DragonSpeed supporting recovery of Juan Manuel Correia
Juan Manuel Correia continues his fight in hospital after the enormous accident in F2 here at Spa that claimed the life of fellow race Anthoine Hubert.
Correia is, reportedly, being revived from a medically induced coma to allow progress to required major surgery on injuries to his legs and spine.
Here at Spa, that fight is being encouraged by lifelong family friend Elton Julian, who grew up with Correia’s father in Ecuador.
The #21 DragonSpeed ORECA is carrying an appropriate message to Juan Manuel, in the certain knowledge that he will be shown the huge number of messages of goodwill and support when he is fit enough to be aware.
Of course, we join Elton, and countless others, in wishing him well both now and for the substantial personal battles that lie ahead.
Fire-damaged 360 Racing car repaired
The #5 360 Racing Ligier, after suffering a major fire in Free Practice 1, seemingly from a fuel leak of some description, is back and running this morning for Free Practice after some stellar work from the crew who were still in the process of assessing damage as the DSC team left the circuit yesterday evening.
James Winslow, who reported no power drop-off before being informed by radio that the car was smoking heavily, and stopping at a marshals post, was unhurt, climbing out before the fire took hold.
Replacement chassis for Duqueine after Silverstone shunt
Duqueine Engineering is running with a replacement chassis for their LMP2 ORECA 07 Gibson this weekend after the major shunt suffered between the unsighted Duqueine car and the spun Cool Racing car.
Nico Jamin is still somewhat sore after the incident but is driving whilst Alexandre Coigny is sitting out Spa as his fractured pelvis heals, and hoping (but seemingly unlikely) to be fit for the WEC in Fuji in 2 weeks time. The Duqueine car meanwhile is the spare chassis from Graff Racing, last season’s #40 car, and actually, the same chassis that 2019 Duqueine driver Richard Bradly used to take a pair of race wins at the end of 2017.
The primary Duqueine tub is repairable meanwhile. Graff’s 2020 plans are still emerging but are understood at present to revolve around a split LMP2 (again with a single ORECA) and LMP3 campaign.
Paul Ricard a race into Darkness in 2020?
The 2020 ELMS calendar had few changes and surprises, the paddock evidently pretty happy with the current calendar and with little or no impetus for change.
One detail that was not revealed in the press release is that the July race at Paul Ricard looks set to run into darkness, as the Barcelona race did this season.
