The BMS Scuderia Italia squad finished second in class
Paolo Ruberti
Stuart Moseley
Guy Smith
Cheng Congfu
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Paolo Ruberti
The first participation of Paolo Ruberti to the 24 hours of Le Mans has been concluded on the podium, with the second place of LM GT2 class which embellishes the palmares of the driver from Verona. This is comment at the end of the race:
"I was at my first participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the number of spectators, together with the atmosphere of the event, made me understand since the beginning why this race is so fascinating.
"This has been a tough race: the adrenaline peak was when a tyre exploded while I was driving my F430 at around 290km/h. A great fright, but luckily enough just fear. Apart from that, we had some technical problems that can happen in a 24 hour, such as a pressure loss at the breaking system and the break of the shift lever. These problems made us lose some time in the pits but they were not determinant since it would have been difficult anyway to get the leaders. To be on track behind the wheel of a GT2 is particularly stressful: it is necessary to look continuously in the rear mirrors because LMP are incredibly fast and can overtake on the extern lane in several parts of the track.
"Today's result has a great value for me. It was really important to me to get on such an important podium and, thanks to my team-mates as well, I am really proud of achieving it."
Stuart Moseley
Stuart Moseley, (30, St Ives, Cambs, UK) set out to "race the race" this weekend at the Le Mans 24 Hour circuit knowing that just to finish would be a tall order. After his disappointment last year of an early finish he set his sights on making it through the 24 hours and he, with the Barazi Epsilon team, achieved just that - no mean feat given that only 34 of the 55 starters finished the race.
The team was optimistic after qualifying third in class and after Stuart set the third fastest time in warm-up. It wasn't the trouble free run that Stuart hoped for, however, with the rigours of the endurance race taking its toll on the Zytek car. In the hands of his team-mates Juan Barazi and Michael Vergers the car suffered from a fuel problem and a wishbone failure which cost time but it was while Stuart was driving on the high-speed Mulsanne straight that the car suffered from a major tyre failure. He managed to get the car back to the pits despite having no electrics, having to remove smashed bodywork and effectively only having three wheels. Repairs cost even more time but not enough to deny Stuart and the team their finish and at the car crossed the line fifth in class and 29th overall.
Stuart Moseley
"I did four sessions behind the wheel. The first one was on Saturday evening in the dry. Apart from a minor clutch problem which meant a slightly extended pit-stop everything was going well. I think my middle of the night session was my favourite. It was dark and raining but the car had fantastic pace so it was relatively easy to regain time on the competition. The last stint was when I had the blow-out. I was about to come in to hand over the car when without warning the tyre blew taking out the engine cover and electrics. I managed to pull up and remove the damaged bodywork but because of the electrics I had no radio back to the pits and the car was stuck in sixth gear. I had to rock it to get it into neutral so that I could start it and nurse it very carefully back to the pits. The team did a great job repairing everything and keeping us going through the 24 hours. I always knew it would be hard and said that even to finish would be great.
"I suppose as a racing driver I'm always looking for that win so while part of me is happy with our achievement I can't help feeling disappointed that we didn't make the podium. I know I'm very fortunate to have been given this opportunity so I'm very grateful to Juan for giving me the drive. I've had a great two weeks with the team and a great time racing Le Mans again. It's addictive though and I'm already itching to get back next year."
Guy Smith
2003 Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Guy Smith finished a fine fourth in class today (SUN) -- 21st overall -- in this year's enduro race at the wheel of a British-built Lola.
The 33-year-old Driffield-based race ace competing in the legendary French race for the first time since finishing second in 2004, encountered gearbox issues with less than six hours to run in the 76th running of the twice-around-the clock sportscar endurance race.
Smith was driving a Lola powered by a British-made AER engine for the Portuguese Quifel ASM Team in the LM P2 category along with Olivier Pla (F) and Miguel Paes do Amaral (Por) -- Guy's fifth career Le Mans race.
Smith started from seventh in the LM P2 category on the 54-car grid and after seven hours was up to sixth and into fourth by mid-distance.
Despite deteriorating weather conditions in the early hours of Sunday morning, Smith was poised to take advantage of any mishaps to the top-three in class until he encountered gear selection problems with less than six hours to run.
"It was a shame we missed out on a possible podium which is what we'd been aiming at," recounted Smith.
"The paddle shift gearbox began to malfunction and a couple of lengthy pit-stops to attempt to rectify the problem cost us any chance of getting third place which would have been the best we could have hoped for.
"But it's one heck of an experience to drive at Le Mans, let alone win it like I've been fortunate to have done, and it was great to be back there."
Guy now reverts back to his American Le Mans Series campaign by contesting the fifth round of the series in his Dyson Racing Porsche Spyder at Lime Rock Park on 12 July.
Cheng Congfu
Class podium for Cheng Congfu at Le Mans 24 Hours
Saulnier Racing celebrated a superb Le Mans 24 Hours podium for their LMP2 Pescarolo Judd after a hugely impressive display from their young driver line up of Mathieu Lahaye, Pierre Ragues and Cheng Cong fu.
Third in class for the #35 car behind the Porsche RS Spyders of Van Merksteijn Motorsport and Team Essex was a fine achievement for the team and for the Pescarolo Automobiles Group's LMP2 car, which was making its debut at La Sarthe.
It ran perfectly for much of the race, although the team had a late scare just before midday on Sunday when a tyre deflated due to a faulty valve and caused Lahaye to have a sizeable accident with a GT2 Ferrari. However, a superb job by the LMP2 Saulnier Racing mechanics helped by the LMP1 ones meant they repaired the car, replacing the rear wing, left rear axle, extractor, left rear suspension and engine cover, in just 30 minutes. The speed of the repairs ensured they rejoined well clear of the fourth placed ASM Lola to take richly deserved podium.
"All of the guys in the team and all three drivers fully deserve this podium because we've narrowly missed out twice in the Le Mans Series this season," said Team Manager Fran0x00e7ois Sicard. "I am hugely impressed by the mature performance of the drivers. They are all young men who have graduated from single seaters, yet they have changed their mindsets to endurance racing seamlessly."
Cheng created history on Saturday morning when he became the first Chinese driver to ever start this famous race and stamped his name firmly in his country's record books by becoming the first of his countryman to finish and stand on the podium. "I'm so proud for my country," he said. "I'm thrilled to have played my part for this team and my two team mates, as they are both excellent drivers and I didn't want to let them down. We've become great friends and I'm sure we'll stay in touch on Facebook! This is such a hard race even more than I ever imagined. It's not so much the physical effort but a mental one and that makes it very, very tiring."
Cheng Congfu expressed all his happiness on his face. "To be on the podium here is the best feeling I have ever had and I still can't believe it. It is extraordinary. Standing on the podium at Le Mans alongside the drivers from Porsche is a dream for me and gives me huge belief for the future. My head is still full of the race and I think it will take a while for me to come back down to earth! I am very happy to share my first Le Mans 24 Hours podium with all."
After Le Mans, Cheng Congfu will focus on the fourth race of F3 Euro Series on June 29.