2015 WEC/ELMS&TUSC news.

[fratelliferrari]

glad you had good time. Its such an experience. So friendly. Upload away my friend, love to see them, Gimmi and Toni really down to earth and always up for chat and pictures.

AF Corse played the long game, start off steady, keep in touch with the Astons, and in the last 2 and half hours up the pace and reel them in, as we did at Silverstone.

Le-Mans, bring it on, i too have good feeling for that race.

Ciao Rob! I would really like to upload some photos but how can I do that the easiest way possible? I always so you uploading very big photos but if I try it the system always says that I only can do a particular amount of kbs! Because of that I always have to edit the photos usings Paint, but is there another method too?

[Rob]

Ciao Rob! I would really like to upload some photos but how can I do that the easiest way possible? I always so you uploading very big photos but if I try it the system always says that I only can do a particular amount of kbs! Because of that I always have to edit the photos usings Paint, but is there another method too?

i use

http://tinypic.com/?t=postupload

[Rob]

[Rob]

Scuderia Corsa Closes Up in Championship Race at Monterey

Fourth place for Sweedler and Bell puts team in contention for championship after three events.

May 3, 2015 (Salinas, Calif.) - From tenth position, the combined efforts of Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell and Scuderia Corsa would leap through the GT-Daytona field during Sunday's TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to finish in fourth position in the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia.

The result, which propelled Sweedler and Bell to second in the GT-Daytona driver's championship and Scuderia Corsa to third in the team championship, was achieved in front of a large crowd of supporters from nearby Ferrari Silicon Valley. A large number of Ferraris from Ferrari Silicon Valley were also in attendance at Laguna Seca.

"It was a good day for us and we made up a bunch of ground in the championship," said Sweedler. "With the current state of things, we knew that we would be fighting a little bit of an uphill battle here. The balance of the Ferrari, the strategy from the pit box, and the pit work got us up to the lead for a little while and we are pretty happy with fourth place. I think everyone was expecting more contact and more caution periods, but we came away with a relatively clean red Ferrari."

"My stint behind the wheel was pretty uneventful, actually," said Bell. "It was green the whole way and with how the strategies played out I wasn't really racing against anyone. But we are happy with the result. This definitely wasn't going to be our strongest circuit and all things considered, we had a very good finish and a great points day. At circuits where we aren't at our strongest, it is really good to have days like this where we can still make up ground."

Team owners Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo found themselves in the dual roles of team owners and event hosts during the weekend as they provided their guests from Ferrari Silicon Valley with an up-close look at the team's operations as well as the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. And while their Ferrari would narrowly miss the podium, they were thrilled to provide a strong result on their home track."

"The most important thing for us is the championship and today was a positive day in that regard," said Mattioli. "We had a wonderful day at Laguna Seca with over 80 clients coming to cheers for us on Saturday and Sunday. Their enthusiasm was contagious and made us proud to represent Ferrari. Certainly, with the current BoP, this is not a track that is well-suited to the Ferrari at the moment. But the drivers and the team did a great effort to give us as many points as possible and move the drivers to second in the championship. Starting from tenth, Bill and Townsend had their work cut out for them, but they and the crew delivered a performance that our guests were able to enjoy from start to finish."

Scuderia Corsa will compete next at the Pirelli World Challenge race at Mosport on May 15-17, and at the next TUSCC race at the Raceway at Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan on May 27-28.
About Scuderia Corsa:

The 2013 Grand-AM Rolex GT championship-winning team Scuderia Corsa was founded in 2011 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo. The team was created for the sole purpose of supporting the racing needs of Ferrari clients and includes turnkey programs, GT endurance racing, the North American Ferrari Challenge Series and track events. Giacomo Mattioli is the owner of Ferrari Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and South Bay and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.

Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, on Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at #Scuderiacorsaferrari and ScuderiaCorsa.com


Team Sponsors:
Ferrari Beverly Hills / Los Angeles / Silicon Valley / South Bay - North America's premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts. Robert Graham - with its retail presence in more than a dozen countries around the world including New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Dusseldorf, Robert Graham is 'American Eclectic.' Since its launch in 2001, it introduces sophisticated, eclectic style to the fashion market as an American-based company with an intention of inspiring a global movement and includes four menswear and women's wear collections a year-spring, pre-fall, fall and resort. Royal Purple - Royal Purple manufactures high performance lubricants for most automotive, industrial, marine, motorcycle and racing applications. The Houston, TX based company is considered the best synthetic oil by many end users and its synthetic oil and synthetic lubricants are formulated to maximize performance in real world applications. Kaspersky - Kaspersky Lab is the world's largest privately held vendor of endpoint protection solutions. The company is ranked among the world's top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users1. Throughout its more than 17-year history Kaspersky Lab has remained an innovator in IT security and provides effective digital security solutions for large enterprises, SMBs and consumers. With its holding company registered in the United Kingdom, Kaspersky Lab operates in almost 200 countries and territories, providing protection for over 400 million users worldwide. Ferrari Palm Beach - Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari - Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair. Hublot - A champion of innovation, Hublot revolutionized the watch industry with the introduction of the Big Bang, a multiple award winning timepiece created using a combination of precious metals with rubber. Since then, the Swiss brand has become universally known for the concept, "Art of Fusion." From in-house watch complications to world-class collaborations such as Ferrari and the Los Angeles Lakers, Hublot is constantly evolving and looking to the future. Passtime - Is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of wireless GPS telematics devices for the global automotive industry in the vehicle finance and fleet transportation sectors offering a web-based software portal with a complete end-to-end software solution designed specifically for the automotive industry. Ultratech - A pioneer of laser processing, Ultratech designs, manufactures and markets photolithography and laser processing equipment.

Technical Suppliers
Motegi Racing - through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers. Sabelt - leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState - Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry's best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.

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[Rob]

News Release

Tudor United SportsCar Championship, GTLM Round 4 of 10, Monterey, California

Porsche Earns Both GTLM and GTD Podiums At Laguna Seca, Including First Win for Park Place Motorsports

Monterey, California, May 3, 2015. Porsche again stood on both the TUDOR United SportsCar Championships’ GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD) podiums today in the Monterey Grand Prix. The weekend’s success at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (MRLS) was largely the result of driver performances in two race iterations of the seventh-generation of Porsche’s venerable rear-engine sports car. In both classes, Porsche factory drivers Patrick Pilet (France) and Michael Christensen (Denmark) overcame early adversity to capture Team Porsche North America’s first podium of 2015 in the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR. Christensen also shared the No. 912 works entry with German Jörg Bergmeister to take fifth-place in class. In the GTD class, Park Place Motorsports capped off a weekend featuring its first TUDOR pole position with its first win in the No. 73 Porsche 911 GT America shared by Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, California) and Spencer Pumpelly (Atlanta).

Porsche 911 RSR
Porsche’s factory driver program has been the benchmark for manufacturer racing efforts for decades. Today’s two-hour and forty-minute race on the 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit proved why. With the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) racing it’s second round this weekend in Belgium at Spa-Francorchamps, the 20 works drivers were spread across two continents and seven official factory entries. Michael Christensen was tapped to do double-duty in this weekend’s fourth round of the GTLM title chase sharing the No. 911 Porsche North America 911 RSR with Pilet and the No. 912 with Bergmeister. When the No. 911 fell back early in the pit stop rotation, Pilet dug deep to bring the car from eighth back into the top-three on a track renowned for its difficulty to pass. Christensen, who had started the No. 912, took over and continued to fight and held onto the podium position at the checkered-flag. Bergmeister, who took the second stint in the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR, also drove an inspired race after falling back early in his stint. In the closing stages of the race, the German overtook three cars to earn a fifth-place result.

Team Falken Tire ran as high as third with factory driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) and Braselton, Georgia’s Bryan Sellers. Ultimately, the only customer campaigned Porsche 911 RSR would finish eighth.

Porsche 911 GT America
Park Place Motorsports unloaded on the Monterey Peninsula with a very fast Porsche 911 GT America. The racing arm of Park Place Porsche, the largest Porsche dealer in the state of Texas, captured its first TUDOR Championship pole position in convincing style on Saturday with Lindsey behind the wheel. The high expectations for today’s race, round three of the season for the GTD class, came into question when Lindsey was forced out of position on the start and fell to third-place. However, he retook second-place and the first round of pit stops executed by the team returned the Santa Barbara, California-driver to the GTD class point. Once in the hands of veteran racer Pumpelly, the program was locked onto its first podium taking the honors.

Three other Porsche 911 GT Americas – a car designed exclusively for the North American market and the GTD class – finished in the top-eight at MRLS. Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring winners Ian James (Phoenix, Arizona) and Mario Farnbacher (Germany) took third-place with the No. 23 Team Seattle Alex Job Racing Porsche. In sixth-place was the No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT America shared by John Potter (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Andy Lally (Atlanta). Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Illinois) and Leh Keen (Atlanta) drove the No. 22 WeatherTech Porsche to seventh.

Team Porsche North America honored the passing of François Michelin in today’s race. Long considered an innovator and the driving force behind Michelin's rise as a global leader in the tire industry, the loss is being felt across the automotive family. Out of respect, Porsche raced today with a black ribbon over one edge of the Michelin decals on the pair of works Porsche 911 RSR entered in Monterey.

Marco Ujhasi, Project Manager, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche Motorsport: “It was a challenging weekend in general. We came here with three drivers because of the date conflict with the WEC race at Spa. That required a unique strategy. We had a good start to the race and were very quick early. We fell back on the first pit stop with the number 911 car and it was an awesome drive, perhaps the best drive I have ever seen in a GT car, for Patrick Pilet to bring the car back to the top-three. Michael also did a great job to bring that car home with a podium. It was an unbelievable performance on the driver side from that car and also from Jörg in the number 912. It was amazing to see what driver performance we have. This was the best that we could have hoped to achieve for the weekend.”

Patrick Pilet, No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR: "It was difficult, like always, to overtake because the cars of the GTLM class are so close but I was pretty aggressive in the traffic. I had no other choice so I took some risks. The car was running well. It is a good result for us because we could not expect better today. It is good for the championship. It is good to be back on the podium.”

Michael Christensen, Nos. 911/912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR: “It is a challenge to go back and forth between the cars. But, in the end I think it worked out well. You try and prepare as well as you can before hand. But, obviously, it is going to be difficult. We did a very good job on the 911. We did not get as good a result in the 912 car but I think P5 is still good.”

Jörg Bergmeister, No. 912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR: “We pitted a little earlier than the others for the last stop and, with the new Michelin tires, we were able to pass three cars, including the two Corvettes. We managed to finish fifth. So we ended the day okay.”

Wolf Henzler, No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR: “The race started very exciting for me. At the start everyone accelerated and all of a sudden I saw to the left side the Corvette in front of me was slowing down. It was very close. That hurt our start and I was not able to remake any positions. I think we learned something over the weekend. Every session we made a change but we could have continued in that direction. It is good to know and we will continue.”

Bryan Sellers, No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR: “In a lot of ways it was a good weekend but in a lot of ways it was a very frustrating weekend. We made a lot of changes in the car and found some things that really changed the car for the better. The race was difficult. The Falken crew had a really good stop and moved us to fourth but then Wolf got hit and we went backwards. It is so tough to pass here that track position was everything and we just didn’t have it today.”

Patrick Lindsey, No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America: “The start was pretty bad for us. Two or three GTD cars got around me. We caught a yellow and that made it a two-stop race for us. On the restart I was able to get back into the lead and then stretch it out. That was really the key to us. If it weren’t for the guys on the pit box though and our crew over the wall that executed just awesome pit stops, I would have been in a world of hurt. They gave me the chance to shoot out front and get a lead. And Spencer got in the car and did what Spencer does best which is go out, run hard and win races. It is great to get the monkey off our back. This is just the first win to get out of the way. I feel like there are a lot more to come.”

Spencer Pumpelly, No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America: “This was a team effort from start to finish. Patrick drove a really good opening stint. We had an early yellow and the decision was made to keep Patrick in the car. If he had not been so quick we probably wouldn’t have been able to follow that strategy and that really is what put us in a position to win. That and great pit stops. True team effort today!”


GT Le Mans Results
1. No. 24 John Edwards (USA)/Lucas Luhr (Germany, BMW Z4 GTE – 108 laps
2. No. 25 Bill Auberlen (USA)/Dirk Werner (Germany), BMW Z4 GTE – 108 laps
3. 5. No. 911 Patrick Pilet (France)/Michael Christensen (Denmark), Porsche 911 RSR – 108 laps
4. No. 62 Pierre Kaffer (Germany)/Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy), Ferrari F458 Italia – 108 laps
5. No. 912 Jörg Bergmeister (Germany)/Michael Christensen (Denmark), Porsche 911 RSR – 108 laps
8. No. 17 Wolf Henzler (Germany)/Bryan Sellers (USA), Porsche 911 RSR – 108 laps

GT Daytona Results
1. No. 73 Patrick Lindsey (USA)/Spencer Pumpelly (USA), Porsche 911 GT America – 103 laps
2. No. 48 Christopher Haase (Germany)/von Moltke (USA), Audi R8 LMS – 103 laps
3. No. 23 Ian James (USA)/Mario Farnbacher (Germany), Porsche 911 GT America – 103 laps
4. No. 63 Bill Sweedler (USA)/Townsend Bell (USA), Ferrari 458 Italia – 103 laps
5. No. 007 Christina Nielsen (Denmark)/James Davison (Australia), Aston Martin V12 Vantage – 102 laps
6. No. 44 John Potter (USA)/Andy Lally (USA) Porsche 911 GT America – 102 laps
7. No. 22 Cooper MacNeil (USA)/Leh Keen (USA), Porsche 911 GT America – 102 laps

###

[Rob]

LUHR, EDWARDS COMBINE TO WIN AT MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA

BMW ACHIEVES SECOND CONSECUTIVE GTLM VICTORY

Victory is becoming habit forming for BMW. One event after scoring its first TUDOR United SportsCar Championship triumph in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class at Long Beach, BMW Team RLL was back at it Sunday at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

This time, Lucas Luhr and John Edwards teamed to give the No. 24 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM its first TUDOR Championship victory. Long Beach winners Dirk Werner and Bill Auberlen placed second in the No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4, with Edwards leading Auberlen to the checkered by 22.572 seconds.

It was Luhr’s ninth class victory at the circuit – including three overall triumphs in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón – and 52nd in all-time North American endurance racing, two behind Auberlen and seven behind leader Scott Pruett.

Michael Christensen finished third in the No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR started by Patrick Pilet. Pierre Kaffer and Giancarlo Fisichella took fourth in the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia, followed by Christensen and Joerg Bergmeister in the No. 912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR.

The race was slowed by two cautions that came back-to-back in the opening hour of the two hour, 40-minute session. Luhr started the race in the No. 24 before Edwards took over and managed to work traffic after the second restart to build a commanding lead. With the remainder of the race run under green, he went unchallenged, only briefly relinquishing the lead during the final round of pit stops.

NEWS AND NOTES

· The second-place finish enabled Auberlen and Werner to close the gap on Corvette Racing drivers Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen to two points (128-126). The drivers of the No. 3 Corvette C7.R – who opened the season with victories at Daytona and Sebring – finished seventh. Winners Luhr and Edwards improved to third with 121 points.

· Michael Christensen did a unique double for Porsche North America. He started sixth in the No. 912 Porsche, and pitted under the first caution 36 minutes into the race, turning the car over to Joerg Bergmeister. Christensen then relieved Patrick Pilet in the team’s No. 911 with one hour remaining, and went on to finish third in GTLM, while Bergmeister came home fifth.

· The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia won the DEKRA Green Challenge Award for the third consecutive event. The award is presented to the most environmentally clean, fast and efficient GTLM competitor at each TUDOR Championship race. The award is determined through Green Racing protocols established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International.

· The next event for the TUDOR Championship will be the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers, featuring the Prototype, Prototype Challenge and GTD classes at Detroit’s Belle Isle Park on Saturday, May 30.

QUOTEBOARD

Lucas Luhr, Driver - No. 24 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM

“After two races where we should have been on the podium but had little issues, it’s very rewarding to have a victory. It’s my first victory as a BMW works driver, so it’s really special. It’s very sweet, and I’ll remember it for a long time.”

John Edwards, Driver - No. 24 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM

“The key today was traffic. We had some slower Prototypes that we had to get through. Being the first one to arrive in the back of the Prototypes was an advantage, because I could stuff my nose in and surprise them. After that, they started blocking and that enabled me to get a gap. I’m happy Lucas and I could get to the top step after our teammates did it last weekend at Long Beach.”

[Rob]

VALIANTE, WESTBROOK CAPTURE FIRST WIN IN NINE TUDOR CHAMPIONSHIP RACES

VISITFLORIDA.COM RACING CORVETTE DP WINS AT MAZDA RACEWAY


Michael Valiante and Richard Westbrook captured an overall win in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.

It marked the first win for the No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Racing Corvette DP since last June’s race at New York’s Watkins Glen International, a span of nine races. The finish was the pair’s fourth consecutive podium result in TUDOR Championship competition.

Valiante started the No. 90 Prototype on the inside of the second row in third place. Not content with the option of a conservative strategy, he dove to the inside of the leaders as the Prototype field entered the first corner of the 11-turn, 2.238-mile long circuit. The move stuck, and Valiante took the lead on the very first lap of the race. Between the first 15 laps of the race led by Valiante and the last 29 laps of the race led by co-driver Richard Westbrook, the No. 90 led 44 out of 112 laps in the two hour, 40 minute race on the way to victory.

With the win, Valiante and Westbrook have taken over the Prototype championship lead from Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa of the No. 5 Action Express Racing Corvette DP. Fittipaldi and Barbosa held on to second place in the standings with 125 points after a fourth-place run and trail Valiante and Westbrook by four points.

The No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP driven by Jordan and Ricky Taylor finished second. The brothers led a combined 60 laps and the race came to a close with Ricky Taylor hot on the heels of Westbrook. He finished the race a mere 1.351 seconds behind.

Third place was claimed by Oswaldo Negri Jr. and John Pew, drivers of the No. 60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian Ligier JS P2/Honda HPD. The team led one lap and set the fastest lap of the race on Lap 84 at 1:19.303.

NEWS AND NOTES

· The Taylor brothers achieved their third consecutive top-two finish and moved to third in the Prototype point standings. They are within 11 points of leaders Valiante and Westbrook, 129-118, after the No. 10 team was relegated to last in class in the Rolex 24 At Daytona due to a drive-time miscalculation.

· The Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda had just two caution periods for eight combined laps, lasting less than 15 minutes total.

· Action Express Racing continued its streak of completing every possible lap in TUDOR Championship competition. Their current total of 3,447 laps adds up to 11,118 miles.

· The DeltaWing Racing DWC13 headed to the garage early in the race for an issue with their exhaust. After returning for a brief stint, the team had to retire from the race for good with a brake issue after completing 38 laps.

QUOTEBOARD

Michael Valiante (No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Racing Corvette DP): “It was a challenge, the brakes and tires were cold going into Turn 1. I got a good start; I got on the inside of Jordan. We made a little unintentional contact slipping down the inside. It was clean for a while, but then we hit heavy, heavy traffic. I got frustrated, I was really boxed in. I got by one PC with a little contact, going into Turn 1 was a huge traffic jam. I made contact with a GTLM car, and I think it hit Jordan on the other side. We sort of forced him off the road and gave him a different line. But it was a good race.”

Richard Westbrook (No. 90 VisitFlorida.com Racing Corvette DP): “It was a great race to be a part of, and fighting these guys. It was a really interesting sports car race. .... Everyone at the team worked really hard, and it was about time to get better than 3rd and be where we deserved. Every lap I was worried, I never gapped him, he was always there. I know how quick Ricky is. We just had enough to keep him even at the end, but I was eating up tires pretty quick as well.”

Jordan Taylor (No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP): “It’s definitely different to start, its aggressive in turn 1. I got hit a couple of times. It’s good racing I think. It must have been exciting from outside, it was crazy inside. You’re working on qualifying tires, so you’re struggling the whole time. Once I got fresh tires, it was night and day, I was able to drive a full stint, more of what I’m used to.”

[Rob]

CUMMING AND JUNQUEIRA TEAM UP TO WIN IN PROTOTYPE CHALLENGE

RSR RACING WINS FROM POLE AT MAZDA RACEWAY

Chris Cumming started the No. 11 RSR Racing ORECA FLM09 from the Prototype Challenge (PC) pole, and along with co-driver Bruno Junqueira, never looked back.

The duo overcame a drive-through penalty for a crew member over the wall too soon to lead 80 of 112 laps in the Prototype Challenge class and claimed its first win of the year. The win was the second in TUDOR Championship competition for Cumming and the first for Junqueira.

Second place went to 2014 PC champions Colin Braun and Jon Bennett. The pair led 13 laps and maintained their championship lead over the second place PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports. Drivers Tom Kimber-Smith and Mike Guasch, who won both of the first two PC races this season at Daytona and Sebring, suffered a mechanical issue in today’s race which forced them to limp their car to finish 16 laps down.

Finishing third in PC were Performance Tech Motorsports drivers Mike Hedlund and James French. Hedlund and French finished two laps behind the PC winners.

NEWS AND NOTES

· The Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda had just two caution periods for eight combined laps, lasting less than 15 minutes total.

QUOTEBOARD

Chris Cumming (No. 11 RSR Racing ORECA FLM09): “It was one of those brilliant races. The first stint was pretty smooth; we had a really good lead. A couple guys went off strategy and didn’t pit, others didn’t take tires.”

Bruno Junqueira (No. 11 RSR Racing ORECA FLM09): “I feel great getting a win here at Laguna Seca; it’s one of my favorite tracks in the US. I’ve had a lot of poles in Indy Cars, and in Sports Cars, I never got the win. To finally get the win was great. To finally get the win was so good, so strong. Chris drove so well, he is for sure the fastest Silver driver out there. Now I want to keep this up and go for some more wins.”

[Rob]

[Rob]

He won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2012, he is determinated to win in ELMS

Last Daytona 24 Hour pole winner Oswaldo Negri Jr comes back to Europe for the first time in 20 years. The Brazilian driver, is racing in the 2015 European Le mans Series along with Tracy Krohn and and Nic Jonsson at the wheel of the green Krohn racing JS P2.
MOTORSPORTS QUESTIONS



Whether in ELMS or not, how was your 2014 season?
My 2014 season in the TUDOR United Sports Cars Series was a challenging one, but we had some strong showings like a 2nd place at Road America, fastest race lap at Long Beach to balance it out. I always try to take the positive in all situations and the one for me was that we were always running competitively up front.

What did you do during the winter?
As I live in Florida, we don't have much of a winter per say, so I worked out a lot getting ready to the 2015 season as well as lots of Karting days.

How was your season start and what do you expect from the 2015 ELMS season?
I expect to do well. I just joined Krohn Racing and want to do the best I can to help the team. I believe we have the right package and great personnel to work with.

Do you know all the circuits on the 2015 schedule? Which one is your favourite?
Silverstone is the only track I have been to and it has changed since. Right now I am really looking forward to drive in all of them.

How do you prepare for a race weekend?
I study lots of data, on board videos and SIM work. I also train very hard to be able to perform as best as I can.

Do you have a special ritual before the race? If yes, what is it ?
Just lots of good sleep, the fresher the better.

What are the strengths of your team?
I really think we have great professionals working at Krohn Racing as well as Nic and Tracy and we all have one thing in mind, that is to do well.

What are the strengths of your co driver(s)?
I have known Nic for a long time, since my British F-3 days, he was quick then and he is quick now. Also the fact that he has been with Krohn Racing forever will help me and Tracy get up to speed fast.

What is the race you want to take part in the most? And why?
24 Hour of Le Mans, for sure. It’s been on my mind for years and I hope to be able to tick that off my bucket list.

What has been your best result in motorsport? (which discipline, when, what circuit)
Winning the Rolex 24 Hour of Daytona in 2012



PERSONAL QUESTIONS



What is your greatest strength of character?
I am very, very friendly and I consider myself very loyal. I am also relentless with my helmet on.

What is your worst weakness?
I don't feel I have any.

What is your favourite colour?
Blue.

What was the last book you have read?
I just finished The Alchemist from Paulo Coelho

What can we see on your bedside table?
Picture of my family and some books

What is your favourite music?
Alternative

What your favourite flower / plant?
Orchid

In which country would you like to live?
I love living in the USA

If you were an animal which one would it be and why?
Dog, Man's best friend

If you were a person from History, which one would it be?
Gandhi

What is your life motto?
Audi A4

[Rob]

FIA PRESIDENT JEAN TODT APPOINTED AS UN SPECIAL ENVOY FOR ROAD SAFETY

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed FIA President Jean Todt as his Special Envoy for Road Safety at a meeting held today in Paris.

In this capacity, he will assist the UN Secretary General in mobilizing sustained political commitment towards road safety. Mr. Todt will also advocate and raise awareness about the United Nations road safety legal instruments, and share established road safety good practices, through his participations in global and regional conferences on road safety. In addition, the Special Envoy for Road Safety will generate funding for advocacy efforts through strategic partnerships between the public, private and non-governmental sectors.

FIA President Jean Todt said: “The road safety challenge is too often ignored, but road injuries are the number one killer of young people aged 15-29. That being the case, it deserves much more attention on the global political agenda.” adding “This appointment will bring greater visibility to efforts to tackle this health and development crisis, as well as new leadership and renewed momentum”.

“In my position as FIA President, with the backing of our members, road safety has become a key priority. I have been committed to bringing together all stakeholders fighting for this cause. This new role will help build an even stronger coalition for road safety worldwide” he said.

Road fatalities account for almost 1.3 million deaths every year with a further 50 million left seriously injured. 90 per cent of fatalities take place in developing and emerging countries, despite only accounting for half the world’s vehicles. The UN Road Safety Week which begins on 4 May draws attention to the 500 children that lose their lives every day on the road. At the end of the year, Brazil will host the Second Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety on 18-19 November to review progress in the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

[Rob]

JOTA SPORT AIMING FOR ANOTHER “ITALIAN JOB” AT IMOLA

Repeat performance of British team’s dominant 2014 ELMS performance is target

JOTA Sport heads for Italy aiming to repeat the dominant performance the British team enjoyed in the corresponding European Le Mans Series race at Imola last year. Simon Dolan, Filipe Albuquerque and Harry Tincknell between them started from pole-position, won and set the race’s fastest lap in 2014 – and the trio are set on achieving the same again in their Gibson 015S Nissan this year (16-17 May).

Dolan, Albuquerque, Tincknell and JOTA Sport finished second in last year’s ELMS Driver’s and Teams’ standings – missing out on the title by just four points – and after coming home second in the 2015 “opener” at Silverstone last month – victory escaping them by 0.370secs – drivers and team are focussed on another Imola “whitewash”. JOTA heads to Italy on the crest of a wave after dominating the LM P2 category in the FIA World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps race (2 May).

The 3.081-mile Imola track, renamed Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari in 1988, is one of the few European tracks where cars circulate anticlockwise. A free practice session is staged on Saturday with qualifying on Sunday (0930 UK time) with the race scheduled to start at 1300 (UK time).


Simon Dolan (GB). Age 45. Born: Chelmsford, Essex. Lives: Monaco (MC):
“Last year’s race was eventful. I was settled for second place then saw leader Christian Klein stopped with only minutes remaining which for me was a very nice sight. I like Imola, it’s one of my favourite tracks. As a driver you’re always so busy with no straights as such to take a breather. You are always working, always busy. There are always a lot of cars on the track and overtaking even GT cars was an issue at times in 2014 but this year’s Gibson should be much better.”

Filipe Albuquerque (P). Age 29. Born & Lives: Coimbra (P):
“We are in good shape for Imola and we head there with the same goal again and that’s to win. Gibson has done a fantastic job with the upgrades. The team is fantastic and it’s the same driver trio as last year. The 2014 race at Imola was crazy but of course the outcome was good for us. We were a little bit lucky. The opening Silverstone race showed that we are in good shape and we just marginally lost out on the victory. We always respect the competition and of course there is another Gibson, which beat us at Silverstone, while the Thiriet TDS Racing Morgan is strong. Imola is a track with great history. I remember watching [Formula One] races back in the early 1990s and now love going there. It’s very technical and narrow so overtaking can be difficult in traffic.”

Harry Tincknell (GB). Age: 23. Born: Exeter, Devon. Lives: Sidmouth, Devon (GB):
“We have good memories from last year’s Imola race. It was my first time there last year and it’s already one of my favourite tracks. It’s an ‘old school’ circuit especially the section where it goes downhill and into the double right, which is really cool. It can be challenging with the traffic. This year’s Gibson is going to be rapid around Imola there’s no doubt. We were vying for the win at Silverstone and I didn’t think much to some of our rivals’ driving standards. Our goal is to repeat last year’s victory.”

Sam Hignett. Partner, JOTA Group:
“We finished a close second in the ELMS opener at Silverstone and more recently dominated LM P2 in the Spa WEC race earlier this month and our aim is obviously to keep the momentum going and score strongly again at Imola so as to keep us in the title race at this early stage of the championship. We have the same trio of drivers who scored a last-gasp victory at Imola last year so everything bodes well for us.”

[Rob]

INFO PRESSE
Le Mans, 10 mai 2015 - May 10th 2015
ELMS - 10/05/2015

Imola Facts and Figures

The 2015 edition of the 4 Hours of Imola is just 10 days away and the European Le Mans Series has produced some exciting racing since the series returned to the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in 2013.
The 2013 race was 3 hours in duration and in 2014 this was extended to 4 Hours. Here are some facts and figures from the past two years of the ELMS at Imola.

RACE

Oreca won in 2013 and Zytek won in 2014

Ferrari have taken all six LMGTE podium places in 2013 and 2014

Ferrari have taken five of the six podium places in GTC – 1st and 2nd in 2013, with BMW taking 3rd place. In 2014 all three places were taken by Ferrari.



QUALIFYING

JOTA Sport Zytek-Nissan took LMP2 pole position in 2013 and in 2014

Ferrari (RAM Racing) took the LMGTE Pole in 2013 and Kessel Racing Ferrari in 2014

Lamborghini (Kox Racing) took GTC pole in 2013 and Ferrari (Formula Racing) in 2014



TOP SPEEDS

Top Speed recorded in 2014 284.0kph

Top Speed recorded in 2013 279.1kph



LAP RECORDS

LMP2 Oliver Turvey JOTA Sport Zytek Z11SN - Nissan 1m34.992 186.0kph 2013

LMGTE Matt Griffin AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia 1m41.024 174.9kph 2014

GTC Francesco Castellacci AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 1m43.035 171.5kph 2014



RACE DISTANCE

2014 LMP2 Race Distance 682.35km 139 laps 170.5kph 4 hours

2013 LMP2 Race Distance 530.17km 108 laps 176.5kph 3 hours



2014 LMGTE Race Distance 657.80km 134 laps 164.2kph 4 hours

2013 LMGTE Race Distance 500.17km 102 laps 166.2kph 3 hours



2014 GTC Race Distance 647.98km 132 laps 161.0kph 4 hours

2013 GTC Race Distance 490.90km 100 laps 162.7kph 3 hours



POINTS

Pierre Thiriet has taken the most LMP2 points from the two races = 35 points (1st in 2013 and 5th in 2014)

Victor Shaitar has taken 50 points in the two races. The Russian took 25 points for the GTC win in 2013 in the no69 SMP Racing Ferrari with Kirill Ladygin and Fabio Babini. Shaitar then won the LMGTE class in 2014 in the no72 SMP Racing Ferrari with Andrea Bertolini and Sergey Zlobin.

The 2015 4 Hours of Imola will take place on Sunday 17 May with the race beginning at 14h00 CET.

[vagos]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=46&v=-S3fJli9ZCU

Nice video!

[Rob]

Murphy Prototypes to get back on track at Imola

The second round of this year's European Le Mans Series takes place this Sunday (17th May) at Imola and this legendary circuit in northern Italy is where the Murphy Prototypes team intends to get its 2015 title challenge back on track.
The track - named the Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari - features a 4.909km (3.050-mile) lap and was the venue for the San Marino Grand Prix. It is one of the few major circuits to run in an anti-clockwise direction and is renowned for its high-speed straights and technical corners, including the infamous Tamburello Curve.

Last month's round one - the 4-hours of Silverstone - saw all three of the team's drivers: Michael Lyons, Mark Patterson and Natanaël Berthon, battle amongst the front-runners for overall positions. However, a small electrical issue with the team's Oreca 03R Nissan LMP2 with just one hour to go whilst running in fifth place, meant the team was unable to fulfil its true potential.

"Of course, we were very disappointed with the outcome at Silverstone, but we have since discovered what caused the problem", said Dublin-based Team Principal Greg Murphy. "The team have been working extremely hard behind the scenes to ensure everything that can be done has been done to achieve the best possible result at Imola. We have always performed well there and therefore, we're targeting nothing less than a podium finish.”

Following an excellent double-stint at Silverstone, Anglo-Irishman Michael Lyons from Bishop's Stortford has driven the most competitive mileage in the car so far this year. He says he took a lot of positives away from Silverstone and consequently, is now looking forward to this weekend:

"The Imola circuit layout, with its long straights and big braking zones, should suit our car well. Having competed there for the first time last year in a GTE car, I know it's going to be a challenging race, especially as I know I'll be overtaking more traffic this year driving an LMP2 car.

"This 'old school' style circuit leaves little margin for error and it means that you're driving on the edge most of the time. I must admit that I can't wait to be back behind the wheel of the Murphy Prototypes Oreca and get our championship chase going.”

Second in the car for round one was RSA-born, New York-based businessman Mark Patterson, who at 63 is proud to be the oldest driver on the ELMS grid as well as one of the most passionate about racing:

"Our electrical gremlins are now fixed, so this weekend we plan to score points and grab the podium place that escaped our grasp at Silverstone. I've raced at Imola just once before and loved it. The circuit has some very demanding corners, with the less technical hilltop chicane that comes before that enjoyable downhill straight. Bring it on!”

Third to drive at Silverstone - and therefore the driver who didn't get to finish his stint - was Nathanaël Berthon. Also contesting a full GP2 campaign this year, the talented Frenchman from Romagnat is eager to get back to the business of challenging for ELMS race wins and subsequently, the title:

"It was a great shame not to finish at Silverstone, so our 2015 title challenge starts this weekend. With the car and team we have, I am confident we can do well at Imola and I see no reason what we shouldn't be battling for a podium position."

The ELMS action starts on Saturday, with two 90-minute Free Practice sessions at 10.30 and 15.00. The 20-minutes of qualifying takes place on Sunday from 10.30, with the four-hour race getting underway at 14.00. All times are CEST, one-hour ahead of BST.

[Rob]

Teaser for the ELMS round this weekend...

[Rob]

Le Mans 24 Hours 168 drivers from 29 different countries!

There will be 56 cars at the start the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours. Each one will have a 3-driver line-up, and today the Automobile Club de l’Ouest is publishing the list of the 168 drivers entered for the 83rd running of the Sarthe classic, the third round of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship on 13-14 June. The international spread of the event pursues its expansion with drivers representing 29 different countries!

On 7th May, the deadline, the teams entered for the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours (13-14 June), had to send in the list of drivers who will relay one another at the wheel of the 56 cars at the start of the third round of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship. After the usual administrative checks we are now announcing the list.

The 168 drivers have licences issued in 29 different countries, three more than in 2014. France supplies the highest number (30) followed by Great Britain (28), America (18) and Germany (15).

In LM P1, however, the Germans have the edge (9) in front of the British (8), the Swiss and the French (6 each).

Taking into account the entries as a whole it is worth noting the large Russian (9), Swiss (8) and Danish (7) contingents.

Out of the 4 categories, LM P2 is the one in which there is the biggest mix of licence-holders with 17 different nationalities represented.

The list of entrants consists of 14 LM P1s, 19 LM P2s, 9 LM GTE Pros and 14 LM GTE Ams.

There are still five teams on the reserve list: two in LM P and three in LM GTE.




entry list..
http://www.24h-lemans.com/wpphpFichi...-mans-2015.pdf

[Rob]

News Release May 15, 2015

World Premiere at the Nürburgring

Lighter, More Economical, Faster: The New 911 GT3 R

Stuttgart. Based on the 911 GT3 RS production sports car, Porsche has designed a customer sport race car for GT3 series around the world: The 911 GT3 R. In developing the more than 368 kW (500 hp) racing nine-eleven, special attention was paid to lightweight design, better aerodynamic efficiency, reducing consumption, improved handling, further optimized safety as well as lowering service and spare parts costs.

Adopted from its production sibling, the 911 GT3 R features the distinctive double-bubble roof, and the wheelbase which had been lengthened by 3.27 inches (8.3 centimeters) compared to the previous generation. This ensures a more balanced weight distribution and more predictable handling particularly in fast corners in comparison to the previous GT3 R. By applying systematic lightweight solutions for the body, add-on parts, and suspension, the engineers significantly optimized the center of gravity position of the GT3 R compared to the predecessor model. The lightweight body design of the 911 GT3 RS production sports car featuring intelligent aluminum-steel composite construction has proven to be the ideal basis for the race car. The roof, front cover and fairing, wheel arches, doors, side and tail sections as well as the rear cover are made of particularly light carbon-fiber composite material (CFRP). All windows – and for the first time even the windscreen – consist of polycarbonate.

Powering the new 911 GT3 R is a cutting-edge four-liter flat-six unit which is largely identical to the high-performance production engine of the road-legal 911 GT3 RS. Direct gasoline injection, which operates at pressures up to 200 bar, as well as variable valve timing technology ensure a particularly efficient use of fuel. Moreover, the normally aspirated engine offers significantly better driveability and a broader usable rev range. Power from the rear engine is transferred to the 12.2-inch (310 mm) rear wheels via a Porsche sequential six-speed constant-mesh gearbox. As in the GT road-going models of the 911, the driver changes gears via shift paddles conveniently positioned on the steering wheel.

The aerodynamics of the 911 GT3 R also follows the example of the road car. The distinctive wheel arch air vents on the front fairings increase downforce at the front axle. Measuring 6-feet, 56.inches (two meters) in width by 15.7-inches (40-centimeters) in depth, the rear wing lends aerodynamic balance. From its 911 RSR big brother, the GT3 R has adopted the concept of the centrally-positioned radiator. By eliminating the side radiators, the position of the center of gravity was improved, the radiator is better protected against collision damage, and the venting of hot air through louvers in the front cover was enhanced.

The brake system of the 911 GT3 R also underwent further modifications and, thanks to increased stiffness and more precise control of the ABS, is even better suited to long distance racing. At the front axle, six-piston aluminum monobloc racing brake calipers combined with ventilated and grooved steel brake discs with a diameter of 15 inches (380 millimeters) ensure outstanding braking performances. Fitted at the rear axle are four-piston calipers and discs measuring 14.6-inches (372 millimeters).

Another development focus was on the safety features of the GT3 R. The capacity of the further-reinforced FT3 safety fuel cell was increased by 3.17 gallons (12 liters) to now hold 31.7 gallons (120 liters), with the tank now featuring a fuel cut-off safety valve. The doors and the side windows can be removed, and the escape hatch in the roof is now larger. In the event of an accident, the new racing bucket seat offers drivers even better protection.

The new Porsche 911 GT3 R can be ordered immediately for $487,000 USD (429,000 Euro) plus country-specific VAT and will be delivered from December 2015.


Technical description Porsche 911 GT3 R (991)

Single-seat customer race car based on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Engine
- Water-cooled six-cylinder boxer engine (rear mounted)
- 4,000 cm3; stroke 81.5 mm; bore 102 mm
- Output: over 368 kW (500 hp) subject to FIA BoP (air restrictor)
- Four-valve technology
- Direct fuel injection
- Dry sump lubrication

Transmission
- Porsche sequential six-speed constant-mesh gearbox
- Mechanical slip differential
- Pneumatic gear-shift activation (paddle shift)

Bodyshell
- Lightweight body featuring intelligent aluminum-steel composite design
- Integrated (welded) roll-cage according to FIA Appendix J
- Removable escape hatch in roof
- Lightweight exterior design:
- CFRP doors, rear cover, rear wing, wheel arches, front and rear fairing
- Polycarbonate glazing
- Removable polycarbonate door windows
- FT3 safety fuel cell, approx. 120 liters, with fuel cut off safety valve in accordance with FIA regulations
- Air jack system (four jacks)

Suspension
- Front axle McPherson strut, adjustable in height, camber and toe
- Wheel hubs with centre-lock wheel nuts
- Adjustable anti-roll bar blades (left and right)
- Power-assisted steering with electro-hydraulic pressure feed
Rear axle
- Multilink independent rear suspension, adjustable in height, camber, toe
- Wheel hubs with center-lock wheel nuts
- Adjustable anti-roll bar blades (left and right)

Brake system
Two separate brake circuits for front and rear axles; adjustable by driver via brake balance bar system
Front axle
- Six-piston aluminum monobloc racing brake caliper
- Ventilated and grooved steel brake disc, D = 380 mm, aluminum disc bell
Rear axle
- Four-piston aluminum monobloc racing brake caliper
- Ventilated and grooved steel brake disc, D = 372 mm, aluminum disc bell

Wheels/tires
Front axle
- One-piece BBS alloy wheels according to Porsche specification and design, 12.0J x 18 offset 17, tire dimension: 300/650-18 front; 13J x 18 offset 37.5, tire dimension: 310/710-18 rear

Electrics
- COSWORTH power module IPS32
- Race ABS
- Traction control

Weight/dimensions
- Total weight: 2,690 lbs/1,220 kg (subject to BoP)
- Overall length: 15.1-feet (4,604 mm)
- Overall width front axle: 6.4-feet (1,975 mm)
- Overall width rear axle: 6.57-feet (2,002 mm)
- Wheelbase: 8.08-feet (2,463 mm)

Car price
$487,000 USD (429,000 Euros plus country-specific VAT)

[Rob]

Scuderia Corsa Finalizes 24 Hours of LeMans Program

Jeff Segal to complete all-American driver lineup in Scuderia Corsa Ferrari Team will be lone American Ferrari representative at LeMans

May 13, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - With mere weeks until the start of the 83rd 24 Hours of LeMans, Scuderia Corsa is proud to announce that American driver Jeff Segal will join Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell in the team's no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia at this year's endurance classic.

Scuderia Corsa's entry marks a new chapter in the history of American Ferrari teams competing at the Circuit de la Sarthe. In 1965, Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team captured overall victory at LeMans with drivers Masten Gregory, Jochen Rindt and a Ferrari 250LM. A NART Ferrari last competed at the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1982, when Alain Cuidini and Americans John Morton and John Paul, Jr. drove a NART Ferrari 512BB/LM to ninth position overall.

Scuderia Corsa's team principals have participated in the 24 Hours of LeMans previously as car owners, but this year's race will mark the first time that their team takes part in the world famous endurance classic. The no. 62 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia will compete in the GT-Am class at this year's race.

"Competing at LeMans was a goal for Scuderia Corsa since we founded the team," said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa. "To achieve this goal within three years from the start of the operations, it is a tribute to all Scuderia Corsa team members for their dedication and professionalism. To continue the legacy started by Luigi Chinetti, and continued by my friend Giuseppe Risi, is a tremendous honor. I know that with all of the support we will receive from home, our Ferrari may have a little extra speed down the Mulsanne!"

Segal teamed with Sweedler and Bell to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2014 at the wheel of a Ferrari 458 Italia, and joined Scuderia Corsa in their Daytona program this year.

"To say that I'm excited or grateful doesn't even begin to describe my feelings on the privilege of competing at the 24 Hours of LeMans," said Segal. "Participating in this famed race was the absolute top goal that I set when I first started out racing karts, and to think that my first attempt will be behind the wheel of a Ferrari - with a top team like Scuderia Corsa, and co-drivers Townsend and Bill - it really just feels like a dream come true. We have a great shared history winning at Daytona with Ferrari last year, and this feels like we're embarking on the next chapter of the story together. I cannot wait to be standing on the LeMans grid in June as part of an all-American Ferrari effort, waving the flag for the Ferrari North America dealers, customers, and supporters."

Sweedler and Bell are currently second in the GT-Daytona driver's championship of TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. After co-driving to victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring and Rolex 24 at Daytona, a victory at LeMans is the next step on their driving resumes.

"It's an honor and a privilege to represent Ferrari, Scuderia Corsa, and the United States at this year's 24 Hours of LeMans," said Sweedler. "As an all-American team, with three American drivers, I could not ask for a more competitive way to go to battle at the greatest endurance race in the world."

"Bill and I have been very fortunate to be aligned with Scuderia Corsa and to be able to bring Jeff on board for LeMans," said Bell. "It will be very special to be a part of this all-American Ferrari effort.. We are a trio of LeMans rookies, but I think we have the potential to do very well and to make this a truly memorable event. It's a very special thing to get the chance to race at LeMans, and we will make the most of it."

Sweedler, Bell and Segal will take part in the 24 Hours of LeMans test day at the Circuit de la Sarthe on May 31. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on June 13-14.

[Nova]

Man we got handled last week..Hope the 458's have something in the tank for Lemans.

[Rob]

Sorry, had trouble with laptop. Ordered new. So have not been able to post any news/ press releases.

[Rob]

Man we got handled last week..Hope the 458's have something in the tank for Lemans.

We should be good at Le-Mans. Touch wood.

[Rob]

24 days, 24 good reasons to come along

On 13th June in exactly 24 days, the start of the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours will be given at 15h00. Here are 24 good reasons, in no particular order, which will make the 83rd race an unforgettable one.

1 - See if Audi will be able to fight off the attacks of its rivals Porsche, Toyota and Nissan and score its sixth win on the bounce in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

2 - Purchase the remaining seats in the grandstands in Tertre Rouge (T1) and Barnato (T14). This means you will have a guaranteed seat to follow the race.

3 - For newcomers to the Sarthe classic take advantage of the operation “My first time at the Le Mans 24 Hours.” This is the best way to discover the race and all the legendary places on the circuit through an original journey so you don’t miss the magic of Le Mans.

4 - Enjoy the marvellous scrap between the four manufacturers in the LM GTE Pro category – Ferrari, Porsche, Corvette and Aston Martin.

5 - Ladies can discover the Pavillion devoted to them in the village. For the first time the ACO is providing a space devoted exclusively to women and the motor car in partnership with the PANDORA jewellry brand.

6 - Thrill to the three evenings’ RTL2 Pop-Rock Live concerts on Wednesday 10th Thursday 11th and Saturday 13th June with Jabberwocky, Cali and Charlie Wilson topping the bill.

7 - Enjoy the ding-dong battles between all the entrants in the FIA World Endurance Championship to win the most important race of the season and score double points compared to the other events.

8 - Enjoy a full week of entertainment from 7th to 14th June in addition to the race. Numerous festive, convivial events will take place throughout the Le Mans 24-Hours week: scrutineering, drivers’ parade, discovering the track and the pits. And don’t forget the test day, a general rehearsal on Sunday 31st May.

9- A full sporting programme rich in events with two races as curtain-raisers to the Le Mans 24 Hours: the Aston Martin Racing Le Mans Festival and Le Mans Legend with the fabulous cars that raced in the Sarthe between 1949 and 1968.

10 - Follow the performances of the gentlemen drivers entered for the Le Mans 24 Hours in the LM GTE Am category. The best known is Patrick Dempsey who will be back for his fourth outing in the Sarthe.

11 - Discover the village which will be up and running on Wednesday 10th June in the International Karting Complex. There you will find the traditional fun fair dominated by the big wheel as well as the children’s village, the Young Drivers’ Criterium and much much more! Don’t forget the fourth evening of concerts on Friday 12th June from 20h00 to 02h00.

12 - Enjoy the opening ceremonies of this exceptional Le Mans 24 Hours race, which kick off at 07h30 on Saturday morning, 13th June. Parades, the warm-up for the race, the Le Mans Legend and Aston Martin Racing Le Mans Festival races, national anthems, the return of the trophy, the fly-over of the Patrouille de France (aerobatics team). So many thrilling moments that lead to the unleashing of the 56 cars at the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours at 15h00 on Saturday.

13 - See which of the 19 prototypes in LM P2 will succeed the Dolan-Tincknell-Turvey Zytek SN11-Nissan victorious in 2014.

14 - Maybe you will the good luck to run into Miss Le Mans 24 Hours – Maine Libre and take a selfie with her!

15 - You will be able to move about even more freely between all the great places on the circuit as the shuttle service has been beefed up. 10 lines of free transport will take you to all the strategic sites on the circuit.

16 - Get the autographs of your favourite drivers at the session on Tuesday 9th June between 17h00 and 18h30 in front of the pits of the teams.

17 - Visit the exhibition devoted to the fabulous Ford-Ferrari duel between 1964 and 1967: the two manufacturers were involved in a never-before-seen battle that wrote one of the greatest pages in the history of motor sport.

18 - Stroll around in the Le Mans 24-Hours village and discover the many boutiques, exhibitions, the numerous restaurants offering a variety of dishes, the stalls and side-shows to fill up with souvenirs!

19 - During the week discover the new clothing collections and derived products in the Le Mans 24-Hours official boutique and the various sales outlets. And don’t forget the Alain Figaret collection, the official Le Mans 24-Hours clothing supplier.

20 - Savour the unique ambience of the 24 Hours at night and then discover the first rays of sunshine peeping out from under the Dunlop footbridge.

21 - Discover the different festive ambiences in the camp sites which make Le Mans a race apart. Spectators of all nationalities rub shoulders there. This year the usual collectors cars and the tents will be highlighted by the concours, “On the road to Le Mans.”

22 - Follow the event from the club reserved for ACO members which you can join on the spot. They are the best places to enjoy the race in comfort at the trackside.

23 - On Friday 12th June you can stroll on the legendary tarmac as far as the Dunlop Footbridge between 10h00 to 18h00.

24 - And just to have the pleasure of being able to say, “I was there!”

[Rob]

Onroak Automotive press release – 18th May 2015
ELMS, Round 2 – 4 Hours of Imola

Imola 4H: a good workout for Pegasus Racing and Krohn Racing before Le Mans!

The second round of the 2015 European Le Mans Series took place this weekend at Imola. Two Onroak Automotive chassis were entered by Krohn Racing and Pegasus Racing who ran a Ligier JS P2-Judd and a Morgan LM P2-Nissan respectively both equipped with Michelin tyres.

After the 20-minute qualifying session on the 4.909-km Italian circuit, Claude and Julien Schell’s Alsatian-based team’s Morgan LM P2-Nissan secured a place on the second row of the grid into the hands of young Léo Roussel!

Krohn Racing used the qualifying session to continue the work begun in free practice, as Tracy Krohn decided to give priority to accumulating the maximum amount of data and experience before the race and thus, set the tenth-quickest time in qualifying.

The Krohn Racing Ligier JS P2-Judd and the Pegasus Racing Morgan LM P2-Nissan both made excellent starts to the race from tenth and fourth places on the grid. After an hour’s racing the no. 40 Ligier JS P2-Judd and the no. 29 Morgan LM P2-Nissan were standing second and third!

The Onroak Automotive cars were in fifth and sixth places in turn after two and three hours racing in what is a very high-quality European LM P2 field.
After a trouble-free 4-hour race punctuated by very efficient pit stops the no. 40 Ligier JS P2-Judd driven by Tracy Krohn, Nic Jonsson and Oswald (Ozz) Negri took the chequered flag in fifth place.

The Morgan LM P2-Nissan in the hands of Léo Roussel, David Cheng and Julien Schell, which had been very quick all weekend and had set a searing pace in the race, had to make do with ninth position in the P2 category after suffering front brake problems.

The Krohn Racing Ligier JS P2-Judd and the Pegasus Racing Morgan LM P2-Nissan will be back on the track at the end of the month on Sunday 31st May for the Le Mans 24-Hours test day. They are among the nine Onroak Automotive cars entered for the legendary Sarthe race.
Jacques Nicolet, Onroak Automotive President: “This year the competition in LM P2 is particularly ferocious and the fields are very rich as we’ve seen in the WEC and the ELMS. Krohn Racing is continuing its learning curve in the LM P2 category and has again proved that the Ligier JS P2 is a great choice for a gentlemen driver as well as for a professional. Pegasus Racing’s excellent performance on the Imola circuit confirms the fact that the Morgan LM P2 still has the potential to fight at the front. The next rendezvous is very important for us. The presence of nine Onroak Automotive chassis at the Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day on 31st May among the nineteen cars entered confirms our status and the place we have achieved today on the international endurance racing scene!”



ELMS – Round 2 – 4 Hours of Imola – Top-05 LM P2 classification:

1 - #46 – Thiriet by Tds Racing – Oreca 05-Nissan – Thiriet/ Badey/ Gommendy
2 - #48 – Murphy Protorypes – Oreca 03R-Nissan– Berthon/ Lyons/ Patterson
3 - #38 – Jota Sport – Gibson 015S-Nissan – Dolan/ Albuquerque/ Tincknell
4 - #41 – Greaves Motorsport – Gibson 015S-Nissan – Hirsch/ Wirdheim/ Lancaster
5 - #40 – Krohn Racing – Ligier JS P2-Judd - Krohn/ Jonsson/ Negri JR.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Paris - 27 May 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,
LMP1: GOING WITH THE FLOW

27/05/2015 - 15h40


In 2014, endurance racing adopted radical new LMP1 technical regulations that limited fuel consumption so that no competitor could gain a performance advantage by consuming more fuel than any other. The result has been a reduction in fuel consumption of around 25-30% for the same performance. So far in 2015 lap times have lowered significantly, with new lap records set at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, and the expectation is that new records will be set at the 24 Heures du Mans on the 13/14 June.

The fuel flow meters are designed to limit the total amount of fuel used during a race, it does so by limiting the amount used per lap rather than over the entire race. Since the first race at Le Mans in 1923, endurance racing has been used as a laboratory for future technologies, and today is no different with the latest LMP1 regulations challenging engineers to rethink the parameters of an LMP1 car. They had to extract the maximum power possible and the openness of the technical regulations and the increasing power of energy recovery systems have enabled endurance racing to meet and exceed the challenge.

Not only has fuel consumption been reduced without affecting the performance of the cars, but the different technical approaches taken by the manufacturers has also resulted in some fantastic battles on track. At Silverstone and at Spa-Francorchamps the speed of the Porsche 919 in a straight line left the rest of the field standing, while the performance of the Audi R18 in the corners held the advantage. The result was a thrilling on track battle that had everyone on the edge of their seats, and living proof that restricting fuel consumption doesn’t necessarily result in a lack of race action.

Prior to 2013 there were some concerns over the performance equivalencies between petrol and diesel engines. With the introduction of the fuel flow meters and a strictly controlled energy allocation, these concerns have largely been dissolved.

FIA Technical Director Bernard Niclot and ACO Sport Director Vincent Beaumesnil spoke at the start of the 2015 season about the changes introduced in 2014 and the impact they have had.

“The Endurance Commission and the WEC organisers do not want to give a technological advantage to one fuel rather than another because they live together on the road,” said Bernard Niclot. “We therefore had to develop a technology equivalence that was not a balance of performance. This is the foundation of our regulations. After the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours, we looked at each of these engines’ specific fuel consumption to see if it was what the manufacturers had told us. We made tiny adjustments, up to three decimal places, in the conversion factors between petrol and diesel. After the 2015 Le Mans, we will carry out the same work so that one technology doesn’t override another.”

This way of working is supported by the ACO Sporting Director Vincent Beaumesnil. “When we defined the technical regulations we established a method and a transparency process, where we asked all the manufacturers to state their specific fuel consumption and where everyone had access to everyone else’s fuel consumption data, all of which was monitored by us. That removes all scope for cheating, as there is only two per cent leeway and heavy penalties – up to exclusion – for exceeding that margin. So it’s in each manufacturer’s interest to give us accurate data.”

These days this process has changed slightly as, with accurate data on board from last year, the manufacturers now only have to supply their fuel consumption information to the governing body, rather than to each other.

“But there’s a whole section that is not covered by the equivalency regulations, concerning the performance of hybrid systems,” says Beaumesnil. “We did seek to limit performance according to the different levels of hybridization [ERS classes] and also slow the cars down generally: they were going too fast. To be honest, we were hoping for a lap time of around 3m35s at Le Mans and a top speed of no more than 310km/h on the Mulsanne Straight. In the end the pole was set in 3m21s, the top speed exceeded 340km/h and the performances of the three manufacturers were very close from the start despite using completely different technologies. This is proof that we were right in our thinking and it’s a great satisfaction.”

While both Niclot and Beaumesnil had moments of doubt before the 2014 season, they take just as much pride in the reliability of the hybrid systems as the manufacturers themselves. “We’ve managed to circumvent any issues of the flow-meters thanks to the backing of all the manufacturers, who have always wholeheartedly supported us. That’s important to point out. From the very beginning they welcomed the technological choices and quality controls which ensure sporting fairness. In 2015 the flow-meters will evolve, becoming stronger and taking advantage of new software that allows full automation of the system.”

Quotes from interview with Romain Bernard from Auto Hebdo for 2015 WEC Guide CLICK HERE

THE CARS



AUDI R18 E-TRON QUATTRO

Engine V6 TDI 4.0L
Power 830 HP engine and hybrid system combined
Max Speed 340 km/h
ERS Flywheel Accumulator
ERS Class 4 MJ
Fuel Tank 54.2 L (diesel)
Weight 870 Kg


NISSAN GT-R LM NISMO (front engine, front wheel drive)

Engine V6 3.0L TWIN TURBO
Power -
Max Speed -
ERS Mechanical Flywheel
ERS Class 2 MJ
Fuel Tank 68.3 L (petrol)
Weight 870 Kg


PORSCHE 919 HYBRID

Engine V4 2.0L TURBO
Power Over 900HP engine and hybrid system combined
Max Speed 330 km/h
ERS Ion-Lithium Battery
ERS Class 8 MJ
Fuel Tank 68.3 L (petrol)
Weight 870 Kg


TOYOTA TS040 HYBRID

Engine V8 3.7L naturally aspirated
Power Over 1000 PS engine and hybrid system combined
Max Speed 340 km/h
ERS Supercapacitor
ERS Class 6 MJ
Fuel Tank 68.3 L (petrol)
Weight 870 Kg


GLOSSARY

MGU-K: motor generator unit – kinetic

MGU-H: motor generator unit – heat

ERS: Energy Recovery System (referring to the unit as a whole)

MJ: Mega Joules, so 1 million joules.

Joule: unit of measurement of energy, knowing that 1000 joules = 1 kW

(so 1.34 hp over a second), 8 MJ = 10.738 horsepower over a second.

[Rob]

ENTRY LIST FOR LE MANS 24 HOURS TEST DAY

On Sunday 31 May the 56 entries taking part in the 83rd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours will gather in La Sarthe for the official pre-event test, with the 34 World Endurance Championship full season entries forming over 50% of the eligible cars. They will be joined by some of the reserve entries and two LMP3 Ginetta-Nissans from the European Le Mans Series, making a total of 64 cars on track.

http://bo.fiawec.com/wpphpFichiers/1...005%202015.pdf

[Nova]

We should be good at Le-Mans. Touch wood.

Hope so..the way Porsche is developing, we should do some work on the 458 or get the 488
ready to go endurance racing. I would love to see the 458 get some more development.

[Rob]

Le Mans 24-Hours Test Day explained


The test day for the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours will be held on Sunday 31st May. Sixty-four cars will take part in this exceptional practice session, which will kick off a hectic two weeks that will end on Sunday 14th June. Read on to find out what the test day is all about!

The test day is held two weeks before the Le Mans 24 Hours. This allows the teams to set up home inside the circuit without having to move again before the blue riband event in the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The aim of this day of free practice is to give the entrants the opportunity to come and test their cars on the 13.629-km Le Mans 24-Hours circuit, and also to allow certain teams who will not take part in the race to discover this unique layout.

This day is not obligatory except for new cars with one model minimum per newcomer, plus teams and drivers who have never raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours. In addition, the drivers who have never taken part in the race or who are not on the list of confirmed drivers since 2010, will have to follow a course on a simulator prior to the test day and must cover at least 10 laps minimum during the session itself. The ACO reserves itself the right to refuse the entry of a driver if his/her performances or skills are not up to the mark.

The cars allowed to take part are:

The two prototype categories in the Le Mans 24 Hours (LM P1 and LM 2), the two GTE categories (LM GTE Pro and LM GTE Am) invited to take part in compliance with the supplementary regulations of the event.
The LM P1s, LM P2s, LM GTE Pros and LM GTE Ams, which are not invited to race in the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours, but comply with the technical specifications of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Cars complying with the LM P3 regulations (they are not allowed to take part in the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours).
Innovative cars (2 maximum).

The test day will take place on the 13,629-km circuit used for the Le Mans 24 Hours, which has been installed specially for the occasion. The public roads used are closed to traffic very early on Sunday morning 31st May and will reopen around 19h30.

Scrutineering and administrative checks will take place on Friday 29th May (09h30-18h00) and Saturday 30th May (08h30-15h00) inside the circuit.

Free practice will be held on Sunday 31st May between 09h00-13h00 and 14h00-18h00.

The test day is open to the public. Spectators who wish to attend, but who don’t have general enclosure tickets for the Le Mans 24 Hours, can buy their test day ticket, which costs 20 euros (free for youngsters born after 1st June 1999), from the ticket booths at the circuit.

Note that it is possible to access the circuit on Friday 29th May. Spectators can walk down the pit lane and see the teams making their final

List of entries for the Test Day

Timetable for scrutineering and administrative checks.



Practical information
The 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours
83rd running
3rd round of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship

Dates : 13-14 June 2015

General enclosure ticket price: 56,25 euros (ACO members) 75 euros (non ACO members).

Free for young people born after 14th June 1999 accompanied by an adult.

Test day: Sunday 31st May 2015.

Scrutineering and administrative checks: Sunday 7th and Monday 8th June 2015.

Free practice and qualifying: Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th June 2015.

Start of the 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours: Saturday 13th June 2015 at 15h00.

Information: www.24h-lemans.com

24H Le Mans Application: Download it on AppStore or Google Play

Facebook: 24 Heures du Mans – ACO Official

Twitter: @24hoursoflemans Hashtag : #LM24

WebTV : Lemans-tv.com

[Rob]

NISMO Reveal Heritage Livery For #21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO

Nissan today revealed the first glimpse of a very special livery that will feature on the #21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO at Le Mans.

Nissan-Heritage-Livery-LM-2015

Exactly 25 years ago, at the peak of the Group C era, Mark Blundell put the Nissan R90CK on pole position with a stunning 3:27.020 lap of the Le Mans circuit.

The #21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO is Nissan’s third LM P1 car that will be raced by current Super GT Champion Tsugio Matsuda and two winners of GT Academy, Lucas Ordonez and Mark Shulzhitskiy.

The #24 Nissan R90CK will also appear at Le Mans in a special parade to mark the anniversary of the pole lap, in the hands of the man who took it to the top of the tables 25 years ago, Mark Blundell. The 1100bhp car may not reach speeds of 366 km/h (227 mph) as it did in 1990 but it is certain to grab everyone’s attention.

“That lap of Le Mans is certainly a very fond memory for me,” said Blundell. “It was one of those moments where time stood still and everything went perfectly. You remember those moments as they don’t happen all that often! It’s great to see Nissan celebrating that time with the retro livery on the #21 Nissan GT-R LM NISMO. I can’t wait to see it on track at Le Mans.”

“Our racing heritage is hugely important to us,” said Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO. “Our 1998 car hangs on the wall at NISMO HQ in Yokohama as a reminder of our Le Mans podium and the blue liveries of the Group C and IMSA era of the 80’s and 90’s are a firm favourite with the fans. So much so that when we first started talking about the possibility of a third car livery specifically for our LM P1 debut at Le Mans this year, this was the one that fans across our social media channels called for. It’s a great way to celebrate our past achievements at such a key moment in our current motor racing history.”

[Rob]

REBELLION Racing Media Team
Le Mans - May 30, 2015

REBELLION Racing 24 Hours of Le Mans – Test Day preview



REBELLION Racing launches their 2015 racing season at Le Mans with their new R-One AER LMP-1 contender

The leading FIA WEC Privateer team REBELLION Racing is back to business. After a decision deep into the off season to change their engine supplier, the Swiss team will debut in front of the fans and media two new 2015 Rebellion R-One AER LMP-1 cars during the 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day on Sunday 31st of May.

For 2015, REBELLION Racing’s Rebellion R-One LMP-1 cars are powered by AER P60 V6 GDI twin-turbocharged engines from Advanced Engine Research based in Basildon, Essex, UK.
REBELLION Racing and their chassis partner ORECA have worked around the clock to develop a revised and upgraded version of the Rebellion R-One with the AER V6 twin-turbo engine fitted. It took only fifteen weeks to achieve such a tough mission between the date the decision was made and the first car shakedown. The team wants to thank Oreca, their staff and suppliers for their hard work during that period. And there is still a lot to do with the Le Mans 24 Hours race coming in only two weeks.

The team conducted a positive three day test at Paul Ricard before heading to Le Mans. Both cars covered significant mileage and all of the team’s six drivers took their turns behind the wheel of the new cars. New additions to the Swiss team Alexandre Imperatori and Daniel Abt completed their first laps in a closed cockpit LMP1 prototype and regular team drivers Mathias Beche, Nick Heidfeld, Nicolas Prost and Dominik Kraihamer were involved in the development of the new R-One AER due to their background with the R-One Toyota from 2014.

Now everyone at REBELLION Racing is focused on Sunday’s Test Day and the major racing event of the year. Despite a short preparation, the Swiss team is determined to achieve the best result after the 24 hour race and score maximum points in the FIA LMP1 Teams Trophy.


Mathias Beche - #12 R-One AER : "The installation of the new AER engine and the excellent work of the team during the last months already shows positive results. Whilst we know it’s hard to gain some tenths of a second as a private team, I think we can say that we have made a big step. Reliability remains to be demonstrated and we are certainly short in our preparations, with only three days of testing. But we proved last year that we could achieve a very good result at Le Mans 24 Hours with a new and fresh car. Our motivation and attitude hopefully will allow us to go after this difficult race !"

Nicolas Prost - #12 R-One AER : "After the first test at Paul Ricard we are very happy with the performance of the new package. There is a lot of work to do on the setup and the new systems, but if we get some good running I’m sure we can quickly get a decent level of performance. The test day is going to be a very important step in our preparation for the 24 hours."

Nick Heidfeld - #12 R-One AER : "I am very much looking forward to the test. It is really going to be a test for us, more than for most of the others. We haven't done any races with this chassis/engine package yet and have only had a test in Le Castellet last week. I did a few laps in the car and hope it will run as problem free with the new engine and gear-box again. This weekend is only a test, but it will be the first time we face our competition, so we are all very excited."


Dominik Kraihamer - #13 R-One AER : "I really can’t wait to get back in the car, especially on a track like Le Mans ! As we had the delay with the change of engine and couldn’t do much testing until now, it will be very hard work to get the car ready for the 24 Hour race in two weeks time. Our schedule is very tight, we can’t afford any mistakes, but I know how hard this team worked in the past and we all will do everything to start with the best possible base. In those test laps last week I could see a lot of potential in engine power and drivability of our R-One, this makes me very confident to successfully complete this important test day on Sunday.
Additionally, I see it as my duty to also help my new team mates Daniel Abt and Alexandre Imperatori getting used to the R-One LMP1 car, which can be quite tricky on this famous, but demanding race track."

Alexandre Imperatori - #13 R-One AER : "I can hardly wait to get to Le Mans, which is always a fantastic and unique place to drive at. It will mark the beginning of our season and it has been a long break since Brazil ! We will be playing catch up and have a lot of work on our plate before we can feel ready, but if the early indications from our testing at Paul Ricard are anything to go by, the package should be competitive. The team has done an incredible job in the last few weeks to be ready for the big race of the year, so a big thank you to them. On a personal note, it will be for sure a special feeling to officially turn my first laps as a Rebellion driver !"

Daniel Abt - #13 R-One AER : "After getting my first impressions of working with the team and the car I’m very excited to finally get to Le Mans. I’ve never driven on this iconic circuit, so there will be a lot of new things for me to learn but I’m sure the team will do their best to make sure I’m well prepared before we race in Le Mans. I will just focus on building my confidence on track and provide the team with good feedback to get the best out of our first test day in Le Mans."


Bart Hayden – REBELLION Racing Team Manager : "After an incredible effort over the past few months and particularly the last couple of weeks, we are at Le Mans with two Rebellion R-One cars powered by AER P60 engines ready to run in the official Test. We ran both cars last week gaining useful knowledge and data. Those tests were successful, so we are heading in the right direction. It’s true that we would have liked some more time to get ready for Le Mans, but as that is not possible, we are working to make sure that we do the best job that we can in the time that we have. The new cars should see a performance gain from last year, so we are looking forward to the Test to see what we have and to gain extra mileage and information ahead of the race. "