Lehto on the Brink of Another Record

[gaijin]

Lehto on the Brink of Taking Another Record on Michelin

Team Story 8-5-2004

- JJ Lehto will have the chance to take the record for the most outright victories in the history of the American Le Mans Series when he hits the track at Mosport next week aboard his Michelin-equipped Champion Racing Audi R8. -

The former-Formula One driver has now equalled the record for the most outright race wins at 14. Another race victory will give Lehto the record on his own, pushing Dindo Capello and Frank Biela back to second place.

In the history of the championship, 20 different drivers have taken overall victories on Michelin tires. In total, Michelin has won 50 of 52 race, a remarkable strike rate of 96 per cent.

Lehto drove to Michelin's 50th ALMS victory at the last round at Portland on July 25, 2004, earning a unique record as he also took Michelin's first win in the championship at Sebring in 1999.

Overall, Michelin drivers have included Lehto (BMW/Audi, 14 wins), Capello and Biela (Audi, 14), Emanuele Pirro (Audi, 9), Tom Kristensen (BMW/Audi, 8), Marco Werner (Audi, 8), David Brabham (Panoz, 7), Alan McNish (Audi, 7), Jan Magnussen (Panoz, 6), Johnny Herbert (Audi, 5), Steve Soper (BMW, 3), Jorg Muller (BMW, 3), Eric Bernard (Panoz, 2), Michele Alboreto (Audi, 2), Johnny O'Connell (Panoz, 1), Andy Wallace (Audi, 1), Laurent Aiello (Audi, 1), Christian Pescatori (Audi, 1), Philipp Peter (Audi, 1) and Pierra Kaffer (Audi, 1).

"Michelin is very proud of its achievements in the American Le Mans Series and looks forward to possibility of JJ taking another record on our tires this weekend," said Amanda Head, Michelin's motorpsort marketing manager.

"Our tire engineers and designers are working extremely hard at the moment because the competition has been very tough in 2004. Competition is a key motivator to continually improve the durability, speed and overall performance of our product.

"Our technical staff have been on site at Mosport this week testing. In fact, whenever our teams go testing, there is always a Michelin engineer on hand. It's part of the dedication to detail that has taken us to victory lane 50 times in only 52 races in the ALMS."

Michelin remains undefeated in the P1 prototype class in 2004 with Lehto and Marco Werner winning the past four races in succession. In total, Michelin has taken 14 class victories from the 15 classes entered this year in the American Le Mans Series.

Lehto will actually be racing for his second victory at Mosport. While the Finn has never won the race outright, Lehto has won the GT class with Jorg Muller aboard a BMW M3 GTR in 2001.

TIMES TUMBLE AT MOSPORT: Race speeds at Mosport International Raceway have increased since the American Le Mans Series first visited the former home of the Canadian Grand Prix in 1999.

Michelin drivers set the fastest race lap in P1, GTS and GT in 2003. Johnny Herbert set the fastest P1 lap last year at 1 minute, 9.593 seconds, a total of 2.5 seconds faster than the quick lap of David Brabham from 1999.

Tomas Enge in 2003 set a new track record in GTS aboard his Michelin-equipped Ferrari, his 1:15.209 lap was a stunning 5.079 seconds faster than the original quick lap from Olivier Beretta's Dodge Viper.

Sascha Maassen also established a new quick mark in GT last year at 1:19.840 seconds a lap which is quicker than the fastest GTS lap from 1999. Compared to the fastest 1999 GT lap, the Porsche star's lap was 5.384 seconds quicker. Track improvements and Michelin's continued dedication to improving the performance of its product are expected to produce another measurable speed leap in 2004.

AUDI'S GREAT CANADIAN RUN: Michelin has reigned supreme at Mosport with Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen winning the first ever victory for the Michelin equipped Panoz LMP1 at Mosport in 1999 and Audi remaining undefeated ever since.

THAT'S CLOSE: However, 2000 proved to be a close battle with Allan McNish and Dindo Capello taking the victory for Audi by only .148 of a second over JJ Lehto and Jorg Muller's BMW - both makes using Michelin tires.

THAT'S A BIG WIN: Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro pulled out a far more comfortable win by two laps in 2001 while Capello and Tom Kristensen had a single lap lead at the finish in 2002.

Last year's Audi-Michelin victory by Frank Biela and Marco Werner was back out to a two-lap margin at the checkered flag.

STACKING UP THE POINTS: Michelin has continued to collect a large points haul in 2004 ALMS competition and now holds a margin of more than 100 points over its nearest rival.

Michelin teams in the P1, GTS and GT classes have scored a total of 314 points compared to Pirelli on 212, Yokohama on 94, Goodyear on 78, Dunlop on 45 and Avon on 32.

The "Bibendum Boys" lead every championship except for P2 where Michelin does not have an entry.

Last year, Michelin teams led 87 of 116 laps on the way to victory for Biela and Werner. So far in 2004, Michelin has led 711 of 887 laps. Since the start of the series in 1999, Michelin has led 8,760 out of a possible 9,259 laps (94%) in ALMS competition.