Backstretch Motorsports

Audi’s Allan McNish was the first prototype to set a meaningful time in the mostly track conditions, posting a 3:30.708. The green track, washed free of rubber after three days of a weather deluge, never had the chance to ‘rubber in’ before drops started to fall.

Tonight’s practice session started off on a dry track. The six hours of free practice gave us a good idea of what tomorrow’s qualifying sessions will look like, a fierce battle between Peugeot and Audi, with Pescarolo and Aston Martin taking their turn to go quickly.

About 20.00 the rain set in and the session became quieter Peugeot and Audi swapped first position, with Pescarolo playing their part and even setting the pace in the Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP. Some teams decided to play it safe, and focused on qualifying all of their drivers.

Peugeot, on the other hand, ran a real 6-hour race, with the three drivers of the #7 Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP putting in a amazing 79 laps, that’s 1076km. Grip conditions were sometimes very difficult, but they had no major problems.

Audi did however take over the top two positions, with Allan McNish lapping in 3:30.708 in the #1 R15, ahead of colleague Marco Werner in the #2 Audi.

Weather permitting, this lap time will most probably be improved on tomorrow. The #31 Porsche RS Spyder dominates its category more than 10 seconds in front of the QSM Portuguese Ginetta Zytek.

The official Corvettes will be affected by Antonio Garcia losing control but the job is done for the yellow and the black cars, they’re leading the LM GT1 category, dominating the #66 Jet Alliance DBR9.

The first LM GT2 is the #77 Porsche Felbermayer-Proton, before the 2008 category winner #82 Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 and the astonishing Dutch #85 Snoras Spyker C8 Laviolette, this last car was surprisingly fast during the session. To resume, it was a rainy and wet testing session with some cars going off the track, such as the #39 KSM Lola Mazda Spyder which has been rebuilt and rejoined in the late evening.

The surprise fastest LM P1 non-diesel didn’t belong to one of the four Aston Martin-Lolas, but rather the Pescarolo-Judd of Barbosa/Tinseau/Jouanny. The freshened chassis not only looks purposeful, it’s capable of impressive speeds.

Controvery Denied

Peugeot lodged a protest this morning against the front bodywork design of the Audi R15 TDI on the eve of practice for the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The French squad claimed that elements of the front bodywork constitute illegal aerodynamic devices, and is calling for a rules clarification.

“It would indeed seem that two features of the Audi R15 - in the configuration in which it was shown at technical scrutineering for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours on June 8 - do not comply with Article 3.6.2 of the current technical regulations: the flap which links the two front wings; the appendages fixed to the inner surface of the front wings,” said a Peugeot statement.

“These appendages and this flap effectively form part of the bodywork and their sole purpose is to generate downforce. These bodywork parts are considered to be aerodynamic elements. Since they do not appear on the list of aerodynamic elements authorised by Article 3.6.2, they are consequently not permitted.”

After the ACO denied Peugeot’s protest, the 908 team opted to file an appeal of that decision, sending out the following note in a release at 2:04 am:

TEAM PEUGEOT TOTAL APPEALS DECISION
Following the protest lodged by Team Peugeot Total, the Sporting Stewards of the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours have decided “not to uphold the protest”. The team was notified of this decision at 23.33 on Wednesday, June 10.

After reading the notification (“…the ACO has the discretionary power to deem whether or not the sole function of an element of bodywork is to generate downforce… …it is based on this discretionary power of appreciation, compounded by the exclusive power it has to interpret the technical regulations as laid out in Article 18, that the ACO homologates the cars which take part in the events covered by its regulations”), Team Peugeot Total, in compliance with the regulations, has decided to appeal the decision of the Sporting Stewards within the permitted timeframe of one hour following the publication of the said decision.

Audi’s only released statement was from the scrutineering process: “It’s fantastic that in spite of the terrible weather so many spectators attended the technical scrutineering, which traditionally opens the Le Mans week,” explained Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “That our competitors were also interested in the R15 TDI is clear – after all they haven’t seen the car since Sebring.”

After its victorious début in March the diesel racing sportscar has been purposely optimized for the peculiarities of the extremely fast race track at Le Mans. “We had planned two aerodynamic configurations for the R15 TDI from the very beginning,” says Dr Ullrich. “A version for Sebring with maximum downforce, and one for Le Mans with greater emphasis on the aerodynamic efficiency. The basic concept is, however, exactly the same. The modifications which we undertook for Le Mans were already planned before Sebring.”

24 Hours of Le Mans Practice Speeds

Pos, Car #, Team, Time
1 1 Audi Sport Team Joest, 3′30.708
2 2 Audi North America 3′30.762
3 9 Peugeot Total 3′31.102
4 17 Pescarolo Sport 3′33.028
5 8 Peugeot Total 3′33.426
6 3 Audi Sport Team Joest 3′34.716
7 16 Pescarolo Sport 3′35.868
8 008 AMR Eastern Europe 3′35.996
9 007 Aston Martin Racing 3′36.732
10 7 Peugeot Total 3′37.980
11 009 Aston Martin Racing 3′38.490
12 11 Team Oreca Matmut AIM 3′44.474
13 14 Kolles 3′44.508
14 13 Speedy Racing Sebah 3′44.560
15 10 Team Oreca Matmut AIM 3′46.202
16 31 Team Essex 3′46.426
17 5 Navi Team Goh 3′48.096
18 15 Kolles 3′49.960
19 12 Signature Plus 3′52.858
20 4 Creation Autosportif 3′54.552
21 40 Quifel ASM Team 3′56.200
22 23 Strakka Racing 3′56.698
23 63 Corvette Racing 3′57.876
24 33 Speedy Racing Sebah 3′58.210
25 64 Corvette Racing 3′59.586
26 35 OAK Racing 4′00.428
27 25 RML 4′01.378
28 39 KSM 4′03.488
29 66 Jetalliance 4′06.606
30 77 Felbermayr Proton 4′08.304
31 82 Risi Competizione 4′10.980
32 85 Snoras Spyker 4′13.196
33 76 Imsa Matmut 4′14.340
34 92 JMW Motorsport 4′14.584
35 97 BMS Scuderia Italia 4′14.858
36 80 Flying Lizard Motorsports 4′15.254
37 78 AF Corse 4′16.846
38 89 Hankook-Farnbacher 4′17.098
39 30 Racing Box 4′18.870
40 87 Drayson Racing 4′23.262
41 41 G.A.C. Racing Team 4′23.788
42 75 Endurance Asia Team 4′24.420
43 6 Team LNT 4′24.700
44 99 JMB Racing 4′26.170
45 84 Team Modena 4′26.298
46 81 Advanced Engineering 4′26.514
47 96 Virgo Motorsport 4′26.784
48 26 Bruichladdich Bruneau 4′28.252
49 70 Imsa Matmut 4′29.856
50 24 OAK Racing 4′35.952
51 72 Alphand Aventures 4′38.342
52 73 Alphand Aventures 4′42.802
53 83 Risi Competizione 4′44.220
54 32 Team Barazi Epsilon 5′00.760
55 68 JLOC NO TIME

David Brabham, two-time Le Mans GT1 winner, is aiming for his third consecutive class victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours, 12-14 June 2009. Brabham makes his return to LMP1 at the 8.4 mile Circuit de la Sarthe for first time since 2003, presenting the opportunity to capture his first win in the category at the wheel of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. [read more...]

The secret to success here is stay on track and out of the garage.
Risi Competizione is back at La Sarthe this week in what it hopes is a successful defense of the GT2 championship in the world’s greatest auto race. With two Ferrari F430 GTs entered, there’s plenty to do for the Houston-based team. As is tradition, team technical director Rick Mayer takes us through the preparation and strategy for the week. [read more...]

Audi continues to back efficiency and innovation
New aerodynamics and logical lightweight construction
More compact TDI engine and new vehicle power supply

Ingolstadt/Le Mans – Logical lightweight construction, downsizing, efficiency and the best possible aerodynamics – the same subjects which currently occupy the brains of the automobile industry development departments are also key elements in the 24 Hours of Le Mans held for the 77th time on the weekend of June 13/14. [read more...]

Gaydon, UK. - Aston Martin’s debut in the LMP1 class at Le Mans this year coincides with a number of rule changes – posing another challenge to the British team as it gears up for its campaign at the La Sarthe circuit on the 13-14 June.

Aston Martin Racing will enter three Gulf-liveried LMP1 prototypes, powered by the same production-derived V12 engine that has given the Aston Martin DBR9 victory in the GT1 class at the 24 Hours for the last two years.
[read more...]

24 Hours of Le Mans to Mark the End of GT1 Era for Corvette Racing

LE MANS, France – Corvette Racing has unfinished business at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The most successful team in American Le Mans Series history has won its class five times in the classic 24-hour French endurance race (2001-02, 2004-06), establishing Corvette as a global performance icon. Now after runner-up finishes in Le Mans in 2007 and 2008, Corvette Racing is focused on winning its sixth Le Mans title at the immense Circuit des 24 Heures on June 13-14.

This year’s edition of the world’s most prestigious sports car race has special significance for Corvette Racing. The team’s Corvette C6.Rs will make their final run in the GT1 category before Corvette Racing begins its transition to a global GT class in 2010 that is chiefly based on current GT2 regulations. [read more...]

LONG BEACH, California (April 17, 2009) – New team, new look, new car, new brand – that was what was unveiled during a press conference today at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Rocketsports Racing, Inc. (RSR) establishes a new entity, formed to build and race Jaguar XKR’s in the ALMS GT2 category and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Rocketsports Racing officially announced a GT2 program for the American Le Mans Series that will see the East Lansing, Michigan-based team reunite with the Jaguar brand by entering a Jaguar XKRfor a partial season in 2009 with a full-season championship effort in 2010. [read more...]

All the hard luck and heartache in the first half of 2008 has been washed away. No matter what happens the rest of the season, Risi Competizione can claim the GT2 championship at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Drivers Mika Salo, Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni scored an eight-lap victory for Risi’s first win since closing 2007 with a triumph at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to clinch the American Le Mans Series GT2 title.

[read more...]

LM P1
Audi achieves second Le Mans hat-trick

Capello/Kristensen/McNish win thriller
Audi R10 TDI remains unbeaten at 24 Hour classic
Eighth Audi victory out of ten starts at the Sarthe

[read more...]

Rear wheel drama costs Larbre an hour

The Larbre Competition Saleen S7R (photo left) suffered a difficult start to the Le Mans 24 Hours after losing a wheel three hours into the race.

The left rear wheel detached as Christophe Bouchut braked for Tertre Rouge and pitched him off the track and deep into a gravel trap. After being hauled out by a service vehicle, Bouchut limped back to the pits for repairs.

[read more...]