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Thread: 2016 WEC, IWTSC, ELMS thread.

  1. #571
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    The problems with Balance of Performance

    It was the most remarkable press conference I have attended. It started out as the standard, once-a-year pre-Le Mans Porsche press briefing, and ended with Porsche motor sport boss Frank Walliser breaking down in tears.

    The reason was those old foes, Ford and Ferrari. As he and his drivers saw it, the team had worked as hard as could be worked to provide the fastest 911RSR they could. At the official test day fast it proved – the quicker of the two cars lapping in 3min 55.4sec. Ford and Ferrari were close, with 3min 56.0sec and 3min 55.9sec for its quickest cars, but all were in the same ballpark, which is precisely what Balance of Performance – that means by which officials can even up the playing field by adding ballast or fitting smaller restrictors to quicker cars in order to ensure close racing - is intended to ensure.

    Then, 10 days later, came qualifying. Porsche managed to improve its best time by a whole half second to 3min 54.9sec. Ford and Ferrari? They improved by 4.8sec and 4.3sec respectively. It was more than Walliser could stand.

    The inference was pretty clear, namely that Ford and Ferrari may have been sandbagging to cover their true performance and avoid BoP penalties. If that’s the case, the question is whether that is a fair strategy or a dishonest tactic that undermines the credibility of the sport in which they compete.

    For me, playing your cards close to your chest at a test day before revealing your true hand come the race is acceptable. What is not is doing it the same in races.

    A senior member of another team told me he believed there had also been sandbagging by certain GT cars at the two WEC opening rounds at Silverstone and Spa, which raises a worrying point. I am sure every single manufacturer at Le Mans this year would happily sacrifice every other round of the World Endurance Championship if it meant it could win Le Mans. It is the race, the one next to which all others pale by comparison. So, as a team manager, would you do something to deliberately harm your performance there? Of course not. But that is precisely what going flat out at Silverstone or Spa means, because of the dreaded BoP ramifications. That begs a broader question: just how many teams were sand-bagging at those opening rounds? None? One? Two? All? I have no idea. Is the outrage legitimate or does it really just stem from the realisation that another team has been even sneakier than yours? And what did that make the GT category in those two races? Depending on the extent of the performance concealment, anything up to and including a pantomime.

    I fear very much that sports car racing, at least at a GT level, is in danger of unstitching itself again. It is not as if there is no precedent. Think back to the mid-1990s when Le Mans was contested by cars based on pre-existing road designs, like the McLaren F1, Jaguar XJ220, Ferrari F40, Bugatti EB110, Honda NSX and so on and on. And then came Porsche, Nissan, Toyota and Mercedes with pure racing cars, from which a tiny number of leather-trimmed street derivatives were made, and an era of racing which I think most of us felt pretty warm about soon came to an end. It was not what the rule-makers had intended at all.



    But it is what they got, and then and now it is they who should bear the brunt of the blame. If rules are drafted in such a way as to allow the engineers from one team to design a racing car to compete against the road-based equipment of its rivals, should it be blamed for that and punished to appease those who’ve done a less good job in making the most of the regulations? To me the answer is no. But deceiving your rivals and the rule-makers is one thing, deceiving the public is another. If it turned out that any team entered any race intending to do anything other than its absolute best to finish as far up the order as possible, then it should be excluded on the very simple grounds that it entered a race in which it had no intention of racing.

    This whole saga has made me look again at the whole issue of Balance of Performance. On one side it has been responsible for some of the best racing we’ve seen (look at the BTCC) and turning GT3 racing into a global phenomenon. But I am instinctively uncomfortable with the idea of penalising success and if it turns out that races are being effectively thrown to optimise a car’s BoP before Le Mans, it has clearly gone too far. If that’s the case, it is as a reaction to the BoP: if you know all your engineering efforts to make a faster car will result only in the authorities slowing it down for you, the temptation to find other means of improving your chances of winning the race that matters most is clear.

    To me Balance of Performance is an evil, but a probably necessary one at least in GT and touring car racing. But its role should be to ensure that participants are merely competitive, not that all cars are equal under the eyes of the authorities because that is what might tempt a manufacturer to seek an advantage by other means. ‘We all know we need BoP,’ said a tearful Frank Walliser before emotion overwhelmed him, ‘but we do not need this kind of BoP’. With that, I could not agree more.

    http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/op...ce-performance
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  2. #572
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    Nakajima describes Toyota’s painful final moments of Le Mans

    Kazuki Nakajima has described his experience inside the cockpit of the #5 Toyota TS050 Hybrid that had been on course to win the Le Mans 24 Hours before its heartbreaking final lap stoppage.

    Having held a comfortable lead right up until the final five minutes of the French endurance classic, Toyota had been set to finally seal a first win at La Sarthe before Nakajima began to slow dramatically on the penultimate lap.

    That allowed the #2 Porsche driven by Neel Jani, Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb to clinch the German manufacturer’s 18th Le Mans win, with the #5 car of Nakajima, Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi eventually being excluded from the result for taking too long to complete its final lap.

    Speaking afterwards, Nakajima said at first he was worried he had done something to cause the failure.

    “I felt there was something wrong with the car one lap before I slowed down,” said the former Williams F1 driver. “I suddenly lost power.

    “The engineer told me not to use the kerbs and just keep driving without raising the revs. I just thought, ‘what did I do?!’ That’s how it was.

    “Then I just lost power so suddenly. We tried almost everything, but nothing worked. I just cruised the final lap.

    “I don’t know what caused it. I panicked. The pit must have panicked as much as I did.

    “But if 100 million people were watching the race around the world on TV, I think we now have 100 million more Toyota fans.”

    Boost pressure issue

    While Toyota issued a statement on Tuesday saying it had yet to find out the precise cause for the failure, the team’s general manager Hisatake Murata revealed that Nakajima’s car had a boost pressure problem.

    “The #5 car had a failure in the boost pressure control system,” he confirmed. “I don’t know if it’s [because of the] turbo or not, but the data shows no boost pressure control.

    “There was no sign of anomalies in the data before the problem, or at least not just before it.”

    Murata added that the bitter experience would make Toyota better prepared for next season, the Japanese marque having vowed to return to La Sarthe to avenge its defeat.

    “We went through so much during this year’s 24 hours,” said Murata. “It would have been a great story to tell only if we’d had a happy ending.

    “Most of the problems were ones we had never experienced before. Next year, we will be better prepared, getting rid of problems before we arrive at Le Mans.”

    http://www.motorsport.com/lemans/new...e-mans-790683/
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  3. #573
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    I fear very much that sports car racing, at least at a GT level, is in danger of unstitching itself again. It is not as if there is no precedent. Think back to the mid-1990s when Le Mans was contested by cars based on pre-existing road designs, like the McLaren F1, Jaguar XJ220, Ferrari F40, Bugatti EB110, Honda NSX and so on and on. And then came Porsche, Nissan, Toyota and Mercedes with pure racing cars, from which a tiny number of leather-trimmed street derivatives were made, and an era of racing which I think most of us felt pretty warm about soon came to an end. It was not what the rule-makers had intended at all.

  4. #574
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    Toyota Failure Explained

    Statement from Toyota

    Car #5 suffered a technical defect on a connector on the air line between the turbo charger and the intercooler, causing a loss of turbo charger control. The team attempted to modify the control settings to restore power and this was eventually achieved, allowing the car to complete the final lap. However, it was achieved too late to complete that lap within the required six minutes.

    Currently it is not clear exactly why this failure occurred as we have verified the process used to produce the part here in Cologne. Further analysis is required to determine the root cause. It is clear that the issue has no link whatsoever to the engine issues experienced at Spa earlier this season. Comprehensive investigations are underway at TMG to determine the precise reason for this issue with the aim of establishing countermeasures to avoid any repeat in the future.
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  5. #575
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    TEQUILA PATRÓN ESM HONDA, ACTION EXPRESS CORVETTE DAYTONA PROTOTYPE TAKE PATRÓN ENDURANCE CUP BATTLE TO WATKINS GLEN

    Tequila Patrón ESM returns to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen on Sunday, July 3, looking for its third consecutive overall triumph in the 2016 Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup.

    Scott Sharp, Johannes van Overbeek and Pipo Derani return to the wheel of the No. 2 Tequila Patrón Honda Ligier JS P2 at Watkins Glen International, looking to extend their winning streak that began with the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona and continued at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida.

    “I can’t wait to be back in IMSA and the Tequila Patrón Endurance Cup driving the green Patrón car,” said Derani, who won in his first races at both Daytona and Sebring. “Watkins Glen will be a new track for me again, but I think this won’t be a problem and we will be competitive straight out of the box.”

    With the Patrón Endurance Cup awarding points at different segments within the four longest races in the WeatherTech Championship, Tequila Patrón ESM enters the Sahlen’s Six Hours tied for the lead in the Prototype class with Action Express Racing’s No. 5 Mustang Sampling/Cider Tree Corvette DP of Christian Fittipaldi and Joao Barbosa, with 26 points apiece. The Sahlen’s Six Hours will award points at the three-hour mark and finish, with five points for first; four points for second; three points for third; and two points for all remaining competitors.

    “As drivers we focus on winning the race, but we were able to get segment wins at Daytona and Sebring because we led a good portion of both races,” said Fittipaldi, who joins Barbosa in seeking third consecutive titles in both the WeatherTech Championship and Patrón Endurance Cup. “When your focus is on winning the race and you make smart choices out on the track, the points and the championships fall into place.”

    The No. 31 Action Express Whelen Engineering/Team Fox Corvette DP is third in the team standings with 23 points. Drivers Eric Curran and Dane Cameron each have 23 points, making them third in the standings among competitors entered in the event.

    The Patrón Endurance Cup is also tied in GT Daytona (GTD), with close battles in GT Le Mans (GTLM) and Prototype Challenge (PC).

    Alex Job Racing’s No. 23 Team Seattle/Heart of Racing Porsche GT3 R of Mario Farnbacher and Alex Riberas is tied with Rolex 24 At Daytona GTD class winners Magnus Racing and No. 44 Audi R8 LMS drivers John Potter and Andy Lally with 21 points. Scuderia Corsa’s Christina Nielsen and her No. 63 Ferrari 488 GT3 co-drivers Alessandro Balzan and Jeff Segal share third with Paul Miller Racing’s No. 48 Audi R8 LMS GT3 drivers Bryan Sellers and Madison Snow, with 19 points each.

    Corvette Racing won both of the Florida endurance classics with Tommy Milner and Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R, but the team has only a one-point lead over the two Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR entries and drivers Earl Bamber and Frederic Makowiecki, who share the team’s No. 912 entry, and No. 911 co-drivers Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy, 23-22.

    In PC, PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports with No. 52 ORECA FLM09 co-drivers Tom Kimber-Smith, Robert Alon and Jose Gutierrez hold a three-point lead, 28-25, over Rolex 24 winners JDC-Miller Motorsports with No. 85 ORECA co-drivers Misha Goikhberg and Stephen Simpson. Sebring class winners CORE autosport and BAR1 Motorsports are tied for third with 20 points.

    The Patrón Endurance Cup will conclude with the Petit Le Mans on Saturday, Oct. 1. Points will be awarded at four hours, eight hours and the finish of the 10-hour event.
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  6. #576
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    ALL ATTENTIONS NOW TURN TOWARDS THE 6 HOURS OF NURBURGRING

    World Endurance Champions and 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Porsche will be headlining a 33-strong field for the 6 Hours of Nürburgring, the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The German round will take place at the legendary 5.148 km (3.349 mile) track in the Eifel mountains between 22-24 July.

    Among the star-studded entry will be two teams which have strong ties to Cologne, the city located less than 85km from the Nürburgring. Toyota Gazoo Racing will be more determined than ever, after its heart-breaking Le Mans, to prove its race-winning credentials, and 24 Hours LMGTE race winners Ford will be keen to put on an equally thrilling performance for all of the Blue Oval’s employees and fans from its Cologne plant.

    In the LMP1 spotlight: Porsche and Audi

    LMP1 will, as usual, feature nine cars and 27 drivers, with German manufacturers Porsche and Audi looking for top honours at home with a pair of entries each. The spotlight will undoubtedly be on Le Mans winners Marc Lieb, Neel Jani and Romain Dumas (No.2 Porsche 919 Hybrid) but both Audi R18 and Toyota TS050 HYBRIDS will be seeking revenge on ‘home’ turf.

    After showing great speed and strong performances from all its drivers, and with the No.6 Toyota finishing in second place overall at Le Mans – a small recompense for what happened to the No.5 in the final minutes of the race – the Japanese team will without doubt wish to look forward to the remainder of the WEC season and its first victory for the TS050 HYBRID.

    Following strong opening WEC rounds, Rebellion Racing had an ultimately disappointing Le Mans. With Nelson Piquet Jr only contracted for the first three races, the identity of a team mate for Nicolas Prost and Nick Heidfeld in the No.12 R-One AER has yet to be finalised. Pierre Kaffer will once again be alongside the Trummer-Webb pairing in the No.4 ByKolles CLM P1/01.

    Who can challenge Signatech Alpine in LMP2?

    The LMP2 class has only one German driver on the entry list, Rene Rast from G-Drive Racing. He, along with his team mate Roman Rusinov and a yet-to-be-confirmed third driver, will be determined to close the gap in the points battle to the current LMP2 leader, Signatech Alpine, which won at Spa and of course at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

    The victorious Alpine A460 Nissan line up of Nicolas Lapierre, Gustavo Menezes and Stéphane Richelmi put on a flawless display of driving in France, but the competition in the category is fierce and any one of 11 entries could upset the balance and take home the victor’s laurels.

    Ford v Ferrari v Porsche v Aston Martin v Corvette in LMGTE: names to set pulses racing

    The Ford v Ferrari battle at Le Mans was one for the history books, with the American marque recording a triumphant return to top line competition first time out. The AF Corse Ferrari 488s both suffered technical issues at Le Mans but will be looking to return to their winning form in the WEC, while Aston Martin and Porsche will also be looking to take maximum points at a venue which has strong ties for both.

    Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK’s Stefan Mücke is the only German driver on the LMGTE Pro grid and the GT Drivers’ points leader will be racing the No.66 Ford GT alongside regular team mate Olivier Pla, looking to consolidate their lead. The German-entered No.77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR of current GT World Champion Richard Lietz and team mate Michael Christensen will be upholding national honour at a circuit which is well-known to both team and drivers.

    The LMGTE Am category has just one driving placing still to be confirmed, with injured Paolo Ruberti in the No.50 Larbre Competition Corvette C7 still unsure if he will be fit to compete. With the AF Corse trio of François Perrodo, Emmanuel Collard and Rui Aguas taking maximum points at Le Mans, Abu-Dhabi Proton Racing and KCMG – both German based – will be hoping to reverse the balance and bring home a perfect result for Porsche
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    Porsche Testing 2017-Spec 911 GTE Car at Monza

    Porsche’s 2017 GTE contender could feature a turbocharged engine after all, with the new-generation 911 RSR having been spotted testing at Monza, ahead of its race debut early next year.

    Two of the new rear-mid engined Porsches, along with a 2016-spec Porsche 911 GT3 R, are at the Italian circuit this week, in what’s believed to be one of the first tests with the GTE car outside of its Weissach test track.

    While initial reports pointed towards the car retaining a version of its normally aspirated flat-six powerplant, photos and multiple eyewitness reports from Monza indicate the German manufacturer could have opted with a twin-turbo instead.

    Side intakes are visible from the above photo, in the same position as the Porsche 911 Turbo S. The road-going model features a 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six.

    Porsche unveiled preliminary details of its 2017 GTE car last month, although omitting any side profile photos, or technical details.

    It’s understood the car also features a revised engine and gearbox placement, via waivers from the FIA and ACO, in order to be on a more equal playing field to the new mid-engined cars from Ford and Ferrari.

    Aside from the new intakes, the photo shows a redesigned rear wing, as well as reshaped rear-end, likely due to the revised engine placement.

    Both CORE autosport and Manthey Racing will continue operating the factory programs next year, in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and a planned full-season return to the FIA World Endurance Championship, respectively.

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  8. #578
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    Brundle Joins G-Drive For WEC

    G-Drive Racing have confirmed the signing of Alex Brundle to join the team’s FIA World Endurance Championship campaign in the #26 ORECA 05-Nissan.

    Brundle will join G-Drive Racing for the 6 Hours of Nürburgring next month and complete the remainder of the season in the LMP2 class with the Russian entered team after serving as reserve driver for the Le Mans 24 Hours.

    The move comes after the driver merry go round that resulted from Nathaniel Berthon living the team before the Le Mans 24 Hours, Will Stevens stepping into the seat for the French classic but leaving a question mark over the driver that would race for the remainder of the season.

    25 year-old Brundle finished second in the 2013 FIA WEC LMP2 class and also at that year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. A year later Brundle and his Oak Racing teammates led most of the LMP2 class at Le Mans but were denied by a late technical problem.

    After a brief break from racing in the first half of 2015, Brundle returned with a superb performance at the 6 Hours of Shanghai, where he led the LMP2 class in wet conditions after starting at the rear of the field in a guesting Pegasus Racing Morgan Nissan.

    He will join Roman Rusinov for the remainder of the season with Audi factory driver Rene Rast also now looking set to complete the 2016 FIA WEC with the team.

    Alex Brundle:

    “I’m delighted to be driving for G-Drive Racing in the final 6 races of the FIA WEC, especially with the incredibly strong package that the team have put together for this season.”

    “The Nurburgring event can’t come soon enough and it’s fantastic to be rejoining this global series, representing my long term sponsors Richard Mille.”

    “It will be a real privilege to work with the team, who have proven itself to be one of the best endurance outfits worldwide. With the massive experience of Rene and the pace of Roman I think we will make a potent combination, to deliver strong results for the remainder of the season.”

    Sam Hignett, Team Principal, G-Drive Racing:

    “We are very happy to welcome Alex to the team. His attributes as a top endurance performer have been known to the team for some time, and he is clearly one of the UK’s best up and coming sportscar drivers. We are delighted to have him in the team and believe that he is a major prospect for the future.”
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  9. #579
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob View Post
    Porsche Testing 2017-Spec 911 GTE Car at Monza
    http://i66.tinypic.com/1zg4746.jpg
    Porsche’s 2017 GTE contender could feature a turbocharged engine after all, with the new-generation 911 RSR having been spotted testing at Monza, ahead of its race debut early next year.

    Two of the new rear-mid engined Porsches, along with a 2016-spec Porsche 911 GT3 R, are at the Italian circuit this week, in what’s believed to be one of the first tests with the GTE car outside of its Weissach test track.

    While initial reports pointed towards the car retaining a version of its normally aspirated flat-six powerplant, photos and multiple eyewitness reports from Monza indicate the German manufacturer could have opted with a twin-turbo instead.

    Side intakes are visible from the above photo, in the same position as the Porsche 911 Turbo S. The road-going model features a 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six.

    Porsche unveiled preliminary details of its 2017 GTE car last month, although omitting any side profile photos, or technical details.

    It’s understood the car also features a revised engine and gearbox placement, via waivers from the FIA and ACO, in order to be on a more equal playing field to the new mid-engined cars from Ford and Ferrari.

    Aside from the new intakes, the photo shows a redesigned rear wing, as well as reshaped rear-end, likely due to the revised engine placement.

    Both CORE autosport and Manthey Racing will continue operating the factory programs next year, in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and a planned full-season return to the FIA World Endurance Championship, respectively.

    http://i68.tinypic.com/b7nvh2.jpg
    How could Porsche move their engine if they dont have a roadgoing car that features it?
    It would have to be a Cayman. Wouldnt they have to have 100 examples or am I living in the past?

  10. #580
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nova View Post
    How could Porsche move their engine if they dont have a roadgoing car that features it?
    It would have to be a Cayman. Wouldnt they have to have 100 examples or am I living in the past?
    Think if they have not sold 100 cars by then. They will seek a waiver to race just like Ford have with the new GT.
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    Ford GT Programmes In IMSA & WEC Extended Through 2019

    Two-year programme extended to a minimum of four

    Ford have today announced that its initial two year GTE/ GTLM programmes in both the IMSA and FIA WEC Championships have been extended by a minimum of a further two years and will now continue through the 2019 WEC and North American seasons.

    The effort’s Le Mans 24 Hours GTE Pro class victory two weeks ago, is believed to have unlocked a clause in Chip Ganassi Racing’s contract that should see the effort stay with the team throughout the current commitments.

    “We wanted to make sure everyone knows that we are committed to sports car racing globally with WEC and IMSA,” said Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president and chief technical officer. “The stated goal of our Ford GT programme was to win Le Mans, and we’re very proud that we were able to do that in our first year. To commit to a full, four-year assault on both the IMSA and WEC championships shows how serious we are about taking Ford GT racing around the world.

    “We are in motorsport to win races and championships, but just as importantly we are using it to develop our engineering expertise and help develop advancements for production vehicles like EcoBoost engines, advanced aerodynamics and lightweight materials that consumers can use in Ford production vehicles going forward.”

    “We’re excited and feel the extension of this Ford GT race programme sends an important message to the industry and to enthusiasts that we are committed to global racing at Ford,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance.

    “But we remain committed to doing racing the right way. And the Ford GT programme is a perfect example of how we are using our racing efforts to help improve the products that Ford consumers can drive every day. Developing the GT production car and the race car at the same time has been a challenging task for everyone, but it has also showed how the production vehicle side and racing side of Ford Performance can work together to benefit everyone.”

    The programme scored a 1-3-4 GTE Pro class finish at Le Mans on June 19, with France’s Sébastien Bourdais, USA’s Joey Hand and Germany’s Dirk Müller driving the winning #68 Ford GT effort.

    The IMSA programme also scored Ford GT’s first victory in May at Laguna Seca with Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe taking the victory, while the WEC programme scored its first podium with a second-place finish at Spa-Francorchamps, with Marino Franchitti, Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell driving.
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    Six Hours Brings Narrow Victory for Scuderia Corsa in Watkins Glen

    Another endurance classic won by Scuderia Corsa after the Twelve Hours of Sebring

    No 68 Ferrari 488 GTE took a turn at the head of GTLM class before finishing fifth

    July 3, 2016 (Watkins Glen, N.Y.) - For the second time this season, Scuderia Corsa has found IMSA's victory lane, marking the team's fourth consecutive GTD Class podium in five races.

    At Sunday's Six Hours of the Glen at Watkins Glen International, the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari driven by Christina Nielsen, Alessandro Balzan and Jeff Segal scored victory. Leading during the final hour of the race, the Ferrari had to withstand multiple late-race restarts and pressure from chasing GT-D class cars.
    The victory, which was the fourth straight podium for Nielsen and Balzan, have allowed them to grow their lead in the drivers' championship to 13 points. With Watkins Glen also being the third round of the North American Endurance Cup, the team also moved into third position in the NAEC championship.

    "We weren't sure we were going to make it through today's race," said Nielsen. "We had some issues early in the race, but the fact that we were standing on the top of the podium shows that this was a total team effort. We are very lucky to have very talented engineers who nailed the strategy, and a team that was able to keep us in the race. The Ferrari was a pleasure to drive here at Watkins Glen - I had a lot of fun!"

    Tasked with taking the Ferrari to the checkered flag, Balzan battled through the GT-Daytona field and then held off that same field from two restarts in the final hour. After six hours of racing, margin of victory was 1.8 seconds.

    "Today felt like I was qualifying for three hours!" said Balzan. "Early in the race, Christina and Jeff had some issues with the car and I was worried that we might not be able to finish the race. It is amazing how the crew from Scuderia Corsa and Michelotto managed to fix the problem so quickly. The Ferrari was really good today, and it was getting better and better and I was getting crazy pressure from the cars that were behind. I think the secret to our success lately is that we are having fun, and I'm so proud of how Christina drove today and of the team's performance."

    In the GT-LeMans class, the no. 68 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE was driven by Daniel Serra and Alessandro Pier Guidi to a fifth place finish. An aggressive strategy decision by the team put the car solidly into third position in the final hour, but late race cautions erased its track position and left Serra vulnerable to cars immediately behind him who were on fresher tires.

    "Today we had to overcome several issues," said Team owner Giacomo Mattioli. "I am extremely proud of the crew and drivers; it is in the adversity that you see the quality of the Team. Our crew and drivers at N.68 did the best they could to fight an uphill battle due to the constrains of the BoP".

    Scuderia Corsa's GT-Daytona Ferrari will compete again this coming week, July 8-10, at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
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    RISI COMPETIZIONE COLLECTS TOP SIX FINISH AT WATKINS GLEN

    Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE-Pro No. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Toni Vilander (FIN)


    Watkins Glen, N.Y. (July 3, 2016)...The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM of starting driver Toni Vilander and teammate Giancarlo Fisichella finished in sixth position in the GTLM class in today's exciting Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen race at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y.

    The fifth round of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship featured all four IMSA classes competing in a six-hour endurance format. Vilander qualified the car on the third row in the seventh GTLM class starting position.

    Both Vilander and Fisichella drove strong stints but the power of the mighty Ford GTs took the top two spots on the podium and the No. 25 BMW finished third. The Risi team, which is known for their quick and flawless pit stops, had a problem with slow refuelling an unfortunately lost some time in the pits.


    Risi Competizione's Dave Sims accepts the DEKRA Green Challenge Award from DEKRA's Don Nicholson

    The Risi team did take the DEKRA Green Challenge Award for the second time this year, after previously being honored at Sebring. The award is given to the team who exhibits the cleanest, fastest and most efficient pit stop performance and is determined through green racing protocols established by the United States Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and the Society of Automotive Engineers International as part of their alliance with IMSA.

    In addition, the Houston, Texas-based Risi team won the DEKRA award four times last year, including the Twelve Hours of Sebring, Long Beach Grand Prix, Monterey Grand Prix, and Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America.



    Rick Mayer, Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
    "The boys put a valiant effort in to get the car prepared for the race after Le Mans. They spent some very long days and nights to replace everything. Unfortunately, when we put the sprint fuel cell collector back in the fuel cell, something didn't assemble correctly. We loss three to six seconds per [pit] stop depending on how much fuel we put in it. We tried to investigate what that was, externally to the car, and we couldn't find anything. We'll fix it for Mosport. I thought we had a pretty decent car [in the race]. We certainly had nothing compared to the Fords or BMWs, but I think we were the best after that, although unfortunately the outcome didn't show that. We'll be ready for Mosport and go from there."

    Toni Vilander, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM:
    "It was a good fight. It's a really hard and physically demanding track especially having done the race with just two drivers and with Giancarlo battling the flu earlier in the week. It was a hard fight, again, I think we didn't get all that we deserved. Good job by the team. We had some issues with refueling we have to investigate why we lost so much time there. Apart from that I'm really happy Giancarlo performed so well with being sick. We are still at a significant speed disadvantage to mainly the Fords but also the BMWs. I'm sure IMSA will address this soon."



    Giancarlo Fisichella, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM:
    "It was a difficult race. The result is not what we deserved because I think fourth was possible. We had problems with the fueling on the pit stop. I don't know, we lost several seconds every time unfortunately. I did my best. Toni did his best. I feel we drove very well. Unfortunately I think the performance gap to the Fords is too large. We were well down on top speed. It's like another category currently."

    Dave Sims, team manager, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM
    "The DEKRA Green Challenge Award all about efficiency with the pit stops, fuel consumption and the amount of time you're in the pits. I'm a bit surprised we won it this race because we did have a small problem with our fueling, but the team is always quick and efficient in their pit stops. One again it's an honor to win the Dekra award for the second time this year."



    The next race for the Risi Competizione Ferrari team is Round 6 of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix, July 8-10 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport) in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
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    The end of the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans was emotional for many reasons, and at Audi Sport it was because this year’s third round of the FIA WEC was the last for three time Le Mans-winning race engineer Leena Gade.

    The Briton, who is an Ambassador for the FIA Commission for Women in Motorsport, leaves at the end of this week to join Bentley in a new customer sport management role.

    In her time with Audi, she has engineered André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Marcel Fässler to not only the wins at La Sarthe, but also the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship title.

    In recognition for all her achievements at Audi, Team Director Ralf Jüttner, together with the three drivers of the No.7 R18, presented Leena with the 2011 Le Mans winner’s trophy as a personal parting gift.

    Everyone at the WEC wishes Leena a fond farewell and good wishes for her new job!
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    Fords hit with special BoP changes for CTMP

    The continuation of Ford's race-winning speed from Le Mans to last weekend's IMSA race at Watkins Glen has led the sanctioning body to employ a special rule to make short notice Balance of Performance changes.

    IMSA made great strides in reducing the rapid fire BoP changes that angered many entrants in its first two seasons, and with the addition of a rule stating BoP alterations could not be made seven days prior to an event, Ford's pace at Watkins Glen was expected to stand pat this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

    Counter to the speed of the Ford GTs, the over-regulated entries from Corvette Racing and Porsche North America were also ripe for BoP concessions, and with the majority of its GT Le Mans field in a state of BoP disrepair, IMSA explained the following in Tuesday's technical bulletin:
    "Due to the atypical shortage of days between the Watkins Glen and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Events, IMSA is exercising Article 2.2.2. (language below) to enable a change to the IWSC CTMP Balance of Performance Tables outside the standard notification timeline listed in Attachment 2, Paragraph 2.4. of the IWSC Sporting Regulations and SSR.

    "2.2.2. Principal Rule. On occasion, circumstances are presented, either unforeseen or otherwise extraordinary, in which strict application of the rules may not achieve the Purpose. In such rare circumstances, Officials, as a practical matter, may make a determination that is not contemplated by or is inconsistent with the rules. Such determinations are reviewable by the Supervisory Officials. All such determinations are Conclusive, except as provided for in the rules."

    IMSA's recognition of the GTM performance imbalance was met by allowing the Corvette C7.Rs to drop 10 kilos (22 pounds) and to increase horsepower and torque by installing air restrictors with a combined 0.4 mm wider opening. A minor increase in fuel capacity (+2L) was also granted to compensate for the increase in consumption.

    Like Corvette, Porsche's 911 RSR will also remove 10 kilos (22 pounds), Ferrari's 488 was given a minor fuel capacity increase (+1L), and BMW's M6 received no changes.

    Ford's twin-turbo V6 GT went in the opposite direction of Corvette's C7.R. The GTs will race at CTMP with an extra 15 kilos (33 pounds) and have had power and torque taken away with turbo boost reductions from 2000-7200 rpms.

    IMSA also made changes to the GT Daytona class on Tuesday. Three models gained weight as Audi's R8 LMS GT3 and Ferrari's 488 GT3 acquired 15 kilos (33 pounds), and Porsche's 911 GT3 R was given 10 kilos (22 pounds).

    Practice for IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at CTMP starts on Friday.

    http://www.racer.com/imsa/item/13168...anges-for-ctmp
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  16. #586
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    Drag, we r already slower than everyone yet w/out restrictions we
    faster than everyone. At least according to times set b4 all of this. They r making it hard to watch.
    If all they want is a battle between ford and chevy, why dont they just say so.

  17. #587
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nova View Post
    Drag, we r already slower than everyone yet w/out restrictions we
    faster than everyone. At least according to times set b4 all of this. They r making it hard to watch.
    If all they want is a battle between ford and chevy, why dont they just say so.
    Its only for Ford. 488 is quicker than Vettes. Ford getting penalised again.
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  18. #588
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob View Post
    Its only for Ford. 488 is quicker than Vettes. Ford getting penalised again.
    The GT3 488 is a quick beast aswell. Its ok, shouldnt hurt us to much.
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    Aston Shakes Up Pro Class Lineups

    Fewer drivers in its Pro cars for the rest of the season

    For the remainder of the 2016 WEC season Aston Martin Racing’s Pro class cars will feature two drivers apiece. Darren Turner will move back over to the #97 Aston Martin Vantage, and be paired with Richie Stanaway, while Nicki Thiim and Marco Sørensen will continue to pilot the #95.

    This change comes to give Aston Martin a better chance at winning the World Endurance Cup for GT Drivers. As it stands, Sørensen, Thiim and Turner sit third in the standings on 52 points, while Jonny Adam, Richie Stanaway and Fernando Rees have 45 and are fourth.

    By putting Turner with Stanaway, it means that in the remaining five rounds, if the #97 has a better run, then it still has a driver who had the better start to the season aboard. It also gives the drivers more track time at each round.

    “With the second half of the season due to begin, we have had to consider what is best for the team.” Said AMR team principal Paul Howarth. “With a focused driver lineup, this should help give us the best possible chance of success this year. I hope that Nicki, Marco, Darren and Richie will continue to push hard and keep us at the top of the GT manufacturers table.

    “I’d like to thank Fernando and Jonny for their efforts this year, particularly on their sterling job at Le Mans. They have each put in fantastic performances and we look forward to continuing to work with them in our wider Aston Martin Racing activities.”

    Jonny Adam will continue his Aston Martin customer team commitments which includes driving for TF Sport with Derek Johnston in the British GT Championship; which he currently leads.

    Fernando Rees meanwhile will remain under contract for the rest of the season, and while it’s unclear specifically where he will race, the team has told DSC that he will likely take part in AMR’s customer team activities.

    The team’s GTE Am lineup of Paul Dalla Lana, Mathias Lauda and Pedro Lamy remains unchanged.
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  20. #590
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rob View Post
    Its only for Ford. 488 is quicker than Vettes. Ford getting penalised again.
    Yea, but my point is why be like F1, where they kill the life out pure racing?
    At the 1st tests the 488 was a faster car. Teams design/build their cars, and Ferrari
    has done an amazing job w/the 488. So we do a car that is capable of winning and they bop us to death.
    THe F1 team should be as good as the 488 design team. I just dont see the reasoning
    behind the whole idea. And it does make it less fun to watch.
    And yea, Im 1 of those that thinks the ford lemans win was manufactured.

  21. #591
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nova View Post
    Yea, but my point is why be like F1, where they kill the life out pure racing?
    At the 1st tests the 488 was a faster car. Teams design/build their cars, and Ferrari
    has done an amazing job w/the 488. So we do a car that is capable of winning and they bop us to death.
    THe F1 team should be as good as the 488 design team. I just dont see the reasoning
    behind the whole idea. And it does make it less fun to watch.
    And yea, Im 1 of those that thinks the ford lemans win was manufactured.
    IMSA have different BoP rules than ACO/FIA. And they do favour Vettes,Porsche and Ford as they pay for advertising.
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    Audi driver Benoît Tréluyer not at Nürburgring

    While training on his mountain bike three-time Le Mans winner Benoît Tréluyer fell and injured his spinal column. The injury will heal without surgical intervention and have no further consequences. As the recovery period will be several weeks, the 39-year-old Frenchman has to skip round four of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). As a result, his teammates, Marcel Fässler and André Lotterer, will be contesting the race at the Nürburgring on July 24 as a team of two in the number “7” Audi R18. “On behalf of Audi Sport, I wish Benoît a speedy and full recovery so that he’ll be ready to race again in the subsequent event in Mexico,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
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    FERRARI'S CALADO: "WE JUST NEED A BIT MORE LUCK"

    James Calado believes a slice of luck is all that he and Gianmaria Bruni need to get their FIA World Endurance Championship campaign back on track at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring, after a mixed start to the season.

    The no. 51 AF Corse team has borne the brunt of the reliability problems on Ferrari’s new-for-2016 488 GTE, suffering the heartache of losing victory at Spa to engine problems with nine minutes to go and falling victim to overheating problems at Le Mans.

    The duo have a 41-point deficit to make up to the championship-leading No. 66 Ford, but Calado is encouraged that the pace he and Bruni showed to come through to second from the back of the grid at Silverstone will stand them in good stead for the remainder of the season.

    “The car is fantastic, it's a great car to drive and we are always normally first or second in terms of pace, but unfortunately we have been unlucky,” he said. “Our pace at Silverstone was the best, we were leading Spa comfortably and we were strong in Le Mans.

    “We are quick, we just need a bit more luck going forward as we have lost three potential wins and a lot of points so far. This is the way it goes sometimes.”

    After an abortive Le Mans where Ford showed their hand, Calado knows Ferrari is likely to face a stronger challenge than in the opening two rounds, but the Britonwelcomes the competition.

    “We learnt that we have a tough challenge on our hands competing with Ford, no surprises of course,” he says. “They finally showed true pace and we will need to fight hard to try and beat them in the next few races. I think if luck turns around, we will put up an entertaining battle.

    “Our goal is to win the last six races and become champions. It will be tough, but with improved reliability we can do it. We have the best car, the best team and the best drivers to make it happen.”
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    Murphy Prototypes announce driver line-up for third round of European Le Mans Series
    ELMS - 13/07/2016

    The Murphy Prototypes Endurance racing team is pleased to announce its driver line up for the third round of the European Le Mans Series, this Sunday’s (17th July) 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring: Karun Chandok, Guglielmo Belotti and Seán Doyle.
    Returning to drive for Murphy Prototypes for the first time since he helped the team score an impressive fifth in the LMP2 class at Le Mans last year - is C4 F1’s technical expert and co-presenter Karun Chandok. One of only two drivers from India to compete in Formula 1, Karun was the first ever Indian driver to start Le Mans in 2012 and went on to race for the Murphy Prototypes team there in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

    Having confirmed his intentions, Karun said: “It’s great to be back ‘super-subbing’ for Murphy Prototypes this weekend. I haven’t had the chance to compete in Sportscars since Le Mans last year, so when Greg called to ask if I could fill in for him, I was happy to take the opportunity to race with the team again. It’s always great fun working with the guys from Murphy Prototypes.

    “I was at the Red Bull Ring just two weeks ago for the F1 weekend, so it’s going to be great to actually go back to drive there. I had a run around the track when I was there and, having never competed at the circuit before, I’m really looking forward to it. With so many strong teams and new cars in the ELMS this year it’s a really competitive place to be, but this is endurance racing and anything can happen.”

    Joining the team for the very first time this weekend is Italian driver Guglielmo Berlotti. An experienced competitor in Sports Prototypes, the Bergamo-based businessman started racing in 1986 and has scored notable results and class wins in the Speed Euroseries before going onto win the 6 Hours of Rome in 2015.

    Having competed with the team in both previous ELMS rounds, Nissan Ireland Next Generation sporting ambassador Seán Doyle gets his third outing of the season. The 22-year old from Wicklow has already showed his potential by setting lap times commensurate with drivers with far more experience, as well as winning numerous races and young driver awards in Ireland.

    After confirming the team’s driver line up for this weekend’s Austrian round of the European Le Mans Series, Team Principal Greg Murphy said:

    “I’m very pleased to have Karun back with us for this event. We know him well and he just slots back into the team and always does a great job for us. We’re fortunate to be able to attract such high profile drivers. It’s something we’re very proud of.

    “We are also pleased to welcome Guglielmo for the first time and to have the opportunity to include Seán in our line up again as part of our on-going young driver development programme.”
    The three drivers will compete in the team’s familiar #48 Nissan-engined Oreca 03R LMP2 car, which has been fully rebuilt having successfully completed the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third time last month.

    entry list.....
    http://europeanlemansseries.com/asse...ist_a8f0f3.pdf
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    Press release

    Eurasia Motorsports


    LeSports by Eurasia Motorsport head to Austria for round three of the European Le Mans Series (15-17 July, 2016) feeling confident following the fantastic finish in the 24 Hours of Le Mans last month.

    Momentum really is on the side of the Team having finished fifth in class – ninth overall - at Circuit de la Sarth where Pu Junjin, Nico Pieter De Bruijn, Tristan Gommendy guided the #33 Oreca Nissan to the chequered flag. This followed another strong result at Imola in May.

    Not content with the recent run of success, Team Principal Mark Goddard is aiming to go one better and secure a podium position at the Austrian venue.

    "The Team was very happy to have finished ninth overall in the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” he said. “This gives us more confidence. If Pu Jun Jin and Nick de Bruijn can carry over their form from Le Mans, I see no reason why we cannot aim for a podium finish with the LeSports by Eurasia Oreca 05 Nissan.

    “Last year Pu Jun Jin led the race for a whole stint at Red Bull giving us even more hope for a good result this year."

    The first of two 90-minute European Le Mans Series (ELMS) free practice sessions will be held at 14.50 CET on Friday 15 July, with FP2 and qualifying on Saturday 16 July at 8.35 and 12.50 respectively and the 4 Hours of the Red Bull Ring itself at 14.00 on Sunday 17 July.
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    Both Ford and Ferrari have escaped any Balance of Performance restrictions for next weekend’s round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, despite their domination of the GTE Pro events so far.

    The factory-supported AF Corse Ferrari 488 won the opening rounds of the championship at Silverstone and Spa, while Ford overcame the Italian marque’s challenge to win the showpiece 24 Hours of Le Mans.

    This comes in the wake of the ‘extraordinary circumstance’ BoP changes applied by American sanctioning body IMSA, in whose series the Ford GTs were handed a 15kg weight increase, turbo boost reduction and fuel capacity reduction ahead of last weekend’s race in Canada – which it also then won.

    Meantime in the WEC, GTE Pro rivals Porsche and Aston Martin have been handed performance breaks in the latest round of adjustments.

    The Porsche 911 RSR gets a 15kg weight break and 0.2mm increase in air restrictor size for the next event. Aston Martin’s Vantage V8s will be given a 0.4mm larger air restrictor.

    In GTE-Am, Aston has had its air restrictor size reduced by 0.3mm, with Ferrari getting an additional 15kg and Porsche a reduction of 10kg.
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    Thiriet by TDS Racing Make it Two Wins in a Row
    ELMS

    After securing victory in Italy in Round 2, the no46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca 05-Nissan of Pierre Thiriet, Ryo Hirakawa and Mathias Beche scored their second win of 2016 at the Red Bull Ring. Despite needing to change the front of the car twice, the French team won by a comfortable 50 seconds.
    The Eurasia Motorsport team celebrated their first ever ELMS podium as Tristan Gommendy, Pu Junjin and Nico Pieter De Brujin stood on the second step of the podium, ahead of the no38 G-Drive Racing Gibson of Giedo Van Der Garde, Simon Dolan and Harry Tincknell.

    The no19 Duqueine Engineering Ligier of David Droux, David Hallyday and Dino Lunardi finished first in LMP3, however the celebrations were short lived as the team were handed a 4 second penalty for a pitstop infringement that dropped them to second place. The no66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari of Rory Butcher, Robert Smith and Andrea Bertolini headed an all Ferrari LMGTE podium.

    The race started dry but with heavy cloud cover that had all of the teams keeping an eye on the weather radar in case rain decided to head towards the Red Bull Ring during the four hour race. A large crowd of nearly 15000 enjoyed an action packed day of entertainment both on and off the track.

    The no23 Panis Barthez Competition Ligier of Timothe Buret started from pole position and led the 38 strong field into the first corner and held off the challenge of the no38 G Drive Racing Gibson-Nissan of Giedo Van Der Garde, who had moved ahead of Pierre Thiriet at the start. The G Drive car then suffered a puncture which forced the Dutch driver into the pits for a new front left tyre but not before Tristan Gommendy had taken 2nd place in the no33 Eurasia Motorsport Oreca and was soon challenging Buret for the lead.

    The LMP3 class was led by the no19 Duqueine Engineering Ligier of David Droux after a great start from third on the class grid, with Mark Patterson in the no3 United Autosports Ligier in second. However Alex Brundle in the no2 United Autosports Ligier was on the move and by the end of the second lap was past the no16 Panis Barthez Ligier and Patterson’s Ligier to move into second place.

    Patterson then went off at Turn 1 with a puncture, putting Valentin Moineault’s Panis Barthez Ligier back up into third. Sean Rayhall in the no10 Graff Ligier then attempted to pass Moineault but the American ended up spinning off at the last corner after contact with the no16 Ligier.

    The LMGTE battle was just as fierce with the no66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari of Rory Butcher and the no56 AT Racing Ferrari of Alexander Talkinitsa Jr moving ahead of the pole sitting car, the no88 Proton Competition Porsche of Gianluca Roda. This battle raged for several laps but then contact between the no66 Ferrari and the leading LMP2 car nearly caused an upset.

    The no23 Panis Barthez Competition Ligier continued to hold the overall lead for the first 27 laps but then disaster struck when Buret tried to lap the no66 Ferrari. Rory Butcher turned in to the final corner not seeing the LMP2 leader and contact resulted in the Ligier spinning across the kerbs on the entry to the main straight. Buret recovered but not before Tristan Gommendy, Nicolas Lapierre in the no21 Dragonspeed Oreca and Pierre Thiriet in the no46 TDS Racing Oreca had swept past.

    Things then went from bad to worse for Buret when he was handed a drive through penalty for not respecting the formation at the start of the race and then went off into the barriers at Turn 6.

    After the pitstops the no46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca was now in the lead with Ryo Hirakawa at the wheel ahead of Stefano Coletti in the n032 SMP Racing BR01, Nico Pieter De Brujin in the no33 Eurasia Motorsport Oreca and Simon Dolan in the no38 G Drive Gibson.

    The first Full Course Yellow was called on lap73 when the no7 Villorba Corse Ligier-Nissan had to be recovered from the gravel at Turn 5. At the same time the no56 AT Racing Ferrari of Alexander Talkinitsa Sr suffered a rear right puncture and had to head to the pits. While the FCY was displayed Robert Smith brought the no66 JMW Ferrari into the pits to hand over to Andrea Bertolini.

    With 90 minutes left on the clock the pitstops mixed up the order at the front of the field once again. Mathias Beche took over the driving duties in the no46 Oreca and once all the stops had been completed the Swiss driver had a 43 second advantage over De Brujin in the no33 Eurasia Oreca. The no32 SMP Racing BR01 of Coletti was being caught by Harry Tincknell in the no38 G Drive Gibson when the BR01 was involved in an incident with the no11Eurointernational Ligier of Marco Jacoboni, who was leading LMP3, and the no29 Pegasus Racing Morgan.

    Jacoboni headed to the pits and spent a long time as the team worked to repair the damage, handing the LMP3 class lead to Dino Lunardi in the no19 Duqueine Engineering entry, with Christian England in the no2 United Autosports Ligier not far behind. The no32 SMP Racing car was able to rejoin in 3rd but with a reduced gap to the flying Harry Tincknell. The British driver caught and passed the Monegasque on the inside at Turn 2 and just before the SMP BR01 had to go into the pits to have the rear lights replaced.

    Tincknell then closed the gap to the no33 Eurasia Oreca and made his move at Turn 2 to take second place. The final set of stops were in the offing and afterwards the order was largely unchanged. Tincknell was on a charge but then the no29 Pegasus Racing Morgan spun in front of him at Turn 2 and left the English driver with no escape. The damage forced Tincknell to pit for a new left hand light pod but the debris on the track forced the Race Director to deploy another Full Course Yellow. Tincknell emerged from the pits in 3rd place behind Gommendy’s Eurasia Oreca and both were a long way behind the leading TDS Racing Oreca as the final part of the race unfolded.

    In LMGTE the no66 JMW Ferrari held a 60 second advantage over the no99 Aston Martin Racing Vantage of Alex MacDowall, which was being challenged by the no51 AF Corse Ferrari of Rui Aguas. The two cars were running side by side and after a bit of rubbing the Ferrari got the upperhand. MacDowall was demoted a further place when Alessandro Pier Guidi also passed the Aston Martin with 20 minutes of the race remaining.

    With 7 minutes left on the clock the race result looked set when Tracy Krohn in the no40 Krohn Racing Ligier went into the gravel at Turn 5 bringing out the third and final Full Course Yellow. The marshals worked really quickly to snatch the green coloured Ligier to safety and then final 2.5 minutes of the race were run under green flag conditions.

    At the chequered flag the no46 Thiriet by TDS Racing Oreca 05-Nissan of Pierre Thiriet crossed the line to the cheers of the team on the pitwall, 51.6 seconds ahead of the no33 Eurasia Motorsport Oreca of Tristan Gommendy and a further 7.4 seconds in front of the no38 G Drive Racing Gibson.

    After three races the G Drive Racing team and crew hold a 8 point advantage on 58 points, compared to the 50 points that the Thiriet by TDS Racing team and crew hold going into the second part of the season.

    While the no19 Duqueine Engineering Ligier of Dino Lunardi crossed the line first, 3.4 seconds ahead of the no2 United Autosports Ligier, the LMP3 result was overturned when the no19 car was handed a 4 second penalty for not respecting the mandatory pitstop time on two occasions (Stewards Decision 28) and so the win was given to the no2 United Autosports Ligier – Nissan of Alex Brundle, Michael Guasch and Christian England, their third straight win in three races. The no19 crew finished second with the no6 360 Racing Ligier of Terrence Woodward, Ross Kaiser and James Swift in third.

    This has given the no2 United Autosports crew, who are on 75 points, a 33 point advantage over the no19 Duqueine Engineering (42 points) at the halfway point of the season.

    The no66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 458 Italia crew of Robert Smith, Rory Butcher and Andrea Bertolini enjoyed the view from the top step of the podium after finishing a lap ahead of the no51 AF Corse Ferrari of Rui Aguas, Marco Cioci and Pierguiseppe Perazzini, with the no56 AT Racing of Alexander Talkanitsa Senior and Junior, along with Alessandro Pier Guidi finishing just 1.2 seconds behind the no51 car to give Ferrari a 1-2-3 podium lockout in Austria.

    The no56 AT Racing crew are now leading the championship on 48 points, just one point ahead of the no99 Aston Martin Racing trio of Andrew Howard, Alex MacDowall and Darren Turner.

    The next round of the 2016 European Le Mans Series will take place at Le Castellet on Sunday 28 August. For more information visit the official website at www.europeanlemansseries.com
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    RING RETURN FOR TOYOTA GAZOO RACING

    TOYOTA GAZOO Racing returns to action just a month after its heartbreaking Le Mans 24 Hours, determined to respond with a strong result in the 6 Hours of Nürburgring, the fourth round of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

    Victory for the #5 car was taken away due to a mechanical failure just minutes before the chequered flag at Le Mans, after the TS050 HYBRIDs showed themselves capable of beating rivals Audi and Porsche.

    This weekend’s race, just an hour’s drive away from the team base in Cologne, presents the perfect opportunity to prove that point again, and push memories of Le Mans into the distance by challenging for victory.

    The #5 crew of Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima have suffered misfortune in all three races so far in 2016. The standings do not reflect their competitive performances and the target is to reach the podium on Sunday.

    Stéphane Sarrazin, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi, in the #6 TS050 HYBRID, finished second at Le Mans to stay in contention for the drivers’ World Championship and, like their sister car, they aim for a first win of the season.

    A different TS050 HYBRID is in action this weekend, compared to the low-downforce version used so effectively at Le Mans. Due to the Nürburgring’s shorter and tighter character, an ultra-high-downforce aerodynamic package will make its debut.

    Updated front and rear bodywork has been developed in the wind tunnels at TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH in Cologne to generate additional downforce at the cost of top speed, a combination which is better suited to the demands of the upcoming WEC circuits.

    When practice begins on Friday, the team’s priority will be to analyse the new package and fine-tune it for the 5.137 km Nürburgring Grand Prix track, which this year reverts to the tighter, Formula 1-specification Veedol Chicane.

    Toshio Sato, Team President: “We want to put our Le Mans disappointment behind us, but first I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the fans, rivals and friends who sent us such touching messages of support over the last weeks. We will not forget this. As a motorsport team, we want to race again and we do so with even more motivation and team spirit; the Nürburgring race is a great opportunity for us. It is also a home race which means we will have the support of plenty of our colleagues from Cologne. Last year there was a great crowd, so I hope we will again have packed grandstands and I am sure we can fight for the win.”

    Anthony Davidson (TS050 HYBRID #5): “After putting the heartache of Le Mans behind me, I am definitely more fired up than ever to get back behind the wheel of our TS050 HYBRID. Nürburgring is a circuit I really enjoy and hopefully the car will be as competitive as it was in the last two races. It would also be a nice boost for the team to be able to win so close to home. Having so many colleagues from Cologne visiting us at the track makes this a really special race for us. The great atmosphere and team spirit makes me even more eager to go racing this weekend.”

    Sébastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #5): “I’m very much looking forward to the Nürburgring; it’s good that it is pretty close to Le Mans and we can go back racing. I think we will be able to fight again for the win. We need to look positively on the first part of the season. Out of the three races we were leading two of those until very late so I’m very confident that we will have a good performance level at Nürburgring as well. We all know how hard Le Mans was but this is behind us and it’s time to look to the rest of the season. We definitely want to win our first race of the year.”

    Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #5): “I’m pleased to be racing again quite soon after Le Mans. In previous years, WEC had a long summer break but it’s only a month since Le Mans which is perfect for us. We showed at Le Mans that we have a really strong car so we should be in the fight again this weekend. I know we have a lot of colleagues from Cologne visiting this race so I am really motivated to give them a good result, especially after what happened at Le Mans. Like everyone in the team, they are working really hard so this is a great chance for us to repay them.”

    Stéphane Sarrazin (TS050 HYBRID #6): “In Le Mans we did an amazing job and we could show the big improvement of our car compared to last year. And that’s the most important point for us right now; we are back in the fight. Now our target is to win races and fight for the World Championship. I’m looking forward to Nürburgring and I think it’s good that we don’t have such a big break after Le Mans; I want to get back on the track as soon as possible. I like the Nürburgring track a lot and we have a competitive car so I’m fully motivated for this weekend and ready to fight.”

    Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #6): “Nürburgring is a cool track so I’m really looking forward to the race. It will be interesting to see who will have the right package there as it is a high downforce circuit so we will come with revised aerodynamics. Hopefully we can continue our strong pace from Le Mans. With our car we are still in the fight for the championship, hopefully we can keep scoring solid points and catch up. The atmosphere last year at Nürburgring was great and I’m hoping to again see a lot of our fans and colleagues, as it is one of our home races.”

    Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #6): “I have not raced at the Nürburgring for a few years now, but I had some good results there in single-seaters so I’m looking forward to driving an LMP1 car on this track for the first time. I think we have a very strong car; my target is to race at the front and hopefully stand on top step of the podium. We have a different car now, with more downforce, so we have to work hard to get the best performance from it. The team did that really well with our Le Mans package so I am confident we can do that again.”
    CAVALLINO RAMPANTE PER SEMPRE

  29. #599
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Stowmarket. U.K
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    18,334

    Top Six Result for Greaves in 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring

    Spielberg, Austria (Monday, July 18, 2016): Greaves Motorsport scored a fighting sixth place in the 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring, the third round of the 2016 European Le Mans Series.

    In a closely contested and exciting race Nathanaël Berthon started the team’s Nissan-powered Ligier JS P2 and drove a double stint gradually climbing through the field in a competitive performance.

    Julien Canal took over driving duties and also put in a double stint maintaining the good work of his French co-driver.

    Memo Rojas was last man in for the team and in a stint interrupted by Full Course Yellow periods the Mexican brought the car home in sixth position to score points once again.


    Jacob Greaves, Team Principal

    “The 2016 European Le Mans Series is a flat out sprint for four hours with almost ten potential winners at any event. We aimed for a podium or better today but it is evidence of how competitive the grid is this year that we missed out on that target.

    "Our partners, Dunlop, Ligier and Nissan made their customary significant contributions to our effort, the guys on the team did a stellar job and the drivers did their bit. Once back at base we will analyse the areas that we can improve on and work to fine tune our performance for the next race at Paul Ricard.”
    CAVALLINO RAMPANTE PER SEMPRE

  30. #600
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Maributo Key
    Posts
    5,988
    My Ferrari's are starting to come around again ho ho ho!!!

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