First Day Quals Le Mans Wrap - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

gaijin · 06-16-2005

CHAMPION RACING'S NO. 2 AUDI R8 SECOND IN FIRST DAY OF QUALIFYING AT LE MANS

Le Mans, France - One of Champion Racing's Audi R8s posted the second-fastest time in the first day of qualifying Wednesday for this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 2 entry of Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Allan McNish posted a 4:02.027 on a wet, cool day at the Circuit de la Sarthe, just a tick behind the No. 17 Pescarolo Sport entry.

The Champion Audi is one of 13 teams from the American Le Mans Series running in the 73rd edition of the world's most famous sports car race. Conditions were hardly ideal as steady rain fell over the eight-plus miles of French road.

Biela, Pirro and McNish were less than a second ahead of the next fastest car, the No. 7 Creation Autosportif DBA. Champion Racing's other R8 (the No. 3 of JJ Lehto, Marco Werner and Tom Kristensen) was fifth overall at 4:08.752.

"It was more for practice than qualifying for us," Biela said of the Wednesday's sessions. "We were driving normally at the end. We wanted to try dry tires but it was too risky. We know we don't have the best car for lap times, but we will be there after 24 hours."

Most teams felt like trying to push for a lap time under four minutes was too risky, given the slick and cool surface. They are waiting for better conditions Thursday to pick up the pace.

"It was a little drier, but it was still wet," Lehto said during the two-hour evening session. "There's very little dry line and it is very slippery at the moment. We were doing laps just to qualify for the night. We still have a lot of work to. The conditions aren't very good for the tires."

The No. 32 Intersport Racing Lola B05/40 posted the fastest time in Wednesday qualifying for LMP2. Photo courtesy Regis Lefebure.
ALMS teams went 1-2 in LMP2. The No. 32 Intersport Lola B05/40, which has been one of the stronger LMP2 entries in the ALMS this year, was the quickest class entry Wednesday. Sam Hancock, Gregor Fisken and Liz Halliday posted a lap of 4:11.719. The No. 34 Miracle Motorsports Courage, which won in class at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, was next Wednesday with a 4:12.754. Andy Lally, defending LMP2 driving champion Ian James and team owner John Macaluso will share driving duties. Both cars were in the top 10 overall.

The much heralded battle between Corvette Racing and Aston Martin Racing in LM GT1 was joined by a handful of Ferrari 550 Maranellos on Wednesday. The No. 59 Aston Martin DBR9 of David Brabham, Darren Turner and Stephane Sarrazin (which won in class at Sebring) was second Wednesday by nearly two seconds to the Larbre Competition Ferrari.

The No. 58 DBR9 was sixth in class at 4:31.022. Corvette Racing's two C6-Rs were eighth and ninth, both in the 4:36 range. But Ron Fellows, who will drive with Johnny O'Connell and Max Papis in the No. 63 entry, was quick to point out that Wednesday's conditions were far from ideal and that Corvette Racing, like other teams, weren't going all-out.

"We need dry time to improve the car," said Fellows, a two-time Le Mans winner with Corvette. "There's nothing to learn in the slippery conditions. It's not going to rain on the weekend, so it doesn't make sense to run the car off, which some people have done."

ALMS teams were third, fourth and fifth in LM GT2. The No. 71 Alex Job Racing Porsche of Mike Rockenfeller, Leo Hindery and Marc Lieb was the quickest series team at 4:32.235. The No. 77 Panoz Motor Sports Esperante and No. 90 Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing Porsche were within a second of the AJR entry.

"We're not so bad," said Timo Bernhard, driving for Petersen/White Lightning at Le Mans. "We'll have a nice shot (Thursday). The No. 76 Porsche and No. 93 Ferrari did a good lap. As it gets drier and drier, I think we'll have a better lap time."

The No. 80 Flying Lizard Porsche was ninth in class, and the No. 78 Panoz Esperante was 14th.

The second qualifying session begins at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will be broadcast on SPEED Channel starting at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday.

The next race for the American Le Mans Series is the New England Grand Prix, set for 3 p.m. July 4 at Lime Rock Park. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED (3 to 6 p.m. EDT) and on MotorsTV in Europe, reaching 40 million viewers in 21 countries as well as at www.americanlemans.com.

06-16-2005	#1
gaijin Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Road Atlanta Posts: 371	First Day Quals Le Mans Wrap CHAMPION RACING'S NO. 2 AUDI R8 SECOND IN FIRST DAY OF QUALIFYING AT LE MANS Le Mans, France - One of Champion Racing's Audi R8s posted the second-fastest time in the first day of qualifying Wednesday for this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The No. 2 entry of Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Allan McNish posted a 4:02.027 on a wet, cool day at the Circuit de la Sarthe, just a tick behind the No. 17 Pescarolo Sport entry. The Champion Audi is one of 13 teams from the American Le Mans Series running in the 73rd edition of the world's most famous sports car race. Conditions were hardly ideal as steady rain fell over the eight-plus miles of French road. Biela, Pirro and McNish were less than a second ahead of the next fastest car, the No. 7 Creation Autosportif DBA. Champion Racing's other R8 (the No. 3 of JJ Lehto, Marco Werner and Tom Kristensen) was fifth overall at 4:08.752. "It was more for practice than qualifying for us," Biela said of the Wednesday's sessions. "We were driving normally at the end. We wanted to try dry tires but it was too risky. We know we don't have the best car for lap times, but we will be there after 24 hours." Most teams felt like trying to push for a lap time under four minutes was too risky, given the slick and cool surface. They are waiting for better conditions Thursday to pick up the pace. "It was a little drier, but it was still wet," Lehto said during the two-hour evening session. "There's very little dry line and it is very slippery at the moment. We were doing laps just to qualify for the night. We still have a lot of work to. The conditions aren't very good for the tires." The No. 32 Intersport Racing Lola B05/40 posted the fastest time in Wednesday qualifying for LMP2. Photo courtesy Regis Lefebure. ALMS teams went 1-2 in LMP2. The No. 32 Intersport Lola B05/40, which has been one of the stronger LMP2 entries in the ALMS this year, was the quickest class entry Wednesday. Sam Hancock, Gregor Fisken and Liz Halliday posted a lap of 4:11.719. The No. 34 Miracle Motorsports Courage, which won in class at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, was next Wednesday with a 4:12.754. Andy Lally, defending LMP2 driving champion Ian James and team owner John Macaluso will share driving duties. Both cars were in the top 10 overall. The much heralded battle between Corvette Racing and Aston Martin Racing in LM GT1 was joined by a handful of Ferrari 550 Maranellos on Wednesday. The No. 59 Aston Martin DBR9 of David Brabham, Darren Turner and Stephane Sarrazin (which won in class at Sebring) was second Wednesday by nearly two seconds to the Larbre Competition Ferrari. The No. 58 DBR9 was sixth in class at 4:31.022. Corvette Racing's two C6-Rs were eighth and ninth, both in the 4:36 range. But Ron Fellows, who will drive with Johnny O'Connell and Max Papis in the No. 63 entry, was quick to point out that Wednesday's conditions were far from ideal and that Corvette Racing, like other teams, weren't going all-out. "We need dry time to improve the car," said Fellows, a two-time Le Mans winner with Corvette. "There's nothing to learn in the slippery conditions. It's not going to rain on the weekend, so it doesn't make sense to run the car off, which some people have done." ALMS teams were third, fourth and fifth in LM GT2. The No. 71 Alex Job Racing Porsche of Mike Rockenfeller, Leo Hindery and Marc Lieb was the quickest series team at 4:32.235. The No. 77 Panoz Motor Sports Esperante and No. 90 Petersen Motorsports/White Lightning Racing Porsche were within a second of the AJR entry. "We're not so bad," said Timo Bernhard, driving for Petersen/White Lightning at Le Mans. "We'll have a nice shot (Thursday). The No. 76 Porsche and No. 93 Ferrari did a good lap. As it gets drier and drier, I think we'll have a better lap time." The No. 80 Flying Lizard Porsche was ninth in class, and the No. 78 Panoz Esperante was 14th. The second qualifying session begins at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will be broadcast on SPEED Channel starting at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday. The next race for the American Le Mans Series is the New England Grand Prix, set for 3 p.m. July 4 at Lime Rock Park. The race will be broadcast live on SPEED (3 to 6 p.m. EDT) and on MotorsTV in Europe, reaching 40 million viewers in 21 countries as well as at www.americanlemans.com.