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Last edited by Rob; 18th April 2016 at 20:45.
CAVALLINO RAMPANTE PER SEMPRE
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Aston Martin Racing takes double podium at FIA WEC season opener
#95 V8 Vantage GTE finishes third in GTE Pro
GTE Am entry of #98 claims second
Success for Aston Martin Racing at British GT and ELMS
Sunday 17 April, Silverstone: Aston Martin Racing has taken a double podium finish at this weekend’s 6 Hours of Silverstone, as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) gets underway.
The #95 GTE Pro trio of Darren Turner (GB), Marco Sørensen (DN) and Nicki Thiim (DN) enjoyed a positive afternoon at the British round of the WEC. With each driver double stinting, the #95 entry enjoyed trouble free running to achieve a strong haul of points at this early stage in the championship.
Turner commented, “That was a huge change from yesterday and after starting the race in the #95 I had a good two hours in the car. The car ran perfectly and I’m both happy and encouraged by the performance of our new Dunlop tyres. With the strategy working in our favour and Nicki, Marco and I all avoiding trouble on the track, we were able to work our way back up towards the podium places”.
Alongside Turner, teammate Marco Sørensen was also encouraged by the team’s performance.
Sørensen said, “The car felt good and the weather helped us in comparison to qualifying yesterday. We were able to show the pace that we’re capable of, and I am quite sure that we will continue to learn and develop as we move onwards throughout the season. I’m already looking forward to Spa and the 24 Hours of Le Mans”.
In GTE Am, the #98 entry of Paul Dalla Lana (C), Pedro Lamy (P) and Mathias Lauda (A) also kicked off their season with a strong finish with second.
Again focussing on a double stint driving strategy, the team avoided trouble throughout and continued their strong form from 2015.
Lauda commented, “I’m really happy with the end result. We had a tough qualifying but I knew that Pedro, Paul and I would be really strong as a team. Dunlop did a good job and the tyres were very consistent. It’s great to start the season like this and to bring two Aston Martin Racing entries on to the podium is fantastic”.
Speaking of the team’s performance at the season’s first event, Paul Howarth Aston Martin Racing Team Principal said, “With the team learning and continuing to develop the V8 Vantage GTE with new partners TOTAL and Dunlop, a third place in GTE Pro and second in Am constitutes a result that we’re happy with. There’s more progress to be made but we’re comfortable with our performance at this stage of the season”.
The result tops off an impressive showing for Aston Martin Racing this weekend. Competing with TF Sport, Jonny Adam (GB) and Derek Johnston (GB) took victory in their V12 Vantage GT3 at the opening round of the British GT at Brands Hatch.
Alongside the WEC at Silverstone, Beechdean AMR also tasted victory in the European Le Mans Series with Andrew Howard (GB), Alex Macdowall (GB) and Darren Turner (GB) at the wheel. A second podium position was claimed by ROFGO AMR, who took third with Roald Goethe (D), Stuart Hall (GB) and Richie Stanaway (NZ).
The FIA World Endurance Championship returns at the 6 Hours of Spa, the penultimate race ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
- Ends -
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REBELLION RACING STARTS 2016 SEASON ON A HIGH AT SILVERSTONE
1-2 LMP1 Privateer win at 6 Hours of Silverstone
P4 and P5 overall finish for Rebellion R-Ones #13 and #12
Fourth consecutive win over the 2015 and 2016 seasons
Only LMP1 team to have their two cars take the chequered flag
REBELLION Racing takes an early lead in Team’s championship
REBELLION Racing started the 2016 FIA WEC with the best result possible at the season opening round, the 6 Hours of Silverstone.
Alexandre Imperatori, Dominik Kraihamer and Mathéo Tuscher won the race in the LMP1 Privateer with the #13 Rebellion R-One AER, on top of a fourth place overall finish behind the Audi, Porsche and Toyota factory cars.
The REBELLION Racing car #12 driven by Nick Heidfeld, Nicolas Prost and Nelson Piquet Jr completed the 1-2 win for the Swiss team, finishing fifth overall.
Both cars showed good reliability, a deserved reward for the team’s and their technical partners’ hard work over the winter.
This encouraging result provides confidence for the coming races and the team will continue to introduce additional updates for the next race in Spa and for Le Mans 24 Hours.
The new partnership with Dunlop earned its first laurels, helping to build a stronger cooperation and deeper involment together.
The #13 Rebellion R-One AER drivers Alexandre Imperatori, Dominik Kraihamer and Mathéo Tuscher have worked well together since last year’s Shanghai race. In car #12 a new trio is building with the addition of Nelson Piquet Jr alongside regular drivers Nick Heidfeld and Nicolas Prost. Today’s race saw them secure their first podium together.
The next races in Spa and Le Mans will see them even stronger.
REBELLION Racing has high expectations for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. The team is proud to rely on two quick and reliable driver crews.
Bart Hayden REBELLION Racing team manager : « We gave ourselves a bit of a challenge after we found both cars at the back of the grid after qualifying, but within 10 laps we were up with the rest of the P1 cars and from there we had a strong and reliable run to the chequered flag with both cars. Our preparations for 2016 started the day after the last race in Bahrain in 2015 when we stayed there for a week of testing. The team has worked hard over the winter in the areas that we wanted to improve, so it is very pleasing to see a reward for that today. It’s great that in our first race with Dunlop with the P1 cars we got them both on to the top steps of the podium. We have more to come and are looking forward to the next events.
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Sam Bird: That special first win with Ferrari
I'm really pleased to be sharing my 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with the Motorsport.com readers. It is a big year for me with my first season as a factory Ferrari driver competing with the AF Corse team.
And, as you will read in my first column, it could hardly have started any better for myself and my team mate Davide Rigon in the #71 Ferrari 488GTE.
Not a lot of testing
We arrived at Silverstone having spent the winter testing and developing the new Ferrari 488GTE car. My first impressions when I saw and drove it were what a beautiful piece of engineering it was - it looks stunning!
I actually didn't have a massive amount of testing under my belt with the car before we got to Silverstone. In fact, the longest stint I had done prior to last weekend, on one set of tyres, was just 12 laps, so although we were prepared, it wasn't as if I had thousands of kilometres experience in the cockpit.
This in itself bodes well because personally I know I can extract a lot more pace from myself and the car going forwards. I'll get more comfortable and confident in the car and we should be looking very good as the season goes along.
I also had not driven the Ferrari 488 GTE in the wet, so the track time I had on Friday and also in qualifying made for a challenge. But it all worked out really well and we were able to start at the front.
Pole and victory
Granted, the sister 488 GTE of Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado had an issue in qualifying and they would have been tough to beat without that, but there we were on pole position.
Davide [Rigon] drove magnificently in the race and I was so happy for him because it was his first WEC win. I was also really chuffed for Brice Laforge, our engineer, who also won for the first time. For me, it was a first win in a Ferrari, and to do it on home soil made it very special.
From the outside I guess it looked easy but it never is in WEC, especially in LMGTE Pro. Yes, we led every lap, but the Dempsey-Proton Porsche wasn't far behind for the first few hours before it hit issues and that relieved some pressure from us.
I managed to pull a good gap to the Porsche in my first stint and from there we brought the car home with a decent margin. The pace between Davide and I was really good and consistent and we ended with our fastest laps just 0.044s apart.
It's worth mention that this year I'm using a completely different set of skills in the WEC. Last year in LMP2 I was focussing ahead and looking at carving a way through traffic, whereas this season I am looking in the mirrors a bit more and placing the car in the best manner on the track to not lose time when the prototypes come through.
You have to say that Gimmi and James did a great job fight through to second place. It is what you expect from drivers of their calibre and I know they had fun coming racing from the back.
Memories of Jules
When Davide crossed the line I was elated and really proud of the team. Then I started to think of Jules [Bianchi] because he would have been a Ferrari F1 driver and winning, I'm sure of that.
So I thought about him, and his family a lot. I sent out a tweet that evening and I just want people to remember what a great champion and bloke he was.
Now we go to Spa next month, but in our minds too is the big one at Le Mans in June. That is where the WEC title can be won or lost so it is vital that we keep pushing.
In Ferrari and AF Corse I know we have the best in the business to make 2016 a very memorable year. I look forward to telling Motorsport.com readers all about my season right here.
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Audi Opt Against FIA Tribunal Appeal After Silverstone Exclusion
Audi has chosen not to lodge an appeal following their exclusion from the race win in the FIA World Endurance Championship season opener at Silverstone.
After Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer had won the Silverstone 6 Hours their #7 Audi R18 was excluded post-race from the classification due to a violation of the LMP1 class Technical Regulations.
The thickness of the skid block of the Audi R18 breached Article 3.5.6 a3 of the regulations, according to the assessment of the Technical Delegate.
“We accept the exclusion from the classification and, in the interest of the sport, jointly look ahead,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, justifying the decision.
The skid block suffered above-average wear during the season opener. An analysis revealed that its wear was attributable to unexpectedly heavy “bouncing,” in other words an up and downward movement of the race car.
“It it is our job to avoid increased wear, we accept this responsibility,” Dr. Ullrich said. “We made our decision in the interest of the sport and hope that the eight remaining world championship rounds will be similarly thrilling as the season opener.”
http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/0...exclusion.html
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Very happy for Sam Bird. The 488 GTEs look pretty good; the recovery drive from Bruni/Calado reminded me of the 2014 race where the Toyotas came steaming back after losing early ground. I hope the performance isn't a one off and that it isn't also negated by any BoP that may be applied. Now they need to hammer Ford at Le Mans.
As for the Toyotas, we'll see. Wurz seems pretty confident but it's clear their focus is on Le Mans. If they're still leading the constructors championship by the end, I'll be satisfied...
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So happy for Sam and Davide. They were, consistent and fast. Faultless really. As for Gimmi and James, in awe of them. James last stint, was i think he best driving so far. Me and my brother inlaw were at that time walking round Stowe and up to Maggots, stopping here and there. Tom had the live timing on phone (mine diedOriginally Posted by The Architect
to many videos in AF Corse pits earlier. ) and each lap we were checking the gap to Fords and Aston, each time was coming down, 1-2 seconds per lap. And Gimmi, we got back into pits, 20 odd minutes before he got in, we had chat, pics etc again, and bang his first proper flying lap after stop, fastest GTE lap of race, and after that, comfortably 2 seconds quicker every lap. I had his wife Francesca next to me, we looked each other and smiled, all i said to her was, he is on fire, she smiled and gave a knowing wink of eye. We could see on the team live timing screens, that each lap, he was taking 1.2 seconds sometimes in the middle sector alone.
Not sure what the BoP will do/be for Spa, hope not to much of a change. Toyotas, were not happy with the settings all weekend, as in braking and harvesting settings. The cars were not totally balanced right. Alot more to come from them.
Onwards to Spa.
Last edited by Rob; 23rd April 2016 at 09:17.
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2016 ELMS Rd 1: A Fairytale with a sting in the tail!
Some stories are best told linear: beginning, middle and end. Others you need to jump around the timeline to appreciate the drama and so it is with JMW Motorsport's opening round in the 2016 ELMS Championship.
The team, with drivers Andrea Bertolini, Rory Butcher and Rob Smith, have lived and breathed the Ferrari 458 in recent years and come to this year’s Championship as strong contenders and so it appeared at the opening round at Silverstone (April 16th)
A day that started with snow flurries and that never warmed beyond 'refrigerator', started well with 3rdon the grid for the afternoon's 4-hour race.
And it ended even better with the drivers atop the podium taking a hard fought win however as with many a fairytale there was to be a twist.
The team were later excluded on technical infringement grounds. From the ELMS organizers "In post-race scrutineering the no66 Ferrari was found to be in breach of article 2.2.1a of the ELMS LMGTE Am Technical Regulations, which means it didn’t conform to the homologation papers. The front splitter was found to be incorrect and the JMW Motorsport Ferrari was excluded from the results"
Having been asked for further clarification by our supporters we would like to explain the situation as best as we can in layman’s terms. On the front floor of the car there are turning vanes which redirect airflow. Whilst we had 2, the 2016 regulation is for 6. This was a genuine oversight due to our use of the Le Mans spec for which we naturally take full responsibility. Somewhat ironically, the greater number of vanes is more beneficial and therefore we were actually at a disadvantage with this set up. Whilst we were greatly saddened to lose the win for the team and supporters, we accept and abide by the decision but stress this was a non-performance enhancing issue.
And so we return to the middle of the story and the many positives to be taken away from the weekend.
From 3rdon the (very cold) grid Rob put in a seamless first stint keeping the team upfront in the action before handing over to Rory to carry on the good work. Rory had to keep his wits about him as traffic was busy but a full course yellow made for a quick change to pitting plans and nipping in to hand over to Andrea at the optimum time.
Andrea proved himself to be the safest of hands though his stint was made more challenging with a front left tyre issue. After handing over to Rory to bring the car home, attention turned to the skies which had run through all varieties of precipitation throughout the day. A last quick splash and dash ensured Rory could steam to the chequered flag safely and allowed the team a few hours of celebration.
The team’s performance throughout the weekend cemented their intention to hit the track running and one very clear observation was the comradery of the drivers, supported by a dedicated team.
Rory expressed his delight to be back with the team "I really enjoy working with the team and must thank Jim [McWhirter, Team Principal] for inviting me back. Rob and Andrea are great team-mates and all the team has worked so hard."
Andrea was also full of praise for the team "The team has worked very hard since the beginning of the week. I have worked closely with Rory and Rob, and we are very focused. To come back to JMW feels like coming back to family. As with everyone our target is to the end the year on top. Since 2013 I have won each Championship I have entered and I want to win again this year! In fact, this year feels like the most important because I want to win for Jim and for JMW."
Rob, ever growing in confidence, is relishing working with Rory and Andrea. "We have such a strong line up. I truly think Rory is the best Silver driver on the grid and we have a Ferrari driver! Andrea is so generous in sharing his knowledge and I am learning so much! I don’t want to be the weakest link so am taking on everything I can – my brain is like a sponge!"
A bitter-sweet start to the year has not diminished the team's spirit, on the contrary, all are raring to get to Imola (May 15th) more fired up than ever!
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34 WEC ENTRIES READY TO LIGHT UP SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
The iconic and beautifully scenic Spa-Francorchamps circuit is one that everyone within the WEC paddock looks forward to visiting. It is a firm favourite of teams and drivers, it warmly welcomes many thousands of passionate, multi-national endurance racing fans each year, and is the venue for the competitors’ traditional final rehearsal for the third round of the WEC, the 24 Hours of Le Mans…and all on a holiday weekend in Belgium!
The 2016 WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will take place on Saturday 7th May, with practice and qualifying sessions being run on the two days prior to the big event. There is a full programme of family-friendly entertainment lined up for spectators, both on and off the track, and a full grid of no fewer than 34 cars across the four categories
Audi Sport Team Joest will be keen to redress the points’ balance with Porsche following the 6 Hours of Silverstone, and the nature of the fast, sweeping 7km track has always encouraged tight battles between all classes and particularly among the high-tech, super-sophisticated LMP1 entries. Audi’s André Lotterer grew up in Belgium and will be the undoubted crowd favourite.
The field includes manufacturer entries from Audi, Porsche (LMP1 and GTE), Toyota, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Ford. Thirteen countries are represented by some of the most successful and storied names in motorsport, and with more entries, more high profile names, more global interest, the WEC is the motor sport championship that everyone is talking about.
LMP1: Stability, Speed and Strategy
The all-new LMP1 hybrid challengers from Audi and Toyota, and the heavily revised Porsche, showed at Silverstone that the season-long battles between them have begun and that the heat will undoubtedly be turned up at Spa. Before a late-race puncture for the No.2 Porsche in Britain the battle to the chequered flag was shaping up to be intense, and more of the same can be anticipated. Toyota has now gathered much more data on the TS050 HYBRID, and the Japanese team will be in looking for more podium success.
There is stability among the driver line ups, the speed is unquestioned, but the strategy for the teams may be a little different this year; in 2016, both Audi and Porsche have decided not to enter a third car for the races at Spa and Le Mans, and this could affect how they approach their set up programmes for the practice sessions, and their race strategy itself.
The contribution of LMP1 Privateers Rebellion Racing and ByKolles Racing Team to the WEC grid is greatly valued, and the Silverstone classification showed the Swiss team celebrating its first overall podium finish for the Rebellion R-One. Nelson Piquet Jr is just one famous name on the grid, joining a Prost and a Senna among others.
LMP2: International diversity, close competition
The 12 entries in the class includes an additional car from G-Drive Racing with ELMS 4 Hours of Silverstone winners Giedo Van Der Garde and Simon Dolan at the wheel. They are joined for this event, and at Le Mans, by British driver Jake Dennis as their regular team mate, Harry Tincknell, is otherwise engaged (at Ford in LMGTE).
Five different chassis - ORECA 05, BR01, Ligier JS P2, Alpine A460 and Gibson 015S – will once again be going head-to-head with each other and lessons will have been learnt at Silverstone about new cars, new procedures and the level of competition. All are Nissan-powered and on Dunlop rubber.
The teams represent countries as diverse as Russia, the USA, China, France, Great Britain and Mexico and there is a true mix of youth and experience among the 36 drivers in the category. WEC newcomer RGR Sport by Morand will be hoping to continue with another victory, while Tequila Patrón ESM will be aiming for one step higher on the podium. Signatech Alpine is sure to profit from some local support, as is its Chinese-entered sister Baxi DC Racing Alpine with the Dutch-domiciled Ho-Pin Tung among the driver line up.
full entry list..
http://www.fiawec.com/wpphpFichiers/..._EntryList.pdf
LMGTE: Old battles renewed
Porsche (2012), Ferrari (2013/14) and Aston Martin Racing (2015) have all enjoyed success at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit and no quarter will be given in the battle from flag to flag. Having successfully completed its first WEC event, Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK will surely be in the mix too, its team and drivers now much more assimilated into endurance racing’s premier championship.
Aston Martin Racing’s Jonny Adam returns to the WEC for the second round, but there are no further driver changes to the line-ups seen at Silverstone.
In the LMGTE Am category for cars which are one year old or more, the blue and orange liveried Gulf Racing Porsche is being put back together after its clash with its bigger LMP1 brother at Silverstone and will be on the grid in its sparkling best.
Silverstone race winners AF Corse will be planning on continuing in the same direction at Spa with the very experienced line up of Collard-Perrodo-Aguas, but their competitors from Larbre Competition (Chevrolet Corvette), KCMG, Gulf Racing and Abu-Dhabi Proton Racing (Porsche) and Aston Martin Racing will be doing all they can to beat the Italian team to the top step of the podium.
Climatic Challenges
No race preparations for Spa would be complete without a careful look at the weather forecast and teams and seasoned fans arrive prepared for all eventualities. Set deep in the Ardennes forest region of southern Belgium, there are often rain showers but that adds to the excitement and anticipation. The WEC has experienced several warm, dry races but practice can be another matter!
The second round of the 2016 WEC season, the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps takes place from 14h30 on Saturday 7th May, finishing in the early hours of darkness at 20h30.
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Marco Cioci aims for a victory in LMGTE in Imola
ELMS - 26/04/2016 - Sophie Liger
We've met Marco Cioci, AF Corse driver since a few years, after the 4 Hours of Silverstone. He told us about his feelings about racing in Imola, his home track, next 15th of May for the second round of the ELMS championship.
“I’m very excited to race in Imola, because this year the ELMS championship is very tough and Imola will be a super battle. For me it’s an important race. First because it’s the second race of the championship and also because it is my home track; I really love it. Fortunately I’ve done many races there but every time it’s a new experience, a new feeling; it’s never the same. Imola is hard to drive because you have to push very hard and every time you are doing a good job you have to stay focused for the next lap because it’s not an easy track. There will be a lot of traffic, so it will be a really tough race.
“One of my best memories in Imola is in ELMS when we got the podium in the last 2 laps against RAM Racing. It was a very nice battle, we passed each other two or three times a lap and it was not easy to do so many overtakes in the same lap. I hope to do the same this year and win as well!”
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A Second Straight Home Race for Scuderia Corsa
IMSA Laguna Seca weekend is annual celebration for Ferrari Silicon Valley
Team will field GT-LeMans and GT-Daytona Ferraris once again this weekend
Currently second in GT-Daytona championship, Nielsen, Balzan and Scuderia Corsa look to defend victory from 12 Hours of Sebring
April 26, 2016 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - After a weekend in Long Beach where Scuderia Corsa raced only a few miles from its partner dealers in the Los Angeles area, the team will now compete in front of the friends of its Northern California dealer - Ferrari Silicon Valley.
At this weekend's round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca, Scuderia Corsa will remain a two-car program as the no. 68 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi and Daniel Serra will race in the GT-LeMans class and the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari driven by Christina Nielsen and Alessandro Balzan in the GT-Daytona class. It will be a unique weekend with a pair of two-hour races held on Sunday - one for the Prototype and GT-LeMans classes, and the other for the Prototype Challenge and GT-Daytona classes.
Nielsen and Balzan have jumped to second position in the GT-Daytona driver's championship, and Scuderia Corsa is now second in the team championship, after their victory at Sebring. The challenging of chasing the championship as well as racing in front of so many Ferrari Silicon Valley guests is at the front of the driver's minds.
"I'm very glad to have a win this year, and to have it at Sebring was absolutely amazing," said Nielsen. "It's always important to remember that if you want to win championships, it's not always about race wins, it's about race points. This is pretty much a home race for the team, so to be able to do well in front of the people who really matter is a big deal. It's a big thing for Giacomo (Mattioli) as well. They're going to bring clients out, so when there's a Ferrari audience watching, you want to do especially well."
Adding to the experience for the team's guests, the no. 68 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE will make its first start at Laguna Seca. Scuderia Corsa's foray into the GT-LeMans class has shown promising speed out of the drivers and cars, which the team hopes to convert into a strong finish in front of the Ferrari Silicon Valley and partners onsite to cheer for the team.
"There is extra motivation for Daniel and I because it is an important weekend for Scuderia Corsa and Ferrari Silicon Valley," said Pier Guidi. "Laguna Seca is a challenging place but because it places so much importance on high speed cornering, it will be a good circuit for the Ferrari 488 GTE."
"This is a special weekend for us," said Giacomo Mattioli, Scuderia Corsa team owner. "The very first debut of Scuderia Corsa was at Laguna Seca in 2012 so it always brings great memories to race here. This weekend is a wonderful opportunity for all of our friends and partners to enjoy the Laguna Seca facility - we will have over 50 clients driving their Ferraris from Ferrari Silicon Valley to Laguna Seca - and they will be treated to great hospitality, see our beautiful Ferrari 488s up close and in person, and watch exciting racing. There is a great feeling within the team after winning at Sebring in GT-Daytona and the performances we've had so far in GT-LeMans. Our team is coming with expectations to put on a great show in Sunday's races."
The first race on Sunday, featuring the GT-LeMans class, will be broadcast live at 2:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1. The second race, featuring the GT-Daytona class, will be broadcast live at 6:30 PM ET on FOX Sports 2. A rebroadcast will be shown Monday, May 2 at 12:30 AM ET.
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James Calado...
You are set to share a car with the most successful driver in the WEC, Gianmaria Bruni. Have the last two seasons in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) been good training?
Yeah, I guess so. Moving up with Gimmi is a very good thing for me. He’s a fantastic driver. He’s very talented. He’s very professional. In fact, probably the best teammate I’ve ever driven with. I’ve had two years to learn and I especially spent the first year learning everything about GT racing. Last year, I proved that I was fast, consistent and could work well with a team. So Gimmi and the whole team decided to put me in the #51 [AF Corse’s number one car], which is fantastic and ambitions have now raised. The level is raised. It’s much more work and I’m really happy to have the opportunity to continue and I’m looking forward to my first win. It’s been a long time. We had some bad luck last year but I think with Sam [Bird] on board, we’re very, very strong.
Are you hungry for victory? Is it your personal goal?
Of course. You take each race as it comes. Last year we didn’t get a win. We were close, but we didn’t. I think now, like I said, everything is stronger. We have a better package than last year. Once I get a first win, it should get easier. I think the priority is the championship for Ferrari, but from a personal view, a first win would be great. I’ve forgotten the last two seasons now and I’m concentrating on trying to win every single race this year. Obviously, it never runs 100% smoothly, but the car’s reliable, the car’s fast. Me and Gimmi are driving well. We have such a good chance!
Does Gianmaria Bruni give you lots of advice?
Yes. The first advice was that he wants me in the same seatbelts as him. So every day I get on my bike to lose weight. I’m 4–5 kilos lighter than last season. It’s important. He wants me fitter. He’s very experienced, a fantastic driver. Just to be as fast as Gimmi would be an achievement.
And what is your contribution to the partnership?
Youth! He’s getting old! (laughs). I just remind him of what it’s like to be young.
The new Ferrari 488 GTE looks very similar in appearance to the Ferrari 488 Italia. Have you had to adapt much?
Clearly, they look similar. But there are differences. It’s much quieter which is really nice. It’s an evolution really. We have a better aerodynamic package with turbo engine which took time to get right. But we think we’ve found a really good solution. It’s generally much quicker. It’s a fantastic car, especially on the corners. At the moment we’re losing a bit on the straights, but what we lose on the straights, we gain on the corners. It’s really enjoyable to drive. The gearbox is much better. Everything’s smoother, more modern, like the switches on the steering wheel. It’s just an extra bonus to have a new car.
Does the LM GTE Pro line-up scare you?
No. We’re focussing on our own car. I know Ford are spending money and pushing a lot to be quick at Le Mans, which is good. It makes it closer, it makes it harder for us and that’s what we want, competitive racing. We want it to be close. We don’t want big gaps like in Formula One. It makes it good for the crowd. I’m looking forward to a good battle throughout the year. We’ve got plenty of talent throughout GT racing this year and I think it’s going to be really exciting.
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RISI COMPETIZIONE RETURNS TO FAMILIAR MONTEREY CIRCUIT
Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM No. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Toni Vilander (FIN)
Houston, Texas (April 27, 2016)... Risi Competizione returns to the beautiful Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend, April 28-May 1, for the Continental Monterey Grand Prix Powered by Mazda two-hour race. This year the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) sanctioning body returns to a split-class format, therefore Risi's GTLM class will only compete with the Prototype (P) class cars.
The 2.24-mile, 11-turn historic road course set in the hills near the Monterey Bay has been the site of two victories and a total of six podiums and three pole positions over the course of 14 years with 19 entries. Last year the pairing of Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer produced a fourth place finish and fastest race lap. This year Fisichella and Toni Vilander will co-drive and have just come off their first podium of the season, third on the streets of Long Beach.
The Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 maneuvering the Laguna Seca circuit in 2015
In just three races of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the new No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM has completed every race lap and the Fisichella/Vilander duo are positioned third in the Driver Championship points standings.
Italian Giancarlo Fisichella will be making his third appearance at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. In addition to his 2015 appearance with Kaffer, the former Formula 1 star also paired with Kaffer in 2014 for a third-place finish, also in the Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT.
Toni Vilander will be making just his second appearance at Laguna. His previous entry was in 2011 with Jamie Melo and Risi Competizione for a 6-hour race, where they finished sixth in class, also in the Ferrari 458 Italia GT.
Giancarlo Fisichella (left) and Toni Vilander (right)
sign autographs for fans with Michelin mascot, Bibendum
Rick Mayer, Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
This track plays to the particular strengths of the Ferrari and the team has done well here in the past. What things need to happen to be able to clinch a victory this time at Laguna?
"It will be very, very difficult. We're down a little on power to our peers, which handicaps us in the straights. This is a low top speed track but the entry to Turn 3 (first real corner) is a prime passing area. We need enough gap off the last corner not to get passed before Turn 3... We need some luck here."
This race is for only the Prototypes and the GTLM cars. How will that change the overall race dynamic?
"There will not be any 'slower' traffic to pass. But that also means if a car has pace it could amass a substantial lead. This also means you can't use the slower traffic as a 'pick' in passing either. The likelihood of this race running without a safety car is high, based on past races with these classes."
You will be trying out some new Michelin tire compounds at Laguna. What are your thoughts and expectations?
"All GTLMs will have different tires to what we've all run in the first three races. We'll need to determine which compound suits our car at this track. We don't anticipate any problems as Michelin always brings a superior product, which typically only gets better when it changes. The only question is will it suit the Ferrari better than our competitors? We hope so. In this class tenths of a second (a lap) are what separates winning from losing."
Toni Vilander, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM:
This will be your second time to compete at Laguna Seca. What was your last experience like and what are you looking forward to most?
"I raced there in 2011. We had difficult race with some contacts and penalties, but I enjoyed the track very much. I'm looking forward to the weekend to start."
The Risi Competizione team has competed at Laguna Seca for 14 of the past 17 years, since 1999, and with 2 wins and 6 podiums. Obviously their many years of experience will serve as a good guide for you. Thoughts?
"We will try to get maximum out of our race car and hopefully that is enough to deliver us good results."
With just a Prototype/GTLM race for two hours will everyone be flat out the entire race?
"We are always flat out. Less cars means more space. And there is less chance for yellows. We are ready for everything."
Giancarlo Fisichella, driver, No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM:
You have raced at Laguna Seca twice and to a third and fourth place finish. What will it take to win this race?
"The last couple of races we were struggling with speed on the straights. Hopefully it will be different but I don't know. I hope with the different tire compound the problems will be diminished. I really like the Laguna circuit. It's one of the best in the U.S. They have a very special corner, called the Corkscrew. I enjoying racing there."
The Laguna Seca circuit seems pretty well suited for the Ferrari but this is a new car this year with the 488. How do you think it will react on the circuit?
"I don't know how it will be for sure yet until we are on track. I hope and think the shape of the circuit is good for our car. It's not a particular circuit for engine power, so I hope that will make it better for us. I'm pretty sure with using the WEC Michelin tires our car will be better too."
With the race being for only the Prototype/GTLM classes for two hour, how will that change the overall race dynamic?
"It will be better for sure, much less traffic, and probably less chance to get caution flags. It should be a more fluid race. I like that better."
Practice for the IMSA the Continental Monterey Grand Prix Powered by Mazda WeatherTech Championship series weekend begins at 8:45 a.m. PDT on Friday, April 29 for the Prototype (P) and GTLM classes, and again that afternoon from 2:20-3:20 p.m. Practice 3 is scheduled for Saturday morning from 11:05-11:50 a.m. with qualifying later that afternoon beginning at 4:30 p.m. PDT. The 2-hour P/GTLM class race will be 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. PDT on Sunday, May 1 Live timing and scoring is available for all on-track sessions at IMSA.com and the IMSA Smartphone app.
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MAJOR WEEKEND FOR MAZDA AT MAZDA RACEWAY
This is one of the biggest weekends of the year for the Mazda Motorsports family. As the namesake of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca since the 2001 season, it’s what we call the spiritual home of Mazda in North America. We race our Mazda Prototypes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship here, but we also test and develop our current and historical race cars at the track. The brand new MX-5 Cup car that will make its debut at the track this weekend was also developed after many test laps here.
Look for the continually improving Mazda Prototypes as we look to extend a streak of best-ever qualifying and race results. In the Continental Tire series, Freedom Autosport will be aiming to win six races in a row at Mazda Raceway. They have finished first and second here the last four years!
It’s about Zoom Zoom for sure, but it’s also about the people that make up our motorsports program.
Last year was a memorable race for Mazda and the Freedom team, as Marine Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Liam Dwyer teamed with Andrew Carbonell to win the Continental Series race as Mazda swept the podium. Races come and go, but we’ll never forget meeting Sgt. Aaron Denning, the man who save Dwyer’s life in Afghanistan. This year, Sgt. Denning will join us again, as will Mike Marmolejo, a physical therapist at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Marmolejo helped Dwyer recover from nearly 50 surgeries in order to become a Mazda-backed driver. It’s people like this that make going racing with Mazda even sweeter. We hope you’ll join us.
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/major-w....BEjnFGvA.dpuf
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have good time. Blancpain is on the up.
LaFerrari
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THIS IS SPA!
For the second race of the season, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) comes to rest in the middle of the Belgian Ardennes region.
The 7km track includes, among others, such emotive sequences and corners as La Source, the hairpin, the famous climb up from Eau Rouge to Raidillon, Blanchimont, Les Combes or Pouhon. Set in the Ardennes forests, the Spa-Francorchamps circuit constantly keeps the drivers on the edge of their seats as it demands as much of them as of their cars.
History tells us the Eau Rouge flowing under the chicane of the same name was the border between two empires. At the height of the Roman Empire, the river was the border between the provinces of Cologne and Tongeren. It was also the border that separated the Netherlands and Prussia (1815-1839) and most recently, Prussia from Belgium (1839-1919).
Nicknamed as the "Ardennes Toboggan", Spa remains an old-style circuit which is very technical. It is often in the mid-section, where it becomes more winding, that precious seconds are won or lost. Indeed, each turn requires a specific approach regarding downforce and how it is approached.
And then there is another decisive factor: the weather. Whatever the season, showers are frequent in this area of Belgium and can quickly add some spice to the race. This phenomenon is brought sharply into focus by the length and elevation of the circuit, because it can be raining in one part of the circuit and not in another…
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FORD GT MAKES HISTORY WITH GT LE MANS WIN AT MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA
MONTEREY, Calif. (May 1, 2016) – Just four races into the heralded Ford GT program in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, No. 67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing co-drivers Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe earned a breakthrough GT Le Mans (GTLM) class victory in the Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix powered by Mazda at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Westbrook and Briscoe benefited by a mix of speed and strategy to earn the victory. Briscoe qualified the No. 67 Ford GT second on Saturday and slotted into second behind the No. 68 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE of Daniel Serra through the early stages of the two-hour race. He ran one position ahead of teammate Dirk Muller in the No. 66 Ford GT until he pitted to turn the car over to Westbrook 45 minutes into the race.
During that stop, the car momentarily got stuck in first gear, and by the time Westbrook rejoined the field he had fallen all the way back to sixth in class. With the loss of track position, the team elected to conserve fuel.
“[The pit stop] cost us five or six seconds and five or six positions, and you aren’t going to drive it to the front from that position” Westbrook said. “So that’s what you get when you race with Chip Ganassi, you get out of the box solutions.”
The out of the box solution eventually paid big dividends. Westbrook worked his way up to second in the running order, behind teammate Joey Hand in the No. 66, as his other competitors made their final pit stops.
With 15 minutes remaining, Westbrook dove to the inside of Hand entering Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s famed Andretti Hairpin (Turn 2). With six minutes to go, Hand pitted for a splash of fuel, dropping him back to an eventual sixth-place finish.
Westbrook, meanwhile, had conserved enough fuel that he did not have to stop again, going on to score the win by 12.545 seconds over Alessandro Pier Guidi in the No. 68 Ferrari. It was Westbrook’s ninth career victory in major U.S. sports car racing and his third at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and was the 12th major U.S. sports car win for Briscoe.
“It’s just so exciting,” Briscoe said. “It’s been a tough few months getting this program running. These guys have been working so hard. We’ve struggled with battles. We struggled a bit with balance but figured it out. We just missed the pole, and to get the win for Ford is huge. It means a lot for me and the whole program.”
Third place went to Frederic Makowiecki and Earl Bamber in the No. 912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR.
NOTEBOOK
· Four different manufacturers were represented in the top-four GTLM finishing positions. Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen finished fourth in the No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, behind the winning Ford, second-place Ferrari and third-place Porsche.
· While the No. 68 Scuderia Corsa led for the first 40 minutes of the race, the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE also spent some time at the head of the field. Giancarlo Fisichella led for five laps just past the halfway point in the race before his final pit stop of the day. Fisichella and co-driver Toni Vilander finished fifth in the race.
· The No. 68 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE co-driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi and Daniel Serra won the DEKRA Green Award. The award recognizes the most clean, fast and efficient team in the GTLM class in each race through a scoring system developed in a partnership between IMSA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and SAE International
· BMW Team RLL adopted a different pit strategy than rest of the GTLM field. Dirk Werner pitted under green-flag conditions near the 30-minute mark in the race, dropping the No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW M6 GTLM to the rear of the field. However, Werner moved into the lead 15 minutes later, when the rest of the class field pitted under full-course caution. Werner led for nearly 20 minutes and went on to finish ninth in class alongside co-driver Bill Auberlen.
· Dave Pericak, Director, Ford Performance, on the first victory for the Ford GT: “We’ve been waiting for this win for a long time. I think it’s great that it came as a fuel economy win. It’s great for Ford EcoBoost, because that’s what it’s all about.”
Source:
IMSA
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/ford-gt....9SKpXkzl.dpuf
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SPA WEEKEND FOR TOYOTA GAZOO RACING
Monday 2 May 2016
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing makes the short trip across the Belgian border this weekend for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).
Having started the season with a two-car finish and a podium in the opening race at Silverstone last month, TOYOTA heads to Spa leading the manufacturers’ World Championship following misfortune for rivals Audi and Porsche.
However, the team also left Silverstone determined to extract more performance from the TS050 HYBRID and immediately completed a two-day test session at Motorland Aragon in Spain to accelerate development of the new car.
Significant steps have been taken to improve understanding of the all-new TS050 HYBRID, which features a turbo-charged 2.4litre engine and 8MJ battery-based hybrid system. The team therefore expects to show improved performance at Spa, the final race before the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.
The two TS050 HYBRIDs will race again in high-downforce specification, as also used at Silverstone, meaning the team will look to implement lessons learned from the opening round of the season in terms of car settings and set-up.
TOYOTA has mixed memories of Spa-Francorchamps, located 120km from its base in Cologne. Victory and third place in 2014 laid the foundations for a World Championship double, but last year Kazuki Nakajima was injured in a practice accident before a disappointing race ended the team’s run of 13 successive WEC podiums.
Kazuki will again team up with Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi in the #5 TS050 HYBRID as they look to bounce back from 16th place at Silverstone, caused by a tyre puncture and the subsequent bodywork damage.
Stéphane Sarrazin, Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi in the #6 enjoyed a more positive start to the season, crossing the line third before being promoted to second when the winning Audi was disqualified for a technical infringement.
Both car crews have their sights set on a return to the podium in Spa, when this year’s race takes place on Saturday, with the green flag flying at 14:30 local time.
Toshio Sato, Team President: “Spa is one of our home races, as it is so close to TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH in Cologne and also to TOYOTA Motor Europe in Brussels. So we are looking forward to seeing a lot of supporters in the grandstands and we want to give them a performance to celebrate. Even if the result at Silverstone was pretty good, we know we need to show more performance if we are to achieve our targets this season. The team has been working flat-out to improve, including our test session in Spain. I would like to thank them for the big effort and I hope we can see the reward this weekend in Spa, which is an important step on the road to Le Mans.”
Anthony Davidson (TS050 HYBRID #5): “I have always enjoyed the challenges of Spa, which is my favourite track, so I'm looking forward to driving the TS050 HYBRID there this year. I hope the car will perform even better around a circuit that suits its hybrid system more than Silverstone, but we will only find out how close we are to the competition once the action starts. This race should also give us a clearer picture of which areas we still need to focus on prior to the biggest race of the season at Le Mans in June.”
Sébastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #5): “Spa is a track which I really like; it’s a fantastic place and I have good memories from 2014, when we won. Last year was clearly a difficult race for us so I’m looking forward to a big improvement this weekend. It wasn’t the ideal start to the season for us, but we know where we need to improve and everyone back in Cologne has been working extremely hard to get more out of the car. Fingers crossed we will have good weather like in previous years so we can really get to grips with the car and do plenty of laps in practice.”
Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #5): “Silverstone was not an easy weekend for us for various reasons but I think that Spa will be better. This weekend is a really important preparation for Le Mans, so we will be fully focused on getting the maximum performance out of the TS050 HYBRID. Personally, I am looking forward to Spa more than ever as I haven’t raced there since 2014 due to my accident last year. It’s such a great track, and as a driver you want to be behind the wheel, not watching on TV!”
Stéphane Sarrazin (TS050 HYBRID #6): “I really enjoy driving at Spa; it is truly a pleasure in an LMP1 car. There are not many of these longer, traditional circuits on the calendar anymore, so I always look forward to it. We started the season in a nice way with a podium but we want to be more competitive. The whole team has worked very hard since Silverstone to find improvements; it will be interesting to see how the TS050 HYBRID performs. I hope Spa is more suited to our car and we can fight closer to the front.”
Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #6): “It will be a busy weekend for us to work on the car and take another step towards Le Mans. There is not a lot of time now until Le Mans so we want to take every available chance to fine-tune our TS050 HYBRID. That means we will be working flat-out in Spa to assess the steps we have made since Silverstone. Even though we are leading the manufacturers’ World Championship, we know we have work to do and I think we will see good progress this weekend.”
Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #6): “Spa is another track I know well from Formula 1 and GP2, so I am looking forward to driving the TS050 HYBRID there. I enjoyed my first race in LMP1 and learnt a lot about how to manage the traffic; I am sure this experience will already help me at Spa. Let’s see what will happen with the weather, which is famous for being unpredictable there. We saw almost every kind of weather at Silverstone so it would be nice to have a dry weekend to really get to work on the car. Whatever happens I am motivated and will be pushing to the maximum.”
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FAMILY FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT AT THE WEC 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
A weekend of sunshine, warm temperatures and action-packed family entertainment is on offer for everyone who travels to the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship at the world famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. On track, no fewer than 34 cars will be battling it out for victory, while the well-established Fan Area offers plenty of family fun and a great variety of entertainments for all.
The fifth edition of the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, from the 5th - 7th May, is here with more cars, famous drivers and lots to see and do for the whole family to enjoy. The race in Belgium is the second round of the nine race world championship, and is a great opportunity for fans to witness the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans one month before the big race in France.
As well as a star-studded grid and drivers such as André Lotterer, Mark Webber, Sébastien Buemi and Giedo Van Der Garde, plus manufacturer entries from Porsche, Audi, Toyota, Ferrari, Ford and Aston Martin, Spa will also host rounds of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Benelux and TCR International Series, making it a real festival of great motor sport…the track will be sizzling with action!
In addition there is a full weekend of entertainment on offer with plenty to keep all the family enthralled during the Friday and Saturday holiday weekend.
Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky is a young, French electro-pop group who, in 2013, launched the critically acclaimed Photomaton which has since had 15 million views on YouTube! The small group of musicians, producers and showmen are the WEC Music Ambassadors for the 2016 season and at Spa they will play a special set during the Pitwalk.
Jabberwocky will also be seen on the grid to help promote the World Endurance Championship through their music, which will be one of the highpoints of the entertainment at Spa-Francorchamps.
Meet the Drivers
The first 4000 buyers will have an opportunity to get an autograph, grab a ‘selfie’ or just shake hands with favourite drivers during the autograph session – it’s all part of the show!
Grid Walk Show
The build up to the big race will be to the sound of music and dancers, and you might also catch an extra special souvenir of the day as T-shirts are fired into the crowd.
Panoramic Basket
Nestled in the Ardennes Forest, Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most spectacular circuits in the world and that is viewing it from the ground. Visitors to WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps will have the opportunity to see the track 60 meters up in the air with a ride on the Panoramic Basket.
Inflatable Village
Great fun with lots of air! Fun for kids of all ages with a giant inflatable football pitch, bouncy castles and a trampoline.
Funfair
All the fun of the fair with thrill rides and games, including a carousel.
Sky Fall and Go Jump
For the adventurous among you, live life to the full and test your nerve on Sky Fall and Go Jump. There’s also a climbing wall which is fully supervised and suitable for all ages.
TITAN the ROBOT
Meet Titan the Robot and be entertainment by his unique blend of comedy, street theatre and music.
WEC Fan Area
Are you the next Mark Webber, Bruno Senna or Gianmaria Bruni? Why not try out your skills on our simulators and see how you measure up? You can also be entertained with electric cars>
Display Area
Vintage cars will be on display for all to see and enjoy. You have to appreciate the past to enjoy the future.
Giant Screens
Watch the racing action on giant screens on the WEC Tower in the fan area. Visitors need not miss any of the action while enjoying other aspects of the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.
THE WEC 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
After the high drama of the 6 Hours of Silverstone, which saw Audi take the chequered flag first before losing the maximum points to Porsche in post-race scrutineering, the focus now turns to the next round of the World Endurance Championship at Spa-Francorchamps which takes place on Saturday 7 May.
The race in Belgium is considered as the traditional dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and has always attracted extra entries from teams making their final preparations for one of the greatest sporting challenges on earth. This year there are no third entries from the Porsche and Audi teams, but the ELMS 4 Hours of Silverstone winner, G-Drive Racing (the car run by JOTA Sport) will be an added bonus to the grid. In total there will be 34 cars taking the start for the fifth edition of the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, with nine in LMP1, 12 in LMP2, seven in LMGTE Pro and six in the LMGTE Am class.
Last edited by Rob; 2nd May 2016 at 21:31.
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Martin Brundle For United Autosports Ligier In Le Mans LMP3 Race
Despite all of the controversy around the timing of the 2016 European Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijaan at least one prominent member of the Formula One paddock will be racing at Le Mans this year, albeit not in the 24 Hours proper.
Martin Brundle will drive for United Autosports in the inaugural Le Mans LMP3 race – The Road to Le Mans – in June. The former Formula One driver and current Sky F1 commentator will drive one of the team’s Ligier JS P3 cars in the hour-long race – a support event at the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours on 18 June.
He will coincidentally race the same Onroak Automotive manufactured chassis his son, Alex, drives in the European Le Mans Series – the car that won the team’s maiden ELMS race at Silverstone earlier this month.
“This golden opportunity allows me to drive the full Le Mans circuit again in a Prototype racer,” said Brundle. “It’s always such a pleasure and privilege to drive that magnificent circuit, so I grabbed the opportunity to rejoin United Autosports, after our last successful adventure in the 2011 Daytona 24 hours, and along with our longstanding sponsor Richard Mille, to once again race a Ligier. At 57 years of age I consider this a wonderful and unexpected bonus.”
After 158 Formula One race starts, with manufacturers such as McLaren, Jordan, Brabham, Tyrrell and Williams, Martin will be reunited with the Ligier brand, with whom he raced in Formula One in 1993 and 1995.
Martin is no stranger to Le Mans, having raced in the main event eight times, winning overall in 1990 with TWR Jaguar. He is also a familiar face to United Autosports as he competed in the 2011 Daytona 24 Hours alongside Zak Brown, Mark Patterson and Mark Blundell in a Riley Daytona Prototype, finishing fourth.
His last appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours was in 2012 with Greaves Motorsport, sharing the #42 Zytek with his son Alex and GT Academy winner Lucas Ordonez. The trio finished the race 15th overall and 8th in LMP2.
Martin will be joined by United Autosports European Le Mans Series race winner, Christian England, who has returned to racing after a 13 year absence. Christian raced in the British Formula Ford Championship back in 2001 and 2002 and was nominated for the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 2002. On his return to racing, Christian won the opening race of the 2016 ELMS at Silverstone, alongside Alex Brundle and Mike Guasch.
The 60-minute Road to Le Mans race will be held on Saturday 18th June, a few hours before the Le Mans 24 Hours itself.
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Really good news for Martin. They do make good driver pairing he and Alex.
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