBRID #7 (Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin, Kazuki Nakajima)
Free practice 1: 5th (1min 29.076secs), 26 laps
Free practice 2: 5th (1min 29.083secs), 48 laps

Alex Wurz: “I drove more laps this morning, which went quite well. It was the plan to give Kazuki more time in the car as he hasn’t driven since Le Mans, so he did the long run this afternoon. You are never finished here with set-up because it is such a complex circuit. The track conditions change throughout the day so that makes it difficult to analyse. We still have some homework to do overnight but I like that challenge. Now it’s about fine-tuning and looking forward to tomorrow.”

Stéphane Sarrazin: “There was very low grip on track this morning. I spent the session finding the right feeling and discovering the limits; it’s a learning process. Kazuki did the long run in the afternoon and the car improved throughout the day. I just did two laps at the end, only a short run. Today was about preparing for the race and I think we are making good progress.”

Kazuki Nakajima: “Our long run was pretty good; it looks okay compared to the competition and we seem strong in terms of tyre degradation. Still the circuit didn’t have a lot of grip so I hope we get more rubber down for qualifying and the race. We still need to find a bit more to fine-tune the balance but I think we have good potential here at Fuji. Let’s see how it goes for qualifying.”

TS040 HYBRID #8 (Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi)
Free practice 1: 3rd (1min 28.981secs), 38 laps
Free practice 2: 4th (1min 28.587secs), 52 laps

Anthony Davidson: “It felt like a very productive two sessions today. The weather was kind to us and we worked on the car set-up throughout the day and had a good balance. I got a chance to understand this circuit a lot more because last year the mileage was limited. As always here the third sector is the most challenging and I think I can still find some performance there. It was nice to get into a rhythm and understand where we need to improve tomorrow.”

Sébastien Buemi: “It went well today. Anthony did quite a few laps this afternoon to see the evolution of the tyres. I jumped in at the end and this meant I could experience older and newer tyres which is helpful. The circuit improved a lot during the day, as normal here. We are still a bit slower than last year’s times but I expect it to come to us. We seemed quite strong over a long stint but it will be close as always. The car felt good so I am looking forward to the rest of the weekend.”

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Fuji Speedway, Japan - 10 October 2014
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

6 HOURS OF FUJI FREE PRACTICE 2: ASTON ON TOP IN GTE PRO AND AM

10/10/2014 - 10h23

Aston Martin Racing this afternoon showed it meant business in preparation for the 6 Hours of Fuji by claiming the first three places in the GTE time sheets. At the end of the second 90-minute free practice session, the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage V8 of Mucke/Turner led the way with a best lap time of 1:39.884.

The British car from the LMGTE Pro category, with the yellow windscreen strip, headed the team’s two LMGTE Am entries – the No.98 of Canadian Paul Dalla Lana, Portuguese Pedro Lamy and Dane Christoffer Nygaard ahead of the all-Danish crewed No.95 Vantage V8.

Behind the Aston Martins were two further Am cars – showing the way to their fellow competitors in the senior Pro category – and this time it was two Porsches. The No.88 Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR of Klaus Bachler-Khaled Al Qubaisi-Christian Ried was just two hundredths of a second ahead of the No.75 ProSpeed Competition Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of the French trio – François Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Matthieu Vaxivière.

Second and third places in the LMGTE Pro class – behind the four Am cars – were taken by the No.51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia of Bruni and Vilander and the No.92 Porsche Team Manthey 911 RSR of Makowiecki and Pilet. Just one second separated the top seven cars and tomorrow morning’s third free practice session is likely to be closer still as teams make their final preparations before qualifying in the afternoon.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Fuji Speedway, Japan - 10 October 2014
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

6 HRS FUJI FREE PRACTICE 2: AUDI STILL ON TOP

10/10/2014 - 10h49

The weather for the afternoon free practice session at Fuji Speedway was overcast but the air temperature was still hovering at 20 degrees Celsius. The two Audi R18s carried on where they left off in the earlier session, with the no1 Audi taking the top spot from the sister e-tron quattro. Toyota set the third and fourth fastest times, with the no8 TS040 finishing the day 1 second behind the lead Audi. The two Porsche 919s were fifth and sixth, with the no14 Porsche outpacing their teammates by 0.6 seconds.

In LMP1-L the no13 Rebellion R-One recovered from the earlier technical issue to finish the day as the fastest in the privateer class.

In LMP2 the no26 G-Drive Racing Ligier once again posted the fastest time towards the end of the 90 minute session, bumping the nr37 SMP Racing Oreca off the top spot by 0.2 . However Roman Rusinov was given a 3 grid place penalty for the race on Sunday for improving his lap time under yellow flags during the session (Stewards Decision no5)

[Rob]

TOYOTA RACING ON POLE IN FUJI
Saturday 11 October 2014

TOYOTA Racing scored its third consecutive pole position thanks to an exciting climax to qualifying for the Six Hours of Fuji, earning a vital FIA World Endurance Championship point in the process.

Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi, in the #8 TS040 HYBRID, grabbed pole by 0.043secs in the final moments of qualifying to extend their advantage in the Drivers’ World Championship to 12 points.

That point also brought the team to within 17 points of the Manufacturers’ Championship lead ahead of tomorrow’s race, the fifth of eight WEC races this season.

The #7 car has won this race for each of the last two seasons and will again be in the fight tomorrow. Alex Wurz and Kazuki Nakajima, who share the car with Stéphane Sarrazin, earned fourth place in qualifying.

The WEC qualifying format requires two drivers from each car to set a minimum of two flying laps each. The grid is decided by the combined average of each driver’s fastest two laps.

Alex and Anthony both delayed their start of qualifying in order to find a clear track and that decision paid off as they battled for top position, with Anthony ultimately setting the fastest lap of the session on his first flying lap.

After the driver changes, qualifying was made more challenging for Kazuki and Sébastien when the red flags came out with seven minutes to go due a minor incident.

While rivals waited in the pits, both TS040 HYBRIDs stayed on track to improve position, entertaining a big crowd in the process. On his very last lap, Sébastien overturned the deficit to take TOYOTA Racing’s fourth pole from five races in 2014.

Earlier in the day, the team fine-tuned its qualifying and race set-ups during the final, one-hour practice session. A trouble free session saw Anthony set the fastest lap of the session, while Stéphane put the #7 in fourth.

TS040 HYBRID #7 (Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin, Kazuki Nakajima)
Free practice 3: 4th (1min 27.980secs), 27 laps
Qualifying: 4th (1min 27.437secs average)

Alex Wurz: “I am happy for the #8 to get pole position like that. On our car we struggled with the front end throughout the weekend in the first sector and we couldn’t close the gap to the #8. It is a bit disappointing for us but never mind. I know the race is six hours long so we’ll see. I think the race could still be good for us.”

Kazuki Nakajima: “Firstly congratulations to the team. It is great to have the pole position, especially in such dramatic circumstances. We struggled a bit on the #7 car but I am sure we are strong in race trim and compared to the other manufacturers it is not too bad. It’s a six-hour race, so we keep pushing.”

TS040 HYBRID #8 (Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi)
Free practice 3: 1st (1min 27.033secs), 28 laps
Qualifying: 1st (1min 26.886secs average)

Anthony Davidson: “That was an amazing qualifying session, getting pole position for our home race. You never know what’s going to happen in aggregate qualifying. I was confident we had the speed. My second flying lap should have been faster but there was mud on the track at turn 15 which cost a little time. Still I thought it was enough. It was but only just; we really had to work for it. Thanks to the team, including everyone at TOYOTA; without their support we wouldn’t be on pole today.”

Sébastien Buemi: “This is the best qualifying you can dream of because at the last minute we grabbed the pole by such a small margin. If you get pole like in Austin when it is by some distance it is great, but to fight so hard for it and succeed is just perfect. After Anthony’s first laps I thought it might be relatively comfortable for us but I was wrong. We struggled a bit to warm up the tyres so I had quite low grip for my first laps, then the red flag came and the tyres cooled as we waited in the pit lane. But they came up to temperature and just in time for my last flying lap.”

French and German translations of this press release will be available shortly on www.toyotahybridracing.com, where copyright-free photos are also available for editorial use.

[Rob]

ASTON MARTIN LOCKS OUT THE FRONT ROW IN FUJI

Fuji, 11 October 2014 - Aston Martin Racing’s FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Six Hours of Fuji challenge got off to a flying start today (11 October) as its four identical V8 Vantage GTEs locked out the front row in the GTE Pro class and took pole and third in the GTE Am class in this afternoon’s qualifying session.

It was a maiden pole in the GTE Pro class for the #99 Craft-Bamboo Racing team – which only joined the WEC at the start of this year – thanks to laps from Fernando Rees (BR), who was also fastest in free practice three, and Alex MacDowall (GB), who was delighted at the result.

“It’s quite a shock,” explained the 23-year old. “It’s my first time here so I had a lot to learn in the practice sessions but it just seemed to come together for qualifying. It’s our first pole and Fernando did an amazing job. We’re looking forward to the race tomorrow.”

In the #97 sister-car, Darren Turner (GB) and Stefan Mücke (DE) were close behind and will start the race from second place on the grid of 13 GTE cars.

In the GTE Am class, the #98 NorthWest Vantage GTE of Pedro Lamy (PT) and Christoffer Nygaard (DN) clinched pole position after swapping places with the #95 Young Driver AMR car at the top of the table throughout the session.

Nygaard commented: “It’s great to be on pole! We won the Six Hours of Austin last month after qualifying in seventh, so to be starting from the front gives us every chance of winning again. Pedro did a great job, as usual. Let’s see what happens tomorrow!”

In the #95 Young Driver AMR Vantage GTE, David Heinemeier Hansson (DN) and Nikki Thiim (DN), who set the fastest GTE Am qualifying lap, were in second place until the final moments of the session when they were just pushed into third by a hundredth of a second.

“That was a great start to our race weekend here in Fuji for all of our cars,” commented Team Principal John Gaw. “The #99 team has done a fantastic job to take pole in the GTE Pro class. It’s incredibly tough to do and they should be really pleased – they now need to convert that into a strong result tomorrow.”

The Six Hours of Fuji starts at 11am on Sunday 12 October. For more information visit www.fiawec.com.

- ENDS -

[Nova]

GT Asia - bang Rizzo and Liu in Shanghai

Shanghai, October 11 - Very important victory for the Italian rider Davide Rizzo and Anthony Liu Xu of China who, at the wheel of the Ferrari 458 GT3 team BBT, have been imposed in the first of two rounds of the GT Asia Championship scheduled for this weekend to 'Shanghai International Circuit. The bishops of car number 37 will be imposed for six seconds ahead of the Bentley Absolute Racing, entrusted to the French Jean-Karl Vernay and Gille Vannelet, and Bamboo Craft AMR, led by British driver Richard Lyons and Hong Kong, Frank Yu.

Change at the top. In conjunction with the victory of Rizzo and Liu Xu arrived two of compensatory quipaggi who led the championship standings. The leader, Briton Robert "Bob" Bell and the Japanese Hiroshi Hamaguchi (McLaren Team Clearwater Racing), came only sixth as the first pursuers, Japan's Keita Sawa and the Malaysian Mok Weng Sun (Ferrari 458 well the team Clearwater Racing) arrived at the foot of the podium. All this has reshuffled the standings, with Rizzo and Liu Xu who now lead by 137 against 135 lengths of the other two crews. Tomorrow is scheduled for the second race in Shanghai, then at the end of the season will miss only the appointment of Macao.

Other podium. In the category GTM report from the podium of the Ferrari 458 of Taiwan Top Speed ​​Racing Team headed by Ryo Fukuda Japanese and Taiwanese Craig Liu. The two have had to surrender only to the Audi Tiger Racing Team entrusted Australian Matthew Barry Solomon and the pilot of Hong Kong, Jacky Yeung.

[Nova]

Italian GT Championship - Ferrari double on the track at Imola

Imola, October 11 - Ferrari double on the Imola track in the first race of the penultimate round of the Italian GT Championship. A triumph was the 458 GT3 Easy Race team headed by Luigi Ferrara Marco Magli, and that they were great to take advantage of the circumstances. Behind them is placed the sister car of the team MP1 Racing Nicola Benucci, aided on this occasion by Alessandro Balzan. In third place went to the Audi Marco Mapelli and German Thomas Schöffler.

Ranking tightened. Today's results, in conjunction with the negative race of the Ferrari 458 Scuderia Baldini 27 Network Raffaele Gianmaria and Lorenzo Case, who finished only tenths resulted in a change at the top of the list. A command are now Mapelli and Schöffler with 96 points, two more than Benucci and five more than Gianmaria and Casé.

Redemption. Tomorrow there will be the second race and it is likely that the championship leader could once again change. After the Imola round of the championship is planning to double its final round at Mugello two weeks.

[458 Italia]

Can't find a place to watch the 6 hours of Fuji anywhere!

[458 Italia]

http://backvideo.ampi.tv/embed/hjly2q

COME ON AUDI AND FERRARI!

[fratelliferrari]

http://backvideo.ampi.tv/embed/hjly2q

COME ON AUDI AND FERRARI!

Thanks for the link mate!

[fratelliferrari]

A 1-2 for AF Corse

[Rob]

A 1-2 for AF Corse

Nuovo brillante risultato

Set alarm to get up and watch it, but so tired from 2 hours of gym 5 nights a week, caught up with me. Now watching delayed coverage. Will post press releases and pictures up as soon as get them in my inbox.

[Rob]

[fratelliferrari]

Nuovo brillante risultato

Set alarm to get up and watch it, but so tired from 2 hours of gym 5 nights a week, caught up with me. Now watching delayed coverage. Will post press releases and pictures up as soon as get them in my inbox.

Thanks Rob, can't wait! Btw nice gesture from WEC with the board for Jules

[Rob]

[Nova]

A 1-2 for AF Corse

1 8 LMP1 Anthony DAVIDSON, Sébastien BUEMI, Toyota TS 040 - Hybrid M 236 6:00'39.367 222 1'27.815 187.1
2 7 LMP1 Alexander WURZ, Stéphane SARRAZIN, Kazuki NAKAJIMA Toyota TS 040 - Hybrid M 236 6:01'04.994 25.627 25.627 210 1'27.887 186.9
3 20 LMP1 Timo BERNHARD, Mark WEBBER, Brendon HARTLEY Porsche 919 Hybrid M 235 6:01'53.875 1 Laps 1 Laps 12 1'27.759 187.2
4 14 LMP1 Romain DUMAS, Neel JANI, Marc LIEB Porsche 919 Hybrid M 234 6:01'19.485 2 Laps 1 Laps 191 1'28.533 185.5
5 1 LMP1 Lucas DI GRASSI, Loïc DUVAL, Tom KRISTENSEN Audi R18 e-tron quattro M 234 6:01'36.302 2 Laps 16.817 73 1'28.609 185.4
6 2 LMP1 Marcel FÄSSLER, André LOTTERER, Benoit TRÉLUYER Audi R18 e-tron quattro M 233 6:01'31.183 3 Laps 1 Laps 11 1'28.898 184.8
7 26 LMP2 Roman RUSINOV, Olivier PLA, Julien CANAL Ligier JS P2 - Nissan D 219 6:01'05.703 17 Laps 14 Laps 199 1'33.996 174.8
8 47 LMP2 Matthew HOWSON, Richard BRADLEY, Alexandre IMPERATORI Oreca 03R - Nissan D 219 6:01'11.137 17 Laps 5.434 22 1'34.231 174.3
9 35 LMP2 Keiko IHARA, Gustavo YACAMAN, Alex BRUNDLE Morgan - Judd D 216 6:01'47.663 20 Laps 3 Laps 7 1'34.645 173.6
10 27 LMP2 Sergey ZLOBIN, Nicolas MINASSIAN, Maurizio MEDIANI Oreca 03R - Nissan M 215 6:01'05.098 21 Laps 1 Laps 5 1'35.001 172.9
11 13 LMP1 Dominik KRAIHAMER, Andrea BELICCHI, Fabio LEIMER Rebellion R-One - Toyota M 215 6:01'28.985 21 Laps 23.887 7 1'32.080 178.4
12 37 LMP2 Kirill LADYGIN, Viktor SHAITAR, Anton LADYGIN Oreca 03R - Nissan M 212 6:02'08.311 24 Laps 3 Laps 10 1'34.863 173.2
13 51 LMGTE Pro Gianmaria BRUNI, Toni VILANDER, Ferrari F458 Italia M 208 6:01'30.795 28 Laps 4 Laps 72 1'40.711 163.1
14 71 LMGTE Pro Davide RIGON, James CALADO, Ferrari F458 Italia M 208 6:01'33.697 28 Laps 2.902 74 1'40.696 163.1
15 99 LMGTE Pro Alex MACDOWALL, Darryl O'YOUNG, Fernando REES Aston Martin Vantage V8 M 208 6:02'12.747 28 Laps 39.050 6 1'40.609 163.3
16 91 LMGTE Pro Jörg BERGMEISTER, Richard LIETZ, Porsche 911 RSR M 207 6:01'01.266 29 Laps 1 Laps 32 1'40.716 163.1
17 95 LMGTE Am Kristian POULSEN, David HEINEMEIER-HANSSON, Nicki THIIM Aston Martin Vantage V8 M 207 6:01'32.028 29 Laps 30.762 10 1

[Rob]

FIA WEC, Fuji: Ferrari, Bruni-Vilander, AF Corse win and extend the leadership.

FUJI, October 12 – Double win for the AF Corse Ferrari 458’s Italia in the “6 Hour of Fuji”, round five of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander, in their AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia #51, took the chequered flag in first position of the GTE Pro category and increasing their lead in the Drivers Championship with 131 points, 50 ahead of Mokowiecki, the second in the standing.

At the end of the six-hour race, in second position among the GT cars the Ferrari 458 Italia #71 driven by Davide Rigon and James Calado. The duo’s perfomance was great with the first place alternately several times with the Ferrari 458 #51 during the race.

In the GTE Am category, excellent performance in the Japanese round for Steve Wyatt, Michele Rugolo and Andrea Bertolini in the Ferrari 458 Italia #81. Only a technical problem, in the last part of the race, took away the podium from the trio. Fifth pos ition for Bret Curtis, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Mike Skeen in the 458 Italia #61. Withdrawal due to technical problem of the 8 Star Motorsport Ferrari 458 #90 (managed by AF Corse).

Returning to the rankings of the championship, Ferrari is leading in the GTE Manufactures with 200 points (Porsche is second, 171). AF Corse is leader in the GTE Pro Team standing with 131 poinst (Aston Martin Racing has the second place with 95).


AF Corse Press Office

[Rob]

[Rob]

HOME HAT-TRICK FOR TOYOTA RACING AT FUJI
Sunday 12 October 2014

TOYOTA Racing maintained its unbeaten record on home ground with a dominant one-two victory in the Six Hours of Fuji, the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

The team scored a third consecutive win in the event thanks to the #8 TS040 HYBRID of Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi, who extend their lead in the drivers’ World Championship.

A perfect day for the team saw the #7, winner in Fuji for the past two seasons, finish close behind in second, with Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Kazuki Nakajima at the wheel.

Both cars finished one lap ahead of the opposition as TOYOTA regained the lead of the manufacturers’ World Championship. Its third win of the season puts the team eight points clear of Audi.

In the drivers’ standings, Anthony and Sébastien lead by 26 points over team-mate Nicolas Lapierre, who missed the Fuji race for personal reasons, with the third-placed crew of Audi #2 now trailing by 29 points.

Unlike last year, when heavy rain ruined the race, today’s event started in dry but cool weather, with air temperature just 14°C. But the action on track soon got hotter.

Starting from pole, Sébastien in the #8 initially slipped to third in the first corners before hitting back and, helped by the 1,000PS four-wheel-drive TOYOTA HYBRID System - Racing, retaking the lead within the opening lap.

Kazuki was also involved in the battle and ultimately gained a position to move into third. Following an early pit stop for Porsche #20, the #7 took second and the two TS040 HYBRIDs ran together at the front, stretching their lead.

At the first pit stops, just before the hour mark, Stéphane took over the #7 while Anthony got in the #8, with both using their new tyres to pull clear of the chasing pack.

After a clean double stint, during which they had to fight through plenty of traffic, the pair was separated by just three seconds and had pulled out a gap of almost a lap on third place.

Sébastien returned to the cockpit of the #8 just before half distance while Alex took the wheel of the #7 to continue the TS040 HYBRID dominance.

With a one-lap advantage, the team and drivers adopted a cautious approach to tyre strategy and traffic with the target of ensuring maximum points from the weekend.

Anthony and Kazuki returned for further stints, with Stéphane taking over the #7 in the last hour as Anthony remained in the cockpit to take the chequered flag and a very popular one-two in front of 51,000 Japanese fans over the weekend.

Racing resumes for WEC next month with a hectic climax to the year, starting on 2 November with the Six Hours of Shanghai prior to the season-closing races in Bahrain and Sao Paulo.

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President: “I am very proud of the team and drivers for this one-two finish in our home race. We have had some great days here at Fuji but this was even better than our previous victories. Many people have asked me if we feel extra pressure this weekend, as Fuji is our home race; actually we only feel extra support. So I would like to say a big thank you to all the fans, Fuji Speedway and our colleagues from TOYOTA who gave us such great encouragement all weekend. Our car was the most competitive this weekend and this is what we are pushing to achieve for the final three races of the season.”

TS040 HYBRID #7 (Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin, Kazuki Nakajima)
Race: 2nd, 236 laps, 6 pit stops. Fastest lap: 1min 27.887secs

Alex Wurz: “It’s amazing to bring home a one-two in dominant form; we didn’t expect that. The track was very tricky but we did our homework well in terms of tyre choice and set-up. This gave us the chance today to get this result. A one-two like this makes everyone happy; the fans, our colleagues at TOYOTA and especially the team. Now we go to China full of confidence.”

Stéphane Sarrazin: “This is a brilliant result for TOYOTA and the whole team; it’s just amazing. The team did a great job and a one-two is the best possible result. Both cars were pushing each other and it was very close. I am really happy to be back on the podium. Our target coming here to Fuji was to take the lead in the manufacturers’ World Championship and we have achieved that. After frustration in Le Mans and Austin this is a big result for us. Now for the next one.”

Kazuki Nakajima: “Congratulations to the #8 crew. They did a very good job and together we have achieved a great result for the team which is fantastic for the manufacturers’ World Championship. It’s nice to show what we can do in front of our home supporters. My race went well, although it was actually my first race start in WEC and this was quite tricky, especially with the different fuel strategies. I got through the pack and our pace was strong. It’s been a very good day.”

TS040 HYBRID #8 (Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi)
Race: 1st, 236 laps, 6 pit stops. Fastest lap: 1min 27.815secs

Anthony Davidson: “It was an absolutely perfect race and a perfect weekend for everyone at TOYOTA Racing. That was a great job by all the team; we had the strongest car, the right strategy and great pit stops. First and second in our home race; it doesn’t get better than that. For the team to win here three times in a row now is pretty special. It extends our lead in the drivers’ World Championship and regains the lead in the manufacturers’, so you couldn’t ask for any more as a team. So big thanks to all and especially to the guys from TOYOTA Motor Corporation who have given us such great support this week.”

Sébastien Buemi: “To leave Fuji with a one-two and the lead of both World Championships is a very special feeling. At the start it was clearly a bit difficult to warm up the tyres so I was in the middle of a big fight; the first lap was quite crazy. After that we took control. It was a great job from Anthony and the whole team. Honestly, we didn’t expect to be so far ahead but it is the result of a lot of hard work. We’ll enjoy this moment but quickly focus on the remaining races. Today’s result is a good sign for the rest of the season.”

[Rob]

ASTON MARTIN WINS IN JAPAN

Fuji, 12 October 2014 - Aston Martin Racing has won the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Six Hours of Fuji with its #95 V8 Vantage GTE Am class car. The #98 sister-car finished close behind in second place and the #99 took third place in the GTE Pro class in a race that was action-packed from the start.

At 1100hrs local time, the green flag waved and the #99 and #97 Vantage GTEs started side-by-side on the front row, following a successful qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. However, a chaotic start damaged the #97 and it was forced to return to the pits for an eight-minute stop it could never recover from.

The #99 – piloted by Fernando Rees (BR), Alex MacDowall (GB) and Darryl O’Young (HK) – continued on and spent the next six hours in a wheel-to-wheel battle with the two AF Corse Ferraris. A clever pit strategy, consistently quick lap times and a reliable car all contributed to the #99 Craft-Bamboo Racing team taking its first WEC podium in only its fifth Championship race.

“When you start from the front of the GTE Pro class you are in the thick of it,” commented Rees. “You have to make sure that you don’t get caught up in any of the chaos and I did that well. I lost a place to Bruni but quickly recovered it and we led the race for a long time. To get our first podium as a new team in just our fifth race is fantastic. We have to stay focused now and try and do the same in Shanghai and beyond.”

Meanwhile, the pair of Aston Martin Racing GTE Am cars spent the race swapping places at the front of the class with the Danish trio of Kristian Poulsen, David Heinemeier Hansson and Nicki Thiim, at one point, leading the entire GTE field.

Despite challenges from Christoffer Nygaard (DN), Pedro Lamy (PT) and Paul Dalla Lana (CA) in the NorthWest-liveried #98, it was the #95 Young Driver AMR car that crossed the line first to take its third race win of the 2014 season and extend its lead at the top of the Championship.

“It’s great to be leading the Championship,” commented Heinemeier Hansson. “The Vantage GTE makes it easy for gentlemen drivers like Kristian and I to be mixing it up with the professional drivers. If a car is easy to drive, like the Aston Martin is, the difference between the Am and Pro is smaller and that’s what wins Pro-Am races.”

Despite setting the fastest GTE lap of the race, the #97 of Darren Turner (GB) and Stefan Mücke (DE) crossed the line in fifth place due to time in the pits early on in the race.

“I’m really pleased for the #95 team for extending its lead at the top of the Championship,” commented Team Principal John Gaw. “And, it’s good to see our two GTE Am cars so competitive at the front of every race.

“The #99 team has done a good job all weekend and it thoroughly deserves its first podium. Of course, it was disappointing for the #97 crew but the start of the race often takes victims and this time it was us.

“We always do well in Shanghai, we took our first WEC race win there in 2012 and then repeated it in 2013, so we must look forward and focus on keeping our strong record there.”

The FIA WEC Six Hours of Shanghai starts at 1100hrs local time on Sunday 2 November. For more information go to www.fiawec.com.

- ENDS

[Rob]

Onroak Automotive Press Release – 10.12.2014

FIA World Endurance Championship
Round 5/8 – 6 Hours of Fuji, Japan - 12th October - Race


First ever victory in Fuji for the Ligier JS P2 with G-Drive Racing
and podium finish for the Morgan LM P2 with OAK Racing

It was a brilliant race in Fuji for the G-Drive Racing team and a first ever victory for the Ligier JS P2. The #26 Ligier JS P2 Nissan-Dunlop, developed by Onroak Automotive and driven once more by the superb trio of Olivier Pla, Julien Canal and Roman Rusinov avenged their 4th place finish in Austin by coming away with a fantastic win here in Fuji for the 5th round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. This win also gives the team valuable points for the team championship, bringing them nearer to the current leaders.


Olivier Pla was the first of the trio in the #26 G-Drive Racing Ligier JS P2 Nissan-Dunlop, having to start from 4th place in LM P2, due to a penalty incurred during Free Practice 2 which cost them 3 places on the grid, despite being the fastest car in qualifying. Olivier Pla got off to a great start and managed to jump to 2nd place by the end of the first lap. He then fought hard for 1st place with the #47 KCMG Oreca-Nissan. It was a close battle for 40 minutes before the #47 had a spin which allowed Olivier to take the lead. Once past the #47, Olivier Pla found an excellent rhythm and started to build a gap with the rest of the pack.
After 1 hour and 40 minutes, he handed the #26 G-Drive Racing Ligier JS P2 over to Julien Canal with a lead of about 30 seconds. Julien carried on working on the gap and kept up the pace that Olivier had set in the first stints. His double stint went by uneventfully. By the time he handed over to Rusinov, he’d increased his lead up to 1 minute 15 seconds.

Roman Rusinov took the wheel with 2 hours 30 minutes to go. Their rivals in the #47 tried to close the gap with the Ligier JS P2 once more, but Rusinov managed to keep the pace. His stint was uncomplicated and Rusinov did a great job at delivering consistently fast laps and thus staying ahead of the competition and leading the LM P2 class.

For the last stint, Olivier Pla got back in the car to fight for the victory that was now in sight. Ten minutes into his stint, he had to head back to the pits to change the rear left tyre. Although it was a very quick and efficient stop, he came out 6 seconds behind the #47 KCMG Oreca-Nissan. Pla and Imperatori (in the #47) had a very close battle. With 22 minutes to go, Pla attempted a brilliant manoeuvre and managed to retake the lead. He held onto it until the end, bringing home a well deserved victory in Fuji for G-Drive Racing.

Joining the #26 G-Drive Racing Ligier JS P2-Nissan on the podium was Onroak Automotive’s other car racing here in Fuji: the #35 OAK Racing Morgan-Judd LM P2, also racing on Dunlop tyres and driven by Keiko Ihara, Alex Brundle and Gustavo Yacaman. The trio had a very good race, as, having started from the back of the grid, they managed to quickly rejoin the LM P2 field, and, with their good consistent pace, brought the manufacturer’s second car to join its step-sister on the podium with a great third place.

Roman Rusinov : “It was a tricky race, even though we had a good performance, there were a lot of factors that didn’t make it easy, like the puncture before the end of the race and the ‘full course yellow’ where we lost 15 seconds. I think that everyone did a good job. We’re a good team and we will do our best to win with G-Drive Racing the next 3 rounds of the Championship. “

Olivier Pla: ”You think that it’s easy, but it never is. We had things under control until the last stint. Unfortunately, with the puncture, we didn’t take a risk and decided to return to the pits to change the rear left tyre. From there, I only had one option, which was to attack like never before and to push the car to its limits to catch up to the #47 again. Once I was back up to it, I tried to overtake it on turn 10, but I wasn’t close enough. Afterwards, we hit some traffic, and I managed to overtake on the outside of turn 5. Afterwards, I knew that I had the right car to widen the gap. Frankly, it’s a great victory and the first victory for the Ligier JS P2 which is very important for all the work done up til now. It’s just great.”

Julien Canal: “I’m really happy with this win. We had a big lead. The car was very consistent. I think we all did a great job. We got a puncture, but I think that every victory is merited and we had the stress of this win up right until the end. And now, I think that we’ll appreciate it even more and I hope we’ll do the same work until the end of the year, because I think that we deserve to win many other races. I’m very happy with my team mates too. We all did a great job. “

Philippe Dumas, Team Principal : « It had to be done, and we did it. I’m very happy with this first victory with the Ligier JS P2. Once more, we’ve shown the potential of the car and we’ve managed to achieve it. I’m very happy for the team, G-Drive Racing, Onroak Automotive, and for the guys too. It’s not been easy since the start of the weekend, with 2-3 misadventures. But that’s what sport is about and you should never give up. There’s still a long way to go but we’ve done some good work to catch up in the championship and we’ll have to keep on like this until the end. The three drivers did a very good job. I’m very happy with Julien (Canal), he’s really progressed. Roman (Rusinov) was very consistent and Olivier (Pla) was exceptional, as per usual. “

Jacques Nicolet, President Onroak Automotive: “It’s been an excellent weekend for Onroak Automotive, which started yesterday in Shanghai with the victory for a Morgan-Judd LM P2 in the Asian Le Mans Series, and that continued today in Fuji with the first victory for the Ligier JS P2 in the FIA WEC and another podium for the Morgan-Judd LM P2. This podium is accompanied by the joy of having allowed Keiko Ihara to be the first woman to climb on to the FIA WEC podium. It’s 18h30 in Japan and our weekend hasn’t finished yet as the 6 hours of Magny-Cours in the V de V, in which 7 Ligier JS 53 EVO are taking part, has only just begun!”

6 Hours of Fuji LM P2 classification:
1- #26 – G-Drive Racing – Ligier JS P2 Nissan
2- #47 – KCMG – Oreca Nissan
3- #35 – OAK Racing – Morgan-Judd LM P2
4- #27 – SMP Racing – Oreca Nissan
5- #37 – SMP Racing – Oreca Nissan


LM P2 Teams FIA Endurance Trophy classification after round 5:
1- #27 – SMP Racing 110 pts
2- #26 – G-Drive Racing 94 pts
3- #47 – KCMG 80 pts
4- #37 – SMP Racing 27pts

[Rob]

[Rob]

[Rob]

[Rob]

[Rob]

[Rob]

James Calado @JamesCalado · 11h 11 hours ago
This result was for Jules. P1 and P2 #ForzaBianchi Maximum Ferrari points, great race