GREAT WEEKEND FOR GULF AT PETIT LE MANS

 

GREAT WEEKEND FOR GULF AT PETIT LE MANS

 

AMERICAN LE MANS SERIES                                        PETIT LE MANS   

 

RACE REPORT                                                      3RD OCTOBER 2011

 

The ten-hour “Petit Le Mans” at Road Atlanta is the season finale for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Series (ILMS).

 

So, just two weeks after its fantastic showing at Laguna Seca - winning the penultimate round of the ALMS - the Gulf sponsored Aston-Martin Racing DBR1-2 was in action again and was joined by four other Gulf-branded cars: the three OAK-Pescarolos of OAK Racing as well as Gulf Racing’s Aston Martin Vantage GT2.

 

The more-than-fifty-strong field included factory Audi and Peugeot Diesel LMP1 cars, so the race for the Gulf cars always looked likely to be for petrol-engined  honours. However, in the event, what is always a tough test proved to be more favourable for the petrol cars than might have been expected and the 007 Aston Martin DBR 1-2 took a fine podium finish.

 

007 driver, Harold Primat was understandably pleased with the team’s weekend: “I feel great, it is amazing to be on the podium after starting with five diesel cars in front of us. We never thought it was possible at the start of the race. Just fantastic.”

The excellent third place for Primat, Adrian Fernandez, and Stefan Mücke was backed up brilliantly for Gulf with the two LMP1 OAK-Pescarolos finishing a fine fourth and sixth overall. The #24 entry of Olivier Pla, Alexandre Prémat and Jean-François Yvon took the honours over the #15 of Matthieu Lahaye, Guillaume Moreau and Pierre Ragues – although were it not for a shock absorber problem, the #15 might have been the first of the OAK cars home.

 

The remaining two Gulf-branded cars – the #35 OAK-Pescarolo driven by Frédéric Da Rocha, Patrice Lafargue and Jacques Nicolet in LMP2 and the #60 Gulf Racing Aston-Martin Vantage GT2 of Fabien Giroix and Mike Wainwright, that competes in the GTE AM class – also both finished in strong fourth places in their categories.

 

Jacques Nicolet, driver of the #35 OAK-Pescarolo - and owner of the OAK Racing Team that races with Gulf thanks to an initiative from their local official distributor, Caroil SA - was more than happy with the team’s showing: “Number 35 started the race well and we were third in LMP2 when the subsequent starter motor problems began. As a driver I can only be frustrated! At the same time, as team boss, I am delighted that the OAK-Pescarolos entered at Petit Le Mans were still there at the finish, with strong results.”

 

Gulf Racing Team owner Mike Wainwright and driver of #60 Aston Martin was also delighted with the team’s weekend:  “It was certainly an interesting experience!  We had one or two small brushes but the car looks pretty intact.  It’s a shame about the brake problems we had, otherwise we might have finished on the podium, but I’m very pleased with the result.” 

 

Aston Martin, OAK and Gulf Racings’ last appearances of 2011 come at the seventh and final ILMC round at Zhuhai in China on 13 November.

 

Petit Le Mans classification (Overall and LMP1)

1    No.8 / Peugeot Sport Total - Montagny/Sarrazin/Wurz

2    No.10 / Team Oreca Matmut - Lapierre/Minassian/Gené

3    No.007 / Aston Martin Racing -Fernandez/Mücke/Primat

4    No.24 / OAK Racing - Yvon/Pla/Prémat

5    No.12 / Rebellion Racing - Prost/Jani/Belicchi

6    No.15 / OAK Racing - Lahaye/Moreau/Ragues