Raceday
on the Plateau
The
sun continues to bathe the circuit a Le Castellet
in a warm glow, the coloured stripes of the
trackside run-off contrasting strongly with
the sandy browns and muted greens of the surrounding
scrubland. The weather has been kind to the
Le Mans Series, and the photographers have
been enthusing about "The Light",
and are eagerly anticipating a sunset finish
to the Paul Ricard 8 Hours. Sadly, their hopes
may be dashed - or splashed - by the latest
forecasts of rain later in the afternoon.
If it happens, that will make for an interesting
race, but less appealing photographs.
Warm
up
The
Mansell Beechdean Ginetta Zytek was the first
out as the full grid took part in the early-morning
warm-up. Tommy was eager to get back out onto
the circuit in the RML AD Group Lola and put
behind him the disappointment of a less than
satisfying qualifying session yesterday. By
the standards of most people, fourth would
have been a good enough result, but the Brazilian
sets his bar high and nothing short of perfection
will really do.
A
single flying lap was all he'd get to reassure
himself that the car's balance was restored,
and then it was hand-over time. The RML routine
is rigorously enforced, and warm-up is no
exception. Three drivers, three pitstops and
three driver-change simulations. Mike Newton
was next into the car, completing an out-lap,
a couple of flyers,and then returning to the
pits. His stint included an interesting duel
along the Mistral with Soheil Ayari in the
#6 Oreca Matmut AIM LMP1, which demonstrated
just how rapid the Lola HPD is along the straight.
Despite a significant power advantage, the
LMP1 car could only just out-drag the svelte
LMP2 coupé, although was then able
to carry greater speed through Signes and
pull clear.
The
only major incident of the twenty minute session
occurred just as Andy Wallace took over in
the #25, when Goueslard in the Larbre Competition
Saleen S-R, the only runner in GT1 this weekend,
was hit from behind as he entered the fast
right-handed "Double Droite" and
crashed heavily backwards into the tyre wall.
Guaranteed a win simply by finishing, the
team now has a hectic two hours as they attempt
to complete a rebuild in time for the start.
The #5 Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek also
had more of a warm-up than is strictly necessary,
with a fuel leak causing a small fire while
Nigel himself was in the cockpit.
The
chequered flag flew at 08:40, with Audi fastest
overall on 1:43.138, a second or so clear
of the #4 Oreca Peugeot, and the #13 Rebellion
Lola third. In LMP2, fastest time to the ASM
Ginetta Zytek, with the #35 Pescarolo second,
and the #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek third.
Andy's final lap demoted the pole-setting
Strakka HPD to sixth in class . . . but warm-up
times are, in truth, completely meaningless.
Here they are nevertheless:
Warm
Up - LMP2 Times
|
# |
o/a |
Team |
Car |
Drivers |
Warm
Up |
1 |
40 |
7 |
Quifel
ASM |
Ginetta-Zytek
09S |
Amaral,
Pla, Hughes |
1:48.343 |
2 |
35 |
9 |
Oak
Racing |
Pescarolo
- Judd |
Hein, Moreau |
1:48.937 |
3 |
41 |
13 |
Bruichladdich |
Ginetta-Zytek
09S |
Ojjeh, Greaves, Ebbesvik |
1:50.818 |
4 |
24 |
11 |
Oak
Racing |
Pescarolo
- Judd |
Lahaye, Nicolet |
1:52.628 |
5 |
25 |
12 |
RML
AD Group |
Lola
HPD Coupé |
Erdos, Newton, Wallace |
1:52.692 |
6 |
42 |
9 |
Strakka
Racing |
HPD
ARX -01c |
Leventis,
Watts, Kane |
1:52.808 |
7 |
39 |
17 |
KSM |
Lola
B08/47 Judd |
de Pourtales, Noda, Kennard |
1:53.658 |
8 |
30 |
14 |
Racing
Box |
Lola
Coupé B09 Judd |
Geri, Piccini, Piccini |
1:54.347 |
9 |
27 |
18 |
Race
Performance |
Radical SR9 - Judd |
Frey, Meichtry, Dueck |
1:54.419 |
10 |
29 |
16 |
Racing
Box |
Lola
Coupé B09 |
Cioci, Perazzini, Pirri |
1:54.517 |
11 |
37 |
15 |
WR
Salini |
WR-Zytek |
Salini,
Salini, Gommendy |
1:54.756 |
12 |
45 |
23 |
Boutsen
Energy |
Formula
Le Mans |
Kraihamer, de Crem, Delhez |
1:55.246 |
13 |
44 |
19 |
DAMS |
Formula
Le Mans |
Stirling, Hines, Piscopo |
1:55.530 |
14 |
48 |
20 |
Hope
PoleVision |
Formula
Le Mans |
Beche,
Pillon, Capillaire |
1:57.217 |
15 |
49 |
22 |
Applewood
Seven |
Formula
Le Mans |
Toulemonde,
Zollinger, Zampatti |
1:57.315 |
16 |
47 |
25 |
Hope
PoleVision |
Formula
Le Mans |
Zacchia,
Moro, Kaufmann |
1:57.938 |
17 |
36 |
21 |
Pegasus
Racing |
Courage-Oreca
AER |
Schell, Metz, Da Rocha |
1:58.360 |
18 |
43 |
24 |
DAMS |
Formula
Le Mans |
Barlesi,
Cicognani, Chalandon |
1:59.155 |
18 |
46 |
46 |
JMB
Racing |
Formula
Le Mans |
Kutemann,
Basso, Hartshorne |
2:02.177 |
The
drivers had only a few minutes after extracting
themselves from their cars before the paddock
began to fill with spectators seeking out
posters, postcards and other memorabilia to
take home as mementos of the first Paul Ricard
8 Hour race.
Mike,
Tommy and Andy set up their pitch beside the
RML tractor unit, with the Bruichladdich squad
to their right, the Aston Martin LMP1 team
to their left, and the Smoking Dog hospitality
facility directly opposite. The current capacity
on the spectator enclosures is 4000, and judging
by the number of people milling around for
the walkabout, and lining the grandstands,
the attendance this weekend is close to that
maximum.
AD
Group has about forty guests attending the
race this weekend, based at the "Dog".
Using AD's own CCTV networking systems, they
are able to watch the engineers and mechanics
in the RML garage as they work on the car.
The system also provides surveillance security
for the team truck and a view of the pitlane,
so that pitstops, refuelling and driver changes
can be monitored. AD-designed on-board video
recording systems also provide valuable data
for the drivers as they prepare for a race,
with every moment of practice and each driver
stint recorded and available for detailed
analysis after each session.
With
the race scheduled to begin at 11:00 the grid
started to fill up from 10:15. The #5 Beechdean
Mansell was successfully repaired and duly
took up its slot, but with half an hour to
go, the Saleen was still being worked upon.
Coverage
of the LMP2 race will be provided here "live",
with postings added to the report as they
happen, or within a few moments. Photos will
be added subsequently, thanks to David Lord,
Peter May and David Downes of Dailysportscar,
who are providing additional photographic
coverage this weekend.
The
Race
Please
note that the following account of the race
was uploaded "live", as the events
unfolded on track. As a result, most entries
are in the present tense, although driver
and team comments may have been added subsequently.
This may lead to some tense inconsistencies,
for which we apologise..
The
grid started to clear of people with ten minutes
to go, only select team engineers and managers
remaining with their cars. There was a final
flurry of activity, as some teams refitted
race tyres that had been kept warm in the
"ovens" prior to the start.
There
was still no sign of the Saleen as the cars
moved off the grid at exactly 11:00 for the
parade lap.
Everyone
moved off the grid cleanly behind the red
Audi R8 pace car. There's an impressive sight
on the circuit monitors of the whole field
weaving from side to side, warming their tyres,
headlights ablaze, as they made their way
up the Mistral Straight towards the awesome
Signes Curve.
Start
11:03
The leaders round the final turn. The pace
car pulls aside. Tommy is still back in the
middle of Village as the leaders
take that very slow final corner, and after
a brief holding-back manoeuvre which almost
had McNish stumbling in front of the Pug as
they approached the line, the race was off.
It was a mad scramble for space, but everyone
got cleanly through the first few corners,
but things changed suddenly as the leading
Peugeot stumbled through the exit of Chicane.
McNish in the lead R15 was baulked, and Mucke
following closely in the 008 Aston was through
to the lead.
In
LMP2, Thomas Erdos is up to third after a
strong start from Kane in the Strakka HPD,
who leads the class from Pla in the #41, Lahaye
having lost out on the first lap to Erdos.
11:06
There's pandemonium amid the Formula Le Mans
cars as three come together, but only one,
the #45, has to retire to the pits for attention.
It would need a replacement floor section.
11:09.
End of lap 2
Mucke leads overall from McNish, who is pushing
hard from second. Sarrazin remains third in
the Oreca Peugeot. Kane is easing clear in
LMP2, but Erdos is quicker than Pla at the
moment, and is all over the rear of the ASM
Ginetta Zytek.
11:10
McNish passes Mucke for the lead in a daring
out-braking move. The Saleen has joined the
race, two laps down. Melo leads GT2 for AF
Corse in the #96.
11:12
McNish has eased out a lead of more than two
seconds. In LMP2, Kane has a similar advantage
over Pla, with Erdos less than a second behind
the Portuguese #40.The Oak Racing #24 has
just lost fourth to Ebbesvik in the #41 Ginetta
Zytek. Sixth is the first of the Racing Box
Lolas, the #29, with the KSM Lola seventh.
11:15
Sarrazin has regained second from Mucke and
is now narrowing the gap on McNish. The Aston
is slipping back into the clutches of the
Signature Aston, with Mailleux in the cockpit.
Jonny
Kane's serene progress continues in the Strakka
Racing HPD, and he has already established
a class lead of nearly five seconds over Olivier
Pla. Tommy remains in close contention, just
over a second behind Pla, with the Bruichladdich
car, #41, fourth, but only by a couple more
seconds.
There's
great excitement in the top five, however,
where the 008 Aston, the two Rebellion cars
and the #6 Oreca AIM are battling it out for
third, fourth and fifth, until a clash renders
the #6 Hors de Combat with a left rear puncture.
11:19
The #13 Rebellion Judd takes the Signature
Aston for third. McNish, meanwhile, has eased
out a lead of eight seconds. The LMP2 leaders
are now a full minute behind the Scot, and
on that last lap (the tenth) Erdos has closed
right up on Pla. Just four-tenths separates
them.
The
#35 Oak Racing Pescarolo has pitted from sixth
in class. Reason currently unknown, having
started from the back of the grid. It's a
70 second stop so perhaps tyres?
11:24
Jonny Kane has moved tight onto the tail of
the Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek, with
Nigel at the wheel. The gap is down to half
a second. Olivier Pla can probably see this
duel unfolding ahead of him, but has his mirrors
full of red, white and blue RML Lola, so is
probably otherwise occupied. The LMP2 leaders
are well in among the tail-enders now, and
the traffic is causing gaps to fluctuate wildly.
11:26
Tommy moves through to second in LMP2, gaining
two seconds on lap thirteen to get the better
of Pla through the traffic. The challenge
to catch Kane appears almost insurmountable
- the Strakka driver has a lead of more than
10 seconds. McNish has a similar lead in LMP1,
while the gap in GT2 is mere tenths.
11:34
The #12 Rebellion Lola has developed a puncture
or rear suspension problem and has dropped
out of fifth, trailing smoke, The incident
appeared to happen just before the pit entry,
and Jani has had to complete a whole lap at
slow speed. There have been several incidents
like this, and Tommy Erdos has also radioed
in to express concerns over possible low tyre
pressures, although the team assures him that
the telemetry looks fine. His lap times have
not slowed and he has eased out nearly four
seconds over Pla.
11:37
The Rebellion #12 finally limps into the pitlane.
Kane continues to pester El Leone,
with the Beechdean Mansell car a mere four
or five tenths to the fore. Kane's lead has
grown to twelve seconds.
11:40
In a bizarre situation, the Rebellion team
has fitted new tyres to the #12 and sent the
car out, only for it to become immediately
very evident that the car has a suspension
failure. Out at the sharp end, McNish's lead
fluctuates with traffic, but is constant at
somewhere between 8 and 12 seconds. He is
now lapping the leading LMP2 runners, and
has just passed Kane.
11:42
In traffic, Sarrazin laps Mansell, and allows
Kane to close even more on the former F1 champion,
although the #35 Oak Pescarolo, a lap down,
is right in the mix as well and is trying
to regain a lap.
11:44
Smoke and possibly oil trailing from the 008
Aston Martin, which is making a slow return
to the pitlane. It appears to be a broken
wheel rim.
11:45
Moreau in the #35 Oak Pescarolo unlaps himself
on Mansell, and then Kane closes to less than
a tenth of the Beechdean Ginetta Zytek. It's
only a matter of time before the Strakka HPD
moves up to 6th overall. Erdos gained five
seconds on Kane on lap 24, and the gap has
narrowed to 6.4 seconds.
11:48
Evidently the Mansell pride can still be dented,
and he ups his game by two seconds to retake
Moreau, who is about to be passed by the class
leader. Erdos has visibly closed on Kane now,
but everyone is having to duck and dive through
the slower traffic, and a second gained can
be easily lost.
11:51
Yet another left-rear suspension failure,
this time in GT2, where the Spyker is crabbing
smokily towards the pits. The circuit places
enormous strains on this rear corner, with
the high-speed Signes right-hander being largely
responsible.
11:52
Jonny Kane finally gets ahead of Nigel Mansell
to make the first split in the LMP1 ranks,
but only because Mansell is one of the first
to make a scheduled pitstop. Others are likely
to follow suit and a spate of stops is likely
to follow.
11:54
Pitstop.
(Erdos remains in; fuel and
tyres)
Tommy is the first LMP2 runner to make the
scheduled stop. Pla moves through to second
in LMP2. McNish pits a few moments later,
and so too Sarrazin in the Peugeot. New tyres
all round on the Audi, but problems for Oreca,
and the Peugeot is left wanting two more wheels
by the time McNish rejoins the race.
Hour
2 - 3
(12:00-13:00)
12:00
As the race enters its second hour, things
are going from bad to worse for Oreca, and
the car is back into the garage for work.
The internal jacks may have failed? McNish
is now the only car on the "lead lap".
In
LMP2, Kane leads from fifth overall, but is
yet to stop. The #24 Pescarolo is second,
also still on its first stint, but a fuel-only
stop for Olivier Pla has allowed the #40 ASM
car to retain third. Tommy Erdos is now fourth,
but having taken on tyres as well, is nearly
30 seconds down on the Ginetta Zytek. Fifth,
pending pitstops, is the #41 Bruichladdich
Ginetta Zytek, with the late-starting but
speedy Guillaume Moreau sixth for Oak Racing
i the #35.
12:05
Lahaye pits the #24 from second. That left
Kane as the only LMP2 runner yet to pit, but
the Strakka call came on the next lap. In
a few minutes a clearer picture of the true
state of the race should emerge. Judging by
the length of stop (1:40) the Strakka stop
was for fuel and tyres.
12:08
Audi's strategy and Oreca's misfortune has
resulted in a 50 second lead for the Scotsman.
Rebellion's woes continue, as the #12 is issued
with a 3 minute stop-and-go, probably for
releasing the car without checking for the
structural failure.
12:10
Having elected not to change tyres, the ASM
Ginetta Zytek has moved through into the class
lead, heading Jonny Kane (who took tyres)
by eighteen seconds, with Erdos third, a further
eleven seconds behind the Strakka Racing HPD.
The #41 is fourth. Across the spread of the
LMP2 front-runners, the top six are consistently
lapping with a second of each other, around
the 1:51. The only exception is Kane in the
Strakka HPD, who typically shaves a second
off the others.
12:15
The #4 Oreca Peugeot rejoins, but in 35th
position overall. The car has lost 18 minutes.
Another to lose ground, although not so much,
is the #5 Beechdean Mansell car. A 2:15 pitstop
has dropped the car to 12th overall, right
in the middle of the LMP2 field.
12:20
McNish leads overall by 63 seconds from Stephane
Mucke in the 009 Aston Martin Lola, with the
#13 Rebellion Lola third, a further 23 seconds
behind. Olivier Pla leads LMP2 from 5th in
the #40 ASM Ginetta Zytek, but loses that
elevated status as Ayari sweeps by in the
LMP1 Oreca Matmut AIM #6. Pla's laps are typically
in the high 1:51s, whereas Kane is managing
to set lap after lap in the forty-nines, and
Erdos too is regularly quicker, hovering around
the fifty mark. The wisdom of ASM's decision
not to change tyres at that first pitstop
- if only as a security measure - may yet
be tested. With so many cars having suffered
left-rear punctures and suspension failures,
there's little doubt that the track here is
very tough on tyres, especially on that rear
corner.
12:27
McNish is consistently two second a lap quicker
han anyone else, perhaps with the exception
of the recovering Oreca Peugeot, although
that has a mountain to climb before it begins
to feature in this race once more. Pla's LMP2
class lead has slipped to just five seconds,
so Kane is likely to catch, and pass, the
#40 in the next couple of laps.
12:32
Kane has closed to within four seconds of
Pla, and Tommy Erdos holds third by about
twenty seconds. Nigel Mansell is starting
to recover the ground lost through that lengthy
pitstop, but is still twenty seconds behind
the RML Lola.
12:35
It has taken an hour and a half, but the race
finally seems to have settled down into a
steady rhythm. There are individual battles
throughout the field, like the one unfolding
for the LMP2 lead, but in the main it's all
steady stuff and easier to follow.
12:38
Jonny Kane takes back the lead in LMP2 as
McNish completes his 53rd lap. Mucke pits
from second overall, handing over the AM Lola
009 to Fernandez. The #13 Rebellion Lola was
third, but has moved through to second following
Mucke's pitstop.
12:41
Kane has already eased out an advantage of
three seconds over Pla, and Erdos has narrowed
the gap between second and third, but only
by a few seconds. It still remains at more
than half a minute. The positional threat
from the mansell Ginetta Zytek has disappeared
with another pitstop for the #5 car, which
must be a little ahead of schedule. Nigel
out, son Greg gets in.
12:48
Order in LMP2 is currently: Kane leading for
Strakka from 6th overall. Olivier Pla is second,
by six seconds, and Erdos third. Fourth place
is the #41 Bruichladdich entry, with Lahaye
fifth for Oak, and Racing Box Lola #29 sixth
.Seventh, but behind the #5 Mansell chariot,
is the #35 Oak, with the #30 Racing Box Lola
8th.
12:50
Pitstop.
(Erdos remains in; fuel and
windscreen clean only)
Tommy Erdos into the pitlane for his second
scheduled pitstop. In an attempt to regain
a little time, it's screen clean and refuel
only, and Erdos is back out again in a matter
of seconds.
12:53
McNish pits from the lead, and hops out of
the Audi to swap places with Dindo Capello.
Lahaye has moved through to third in LMP2
during Tommy's brief pitstop. The #29 Racing
Box pits from 10th overall, fifth in LMP2.
12:56
The Oak Pescarolo #24 is issued with a stop-go
penalty. Lahaye is in the cockpit, and presently
running third. Olivier Pla pits from second.
It's a full service this time, with fuel,
tyres and driver-change to Amaral. Moments
later the #24 comes in to pay its dues with
a stop-go, although fails to come to a complete
stop, but is waved on even so. The additional
time lost coming through the pitlane may permit
Tommy Erdos to regain third, despite the recent
pitstop. Being a penalty visit, the #24 cannot
visit the garage, although must nearly be
due for a scheduled stop.
Tommy
duly moves through to second, passing Amaral
and Lahaye.
Hour
3- 4
(13:00-14:00)
13:01
A bad start to the third hour for the #27
Racing Performance Radical, with a 4 minute
stop-go. No indication yet what the indiscretion
might have been, but it must have been serious.
13:02
Jonny Kane pits from the LMP2 lead. The car
has been 3:10 in the pitlane, in total, compared
to 2:36 for RML, so appears to have had tyres,
fuel and a driver change. As a result, Tommy
closes to within 19 seconds of Danny Watts,
now in the Strakka cockpit.
13:08
Lahaye makes his scheduled pitstop from fourth
in class.
13:12
Out at the sharp end, McNish leads by a lap
from Arian Fernandez in the 009, with Guy
Smith third in the #13 Rebellion Lola, almost
another lap clear of the Signature Plus Aston
fourth. Fifth is the troubled #6 Oreca AIM,
with Duval hoping to recover some of the ground
lost through that earlier puncture.
13:16
Amaral was going slowly in the #40 ASM Ginetta
Zytek, and was overtaken on track by a Formula
Le Mans car, although he then regained pace.
13:18
Luke Hines, who had been leading the Formula
Le Mans class in the #44 car, has had problems
with his left rear silencer - yes, these FLM
cars do have silencers! - and has had to pit
for repairs. The #48 Hope PoleVision car inherits
the class lead.
13:20
Danny Watts leads LMP2 by 33 seconds from
Thomas Erdos, who heads Amaral by fifty seconds.
Greg
Mansell is proving quicker than his father,
and has been consistently setting new fastest
sectors for the #5 Beechdean car. He overtakes
Amaral and moves through to 8th overall, 80
seconds behind Tommy.
News
of others in LMP2. The KSM Lola, now with
Judd power, has continued to experience mechanical
troubles, this time gearbox related. The car
has spent much of the race (some 55 minutes
in fact) in the garage, but is out and moving
again now. The #27 Radical, as well as incurring
a 4 minute stop-go, has also had issues, and
is lying 39th overall, just ahead of the KSM
machine.
13:31
Change for the lead in GT2, where Richard
Lietz takes over from Raymond Narac as the
two Porsches turn the Mistral into a drag
strip. As they duck under the "bridge"
at the end of the straight, the blue Felbermayr
car snicks through to take the IMSA's place.
13:32
Strakka and Danny Watts into the pitlane for
an unscheduled pitstop, and Tommy Erdos moves
through into the lead of LMP2. The black and
silver-blue HPD is drawn back into the garage,
and starts to lose ground immediately. Erdos
leads from 6th, and when Greg Mansell pits
the #5 a couple of minutes later, that overall
position looks more secure.
13:37
The #24 Oak is given another stop-go, once
again for a single second, but this time for
a known incident on-track involving contact
with the unfortunate Saleen. The Pescarolo
had been in third, so paying the price may
allow the Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek back
through to third.
13:40
The Strakka Racing HPD returns to the track
with Nick Leventis in the cockpit. He rejoins
in 14th overall, 8th in class. It transpires
that the "legality panel" at the
back of the car had been displaced, and needed
to be replaced - a situation that has affected
many teams over recent years.
13:44
Pitstop.
(Erdos out, Newton
in; fuel, tyres and driver change)
A rapid driver change and pitstop from the
RML crew gets the #25 out onto the track immediately
ahead of Miguel Amaral. On cold tyres he may
be unable to defend the lead, but on pace
alone, they're usually fairly evenly matched.
Mike wisely surrenders the position, but latches
on to the tail of the #40.
13:48
Scheduled pitstop for the #41 from third.
Karim Ojeh in the car at the moment. Nicolet
in the #24 moves through to take the place.
13:58
Amaral pits from the lead of LMP2, and returns
the position to Mike Newton, who's now up
to speed in the RML Lola. After the enforced
pitstop to replace the legality panel, Nick
Leventis is running 15th overall, having just
lost one place to the recovering Oreca Peugeot.
Hour
4- 5
(14:00-15:00)
14:01
Amaral is still in the ASM garage as the race
enters its fourth hour, but returns to the
track after a five-minute stop. Mike Newton
continues to lead LMP2, with the 24 Oak Racing
Pescarolo Judd second, the sister #35 third,
and Karim Ojeh fourth for Bruichladdich.
14:08
Pitstop for the #30 Racing Box Lola. The car
had been sixth in LMP2. Giacomo Piccini takes
over.
14:13
Newton's lead in LMP2 is roughly 100 seconds,
with Hein third behind the #24 by another
35 seconds. Ojeh is a further 58 seconds adrift
in fourth, with Perazzini fifth for Racing
Box (#29) just ahead of Amaral in the #40
ASM Ginetta Zytek.
14:17
Nicolet pits the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo
from 8th overall, second in LMP2. Team-mate
Richard Hein will move through to second.
14:25
It's the turn of the #35 Oak Racing car to
pit from second now. Karim Ojeh (Bruichladdich
#41) takes the place, with Nicolet and the
#24 through again to third.
14:28
Pitstop time for Beechdean Mansell, with Greg
Mansell completing an impressive stint that
has re-established the car's credentials in
LMP1, and it is now standing 6th in class,
6th overall.
14:30
In the race for outright honours, Audi continues
to extend its lead; Capello retaining his
seat in the cockpit. The R15 now heads the
race by two full laps from the 009 Aston (just
completed a pitstop) and the #13 Rebellion
Lola third.
14:38
Mike's hold on the lead in LMP2 appears undiminished,
and he remains just 20 seconds behind the
sixth-placed Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek.
Second is the #41, with #24 third and #29
fourth. The gap between these two is just
0.4 seconds, and the pink and slate Oak Pescarolo
looks set to gain a place before long.
14:42
Pitstop for the #42 Strakka Racing HPD, with
Nick Leventis staying in for another stint.
The Relentless-sponsored car had been running
15th overall, 8th in class.
14:45
Pitstop.
(Newton stays in; fuel and
windscreen clean only)
Pitstop for RML AD Group Lola, with Mike Newton
heading in for fuel and a windscreen clean.
14:47
Scheduled pitstop for the Bruichladdich Ginetta
Zytek, with Karim Ojeh getting fuel and tyres.
It may take a few moments for the true order
to become clear, as others are also preparing
for pitstops.
14:56
The #40 is back into the pits for another
routine pitstop. The lengthy unscheduled stop
for the ASM car earlier in the race was for
another displaced "legality panel"
- a problem that used to plague the Lolas
a few years back, but is less of a problem
now that these triangular boxes behind the
rear wheels are independent components, and
can be refitted in a few seconds.
Hour
5- 6
(15:00-16:00)
Positions
in LMP1 as we come to the end of the fourth
hour are: RML Lola leading by more than a
lap from the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo Judd,
with the second Oak Pescarolo third. Tim Greaves
is now at the wheel of the Bruichladdich Ginetta
Zytek and holding fourth from Giacomo Piccini
in the #30 Racing Box Lola. Nick Leventis
is 6th in class, 13th overall, for Strakka.
Carrying
on down the order, Warren Hughes has now taken
over aboard the 40 ASM Ginetta Zytek, and
is running a lap down on Leventis. The first
of the FLM cars is 8th - although is this
still technically LMP2? The next true LMP2
car is the #29 Racing Box Lola, 21st overall.
The #36 Pegasus Racing Courage, 32nd overall,
is technically 9th in class, and still running,
albeit fifteen laps down on the class leader.
The KSM Lola is still circulating, after losing
55 minutes with gearbox issues, but is nearly
30 laps adrift. Confirmation just through
that the final LMP2 car to be accounted for
is the #27 Racing Performance Radical, which
has just retired from 39th overall.
15:18
Things have been fairly static in LMP2 for
several minutes, but Guillaume Moreau has
just upped the ante by posting a new fastest
lap for the #35 Oak Racing Pescarolo, although
he has around minute to recover if he's to
catch Mike Newton.
Another
car making up for lost time is the Strakka
Racing HPD, which has eased through to fifth
in class in the hands of Nick Leventis.
15:23
Further improvement from Moreau, who posts
a new best of 1:50.361 in the #35, just before
his ream-mate Nicolet heads for the #24's
next pitstop. Moreau took 8 seconds out of
Newton on that last lap.
15:30
The recovering Oreca Peugeot has passed Newton
for 7th overall, and is now aiming for the
Beechdean Mansell Ginetta Zytek. The gap rearwards,
from Newton to Moreau, continues to shorten,
and is now 64 seconds. Moreau has 45 seconds
over Greaves, third for Bruichladdich. The
#29 Racing Box Lola has electrical problems
and officially retired.
15:42
Pitstop.
(Newton out, Wallace
in; fuel, tyres and driver change)
A smooth pitstop from RML, despite some congestion
on the exit, and Andy Wallace makes his 2010
Le Mans Series debut. He emerges in fourth,
but several others are pit, and the order
may yet change again.
15:47
Pitstop for Nick Leventis, who hands over
to Danny Watts while the team refuels, and
then fresh tyres fitted.
15:49
Andy Wallace is 3 seconds behind Lahaye in
the #24 Oak Racing Pescarolo. Moreau currently
leads the class comfortable, but has yet to
make his sixth pitstop.
15:56
Danny Watts sets a new fastest lap for the
Strakka HPD, which is also a class improvement
as well. 1:47.291 is typically five seconds
quicker than anyone else in LMP2 currently
on track.
15:58
Pitstop for Warren Hughes in the #40 ASM Quifel
Ginetta Zytek. Routine and trouble-free pitstop,
but may be enough for Watts to regain 13th
overall.
Hour
6- 7
(16:00-17:00)
Into
the sixth hour, and a quick round-up on LMP2
positions: Guillaume Moreau aboard the #35
Oak Racing Pescarolo continues to lead the
class by a minute from the similar #24 edition.
Andy Wallace is third, roughly 20 seconds
behind Lahaye, with Greaves fourth in the
#41 Bruichladdich car. The flying Danny Watts
is fifth, 62 seconds down but closing.
16:15
The race has entered another stable phase,
certainly among the ranks of prototypes. McNish,
back aboard the Audi R15, leads overall by
four laps from the 009 Aston, which had seemed
to be easing off, but may now have to pick
up pace again as the #13 Rebellion Lola, with
Boullion in the cockpit, has been setting
new fastest laps, although the gap is still
some two minutes.
16:21
Jamie Melo pulls over in the second-placed
F430, and has evidently abandoned the car
after a very strong run in GT2.
16:30
With a seventh pitstop for the #24 Oak Racing
Pescarolo, Andy Wallace moves through into
second place in the RML Lola. Despite only
ten laps in practice, his times have soon
dipped down into the fifty-twos or better.
Moreau then also pits, on the next lap, from
the class lead. It has been a significant
advantage of some time, so no surprise that
he retains the lead after a quick stop for
fuel, but the gap back to Wallace has been
cut to 21 seconds. Andy, however, also has
a stop to make soon.
16:40
Pitstop.
(Wallace stays in; fuel only)
Andy makes a faultless and very speedy pitstop
from second, but loses ground even so. Danny
Watts is up to third as a result. Greaves
pits the Bruichladdich car two minutes later,
and hands over to Ebbesvik. Wallace is one
to benefit, restoring the #25 RML Lola to
fourth in class.
16:50
Spin but resume for the #30 Racing Box Lola,
currently running in a class seventh. Moreau
continues to dominate on track, and leads
by just over a minute from Lahaye, but fastest
is Danny Watts, running light on fuel and
pushing towards his next pitstop . . . which
comes at 16:53. He dives down the short pitlane
towards the Strakka garage from third place.
Andy Wallace regains third as a result. All
the leading group in LMP2 have now made six
pitstops, with the exception of the #24 on
seven, which visited the pits for a penalty
stop-go, and the #40 ASM Ginetta, expected
to make its next scheduled pitstop at any
moment.
Hour
7- 8
(17:00-18:00)
17:01
New fastest lap from Danny Watts, posting
1:46.590, which is current LMP1 pace. On the
next lap, Olivier Pla does a new fastest lap
for the #40 of 1:48.834. It's barely comparable
in outright terms, but is indicative of the
fact that the ambient temperature is dropping
slightly, but the track remains warm.
17:07
As if to prove the theory, Moreau clocks 1:49.453
in the #35 Oak to post a new best for that
car too.
17:15
Status report in LMP2: Moreau leads, currently
7th overall in the #35, from Lahaye in the
#24 (9th overall) and Andy Wallace third,
but under increasing threat from Danny Watts.
The Strakka racer is consistently the quickest
LMP2 driver on the circuit, and with only
ten seconds between the two cars, it may be
a matter of just a couple more laps before
the two are nose-to-tail.
17:18
Watts eases through to take third on the exit
of the Chicane, having closed rapidly on Andy's
tail as they came through to begin their 193rd
lap.
17:23
More fastest laps scattered through the LMP2
field, including another for Pla in the #40
(1:48.430), but there is now rain visible
in the distance. The strengthening wind may
keep that at bay, but the possibility of a
shower before the end of this 8 hour marathon
cannot be dismissed.
17:27
Pitstop.
(Wallace out, Erdos
in; fuel and driver change)
Andy heads down the pitlane from fourth place
to hand the RML Lola back to Brazilian Thomas
Erdos. The #24 is also into the pitlane for
a scheduled pitstop,with new tyres. Others
too will be scheduled for stops soon, although
form suggests that the Strakka HPD can go
longer between stops than the others.
17:30
Class leader Moreau into the pits for a driver
change and fresh tyres. Hein takes over, but
the gap back to Danny Watts was a significant
two-minutes before the stop, so Hein may yet
retain the lead, at least for the time being.
17:32
The Beechdean Mansell car into the garage,
evidently with a problem. Greg Mansell had
been running 7th overall.
17:34
Olivier Pla pulls off the track, and nearly
takes another prototype with him, as the Quifel
ASM Ginetta Zytek coasts to the edge of the
track, apparently with steering issues.
17:36
Danny Watts has closed to within 25 seconds
of the class lead, and is lapping four seconds
a lap quicker.
17:41
Pitstop for the #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta
Zytek from fourth in LMP2.
The
gap between Watts and Hein is now down to
15 seconds. The gap back from Nicolet in third
to Erdos in fourth is 55 seconds, but diminishing
steadily.
17:42
A new fastest lap for the leading Audi, Capello
posting 1:42.541 on lap 221.
17:47
Watts now within 2 seconds of Hein and the
class lead. at 17:48 the lead changes hands
as Watts cruises by along the main pit straight,
although observers have noted that the legality
panel is loose again.
17:58
Danny Watts into the pitlane for fuel and
tyres, giving up a lead of thirteen seconds,
but swiftly back out and back into the action.
Hein regains the class lead, but Watts resumes
in second, and promptly sets a new fastest
first sector for the Strakka HPD.
Final
Hour
(18:00-19:00)
18:03
LMP2 roundup - Hein leads from Watts by 64
seconds, with Nicolet 20 seconds behind the
Strakka Racing HPD, and then Thomas Erdos,
a further 24 seconds behind the #24, but closing
at a rate of three or four seconds ever lap.
18:12
Watts has a challenge to catch Hein, and still
has 55 seconds to make up, but Erdos is hunting
down Nicolet with relentless determination.
He is slicing seconds off the difference with
every lap he completes, and it's now down
to less than 12 seconds. The Brazilian is
chopping away in three second chunks.
18:16
Pitstop.
(Erdos stays in; fuel)
Tommy closes the gap to a mere three seconds,
but then has to make his final pitstop. It's
a swift stop, despite being boxed in by the
neighbouring Aston Martin 009, which has also
pitted, but he's back out without incident.
18:23
The Watts-Hein gap is down to 35 seconds,
but both have yet to make their final stops.
There is also a question mark over how long
Watts will be able to remain in the car, and
an additional driver change at this late stage
could mean the difference between one place
and the next.
18:24
A second rapid stop for the 009 Aston Martin,
which is currently running in second overall.
The leader then pits, but has the luxury of
a six-lap lead, with just over half an hour
to go.
18:31
The class leader, Richard Hein, enters the
pitlane for the last pitstop for the #24 Oak.
Two minutes later and the #35 Oak Pescarolo
stops as well. What effect this has on the
order may take a couple of minutes to resolve.
The #41 Bruichladdich Ginetta Zytek also stops
from fifth.
18:35
Confirmation on screen that Danny Watts is
now into the class lead . . . again! Does
he have to make another stop, though? The
Strakka HPD has done several full-hour stints
this race, and Watts has backed off a little
recently. Is he trying to conserve fuel? He
has 31 seconds over Hein. Erdos is now running
third, with 25 seconds over Nicolet in fourth,
but almost a lap down on Hein.
18:45
A lap in the low forty-nines from Erdos secures
his hold on third, but the mountain to second
is too vast to be a realistic prospect in
these last fifteen minutes of the race. Watts
now leads by 34 seconds. The Strakka driver
has eased back significantly, and is now lapping
in the low fifty-twos, which is in some contrast
to his earlier pace.
18:52
Eleven minutes to go and it starts to rain
down the Mistral. It's heavy rain on one side
of the track, but still relatively dry on
the other.
18:55
The shower has eased, but the track is undeniably
slippery, and cars have visibly eased back.
Even so, Capello pits from the lead to fit
wet weather tyres. It's an academic move,
since the #7 Audi enjoys a lead of seven laps.
18:58
Watts leads LMP2 by 48 seconds. Hein second
and heading Erdos by a similar margin, but
38 seconds back to Nicolet in fourth.
19:03
CHEQUERED FLAG
Dindo Capello, Allan McNish and the Audi R15
take an emphatic victory in the inaugural
Paul Ricard 8 Hours, with second to the 009
Aston Martin Lola and third to the #13 Rebellion
Lola.
Despite
a near spin on his penultimate lap, and a
very slow last lap, Danny Watts comes through
to take a debut win for Strakka Racing in
the Le Mans Series by 33.5 seconds. Oak Racing
take second, in the shape of the #35 Pescarolo
Judd, and third place goes to the RML AD Group
Lola of Thomas Erdos, Mike Newton and Andy
Wallace.
Race
- LMP2 Result
|
# |
o/a |
Team |
Car |
Drivers |
Laps/Diff |
Best |
1 |
42 |
7 |
Strakka
Racing |
HPD
ARX -01c |
Leventis,
Watts, Kane |
250 |
1:52.808 |
2 |
35 |
8 |
Oak
Racing |
Pescarolo
- Judd |
Hein, Moreau |
33.492s |
1:48.437 |
3 |
25 |
9 |
RML
AD Group |
Lola
HPD Coupé |
Erdos, Newton, Wallace |
249 |
1:52.692 |
4 |
24 |
10 |
Oak
Racing |
Pescarolo
- Judd |
Lahaye, Nicolet |
39.914s |
1:52.628 |
5 |
41 |
12 |
Bruichladdich |
Ginetta-Zytek
09S |
Ojjeh, Greaves, Ebbesvik |
248 |
1:50.818 |
6 |
30 |
13 |
Racing
Box |
Lola
Coupé B09 Judd |
Geri, Piccini, Piccini |
246 |
1:54.347 |
1 |
49 |
15 |
Applewood
Seven |
Formula
Le Mans |
Toulemonde,
Zollinger, Zampatti |
237 |
1:57.315 |
2 |
48 |
16 |
Hope
PoleVision |
Formula
Le Mans |
Beche,
Pillon, Capillaire |
17.016s |
1:57.217 |
3 |
43 |
17 |
DAMS |
Formula
Le Mans |
Barlesi,
Cicognani, Chalandon |
235 |
1:59.155 |
4 |
47 |
19 |
Hope
PoleVision |
Formula
Le Mans |
Zacchia,
Moro, Kaufmann |
231 |
1:57.938 |
7 |
36 |
26 |
Pegasus
Racing |
Courage-Oreca
AER |
Schell, Metz, Da Rocha |
219 |
1:58.360 |
8 |
39 |
29 |
KSM |
Lola
B08/47 Judd |
de Pourtales, Noda, Kennard |
188 |
1:53.658 |
|
|
|
Not
Classified |
|
|
|
|
5 |
44 |
31 |
DAMS |
Formula
Le Mans |
Stirling, Hines, Piscopo |
203 |
1:55.530 |
6 |
46 |
32 |
JMB
Racing |
Formula
Le Mans |
Kutemann,
Basso, Hartshorne |
203 |
2:02.177 |
9 |
40 |
33 |
Quifel
ASM |
Ginetta-Zytek
09S |
Amaral,
Pla, Hughes |
200 |
1:48.343 |
10 |
45 |
34 |
Boutsen
Energy |
Formula
Le Mans |
Kraihamer, de Crem, Delhez |
195 |
1:55.246 |
10 |
37 |
35 |
WR
Salini |
WR-Zytek |
Salini,
Salini, Gommendy |
168 |
1:54.756 |
11 |
29 |
38 |
Racing
Box |
Lola
Coupé B09 |
Cioci, Perazzini, Pirri |
116 |
1:54.517 |
12 |
27 |
39 |
Race
Performance |
Radical SR9 - Judd |
Frey, Meichtry, Dueck |
66 |
1:54.419 |