Just after half way through the 70th running of the most famous and exacting sportscar race in the world, the Prodrive Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello officially retired.
 photo copyright © Rick Wilson / Maison Blanche Having built up a lead of two laps over its nearest class rival, the previously all-conquering Corvettes, and maintaining the lead it had held for nearly the entire 12 hours, the car caught fire due to an oil leak and had to be abandoned at the Porsche Curves. Alain Menu, who was driving at the time, thankfully escaped without injury. The car had run virtually faultlessly up to that point. Alain Menu: "We really showed the potential of the car, having led for 12 hours, so it makes it even more disappointing it had to end this way. Having discovered what a great event this is, I will just have to come back and try again!" Tomas Enge: "It was really great being at Le Mans, especially the first time I got in the car during the race. I had a very enjoyable time in every way – the atmosphere, being with this great team and driving this fantastic car, and having a good challenge with the Corvettes. I hope to come back again soon." Rickard Rydell: "Everything was going to plan and we were building up the lead we hoped for so we could have enough gap (between Prodrive and its nearest competitor) in case any major problem happened. The car was running really well, had a good balance and we had no problem to do the times – we didn’t have to push at all. It’s a shame it ended like this." George Howard-Chappell (Prodrive Ferrari Project Director): "It’s definitely unfinished business. The drivers were all ace, they did exactly what we asked of them and had no spins or contact and were all very fast. I feel the same disappointment as all the team who worked so hard to get us to this race."  photo copyright © Rick Wilson / Maison Blanche Having blitzed the opposition during the May tests, qualifying was pretty much a similar story. Every time the Corvettes got close, the stunning red machine just stepped up the pace. The three rapid Ferrari "pilotes", were the fastest in the class, with the exception of an interloping Ollie Gavin, the only one of the Corvette drivers to get close. Tomas Enge ultimately set the fastest time, a 3:54.091 on Thursday evening. Were the cunning Corvettes just playing it cool and saving themselves? That's where the smart money was going, but that is not to take anything away from the Prodrive team .. a superb effort. |
