JOTA to shakedown new car on airfield tomorrow night
It’s been a tough 24 hours for the crew working on the #12 HERTZ Team JOTA Porsche.
Callum Ilott’s off in Free Practice 2 last night has left the team scrambling to build up a brand new chassis from scratch after the original tub was damaged beyond repair from the impact.
The latest update from the team is that the race organisers have granted the team permission to shakedown the new car ahead of the race.
“As part of the process of preparing the #12 car for the race, we have now been granted permission to shakedown on the nearby airfield on Friday evening,” Dieter Gass, JOTA’s team principal said.
“The replacement monocoque has arrived, so we have just over 24 hours to build our car – a job, which normally takes three weeks. Another big challenge for everybody, particularly our incredible mechanics, but we have full confidence that they will pull off yet another miracle.”
Juncadella and Eastwood making gains with Corvette
Having hustled one of the better performances out of TF Sport’s #82 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R to get into tonight’s Hyperpole session, Daniel Juncadella is looking more comfortable than ever in his new surroundings at Corvette.
“Last night’s session was good, I was able to find some good pace with the car,” he told DSC.
“We are probably approaching the right combination of set-up. We tried a few things with the springs and it came down to a couple of options we are still working on. I have to consider the whole team’s ability over the course of the race though. I can push the car hard and find things in the set-up that gain a couple of tenths because I can handle them.
“But considering someone like Hiroshi, who is driving well but learning, those little steps might work adversely for his level of experience. Our job as Pros is to find the optimum set-up that works for everyone: maybe it loses me three-tenths, but it gains the Bronze three seconds.”
In contrast, Charlie Eastwood gave a status report on the sister Z06 LMGT3.R’s progress in yesterday’s sessions:
“We’ve had a pretty tough start, every race we go to it’s a different type of track. Qatar has super high grip, Spa is somewhere in the middle and Le Mans is completely different again. I thought I got off to a good start, but didn’t have exactly what we needed in qualifying.
“Because you get long sessions here we had planned to use that time to improve the car; not to go faster but to try three different setup options and get some tyre performance data. We are on a learning curve, but this is all part of our journey with this new car and we have to be realistic,” explained the affable Irish driver.
“There are some very quick, well-dialled-in crews out there… Ben Barker is super strong, I’ve battled him around here and he knows how to get a good lap, but that (pole) was a super lap on a first set of rubber.”
“We’re not there yet, but we will get there. It’s not like we don’t know what we have in the tank. Looking at the data side, the positive for us with GM Pratt & Miller is the sheer amount of simulation work going on for this event. Alex Simms has been doing a lot of work in that regard. The findings have correlated very well: we had our own ideas and ran one car with what we thought could work and one with the digital recommendation from the DIL (Driver in the Loop simulator). Turns out the DIL was right, so that’s encouraging.”
“What I noticed out there last night is how quick the Hypercars are here, their closing speeds are ridiculous, particularly as we are braking later now, and some of the moves being pulled are just insane. Whereas before there was a chance they would hang back and wait a bit, now the level of competition is forcing some of these guys to go for gaps that barely exist. There will be casualties in the race.”
“The whole tyre debate is an interesting one too. To be honest we are on a shorter fuel stint with these rules so the deg is not so great. When we start thinking about triple stints, quad stints… it’s not comparing with the longer stints we used to run. I’m more concerned about handing a car over without abused tyres and making sure whoever is in the car next knows I’ve done my best to look after them.”
Roos encouraged by Vanthoor Qualifying performance
The main headline from Qualifying last night was the performance of Dries Vanthoor in the No. 15 BMW Team WRT M Hybrid V8. The Belgian stole the show with a session-topping performance which has left many in the paddock wondering whether or not BMW may emerge as a surprise package here at La Sarthe
After a tricky start to life in Hypercar for WRT through the races at Qatar, Imola and Spa, it would be quite the story if it could contend for podium places this weekend. In part because the programme is so new, but also because it’s a particularly special weekend for the Bavarian brand, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its overall Le Mans win with the V12 LMR.
“We are really happy. From the Test on Sunday onwards we have been happy with the car balance. We’ve had no big issues there and we have prepared quite well. Now we are on the provisional pole and Dries did the fastest lap time. Being here 25 years after the last victory in the top category, makes us pumped and motivated,” the head of BMW Motorsport Andreas Roos told DSC this afternoon. “The lap yesterday really helped everybody to stay motivated and put that little bit extra into this effort.
“The list of teams that made Hyperpole was definitely a surprise to us, and it’s unexpected for us to be the quickest,” he continued. “If you’d have asked me before I’d have told you I’d be happy if one car got through to Hyperpole, that would have been enough. We watched that lap and wondered where it came from, and he would have improved too had he not lost that last lap to a red flag.
“Other cars were still improving so maybe we were lucky Dries nailed the lap earlier, though it’s nice to see the potential in the car, the team and the drivers on this unique track.
“Here you can be quick over one lap yet what counts is long stints in the race and we’ve worked a lot on that, we didn’t actually focus on single-lap pace for Qualifying so far.”
Barker energised by Proton Mustang progress
Looking beyond the Hypercar headlines from Qualifying, the performance from Ben Barker in LMGT3 deserves its fair share of recognition. The Ford Mustang GT3 has looked at home on the La Sarthe circuit since track action began last weekend, and Proton is looking increasingly capable of delivering the car’s first truly special result this weekend.
“Honestly, I’m at a loss for words,” he said after topping Qualifying in the #77. “This is great. We came into this not knowing truly where we were going to be.
“Everyone from Ford Performance, Multimatic Motorsports to Proton Competition has worked tirelessly in every single test to get this car faster each session. It’s proven here, and it’s not top-speed.
“Everyone may think Mustang is all about top speed, but it just feels balanced and really nice. The car was working for me and I had so much confidence in it. I’d say this lap was one of the most enjoyable I’ve had at Le Mans… and I’ve done it quite a few times.
“It’s a testament to the team and the car. It’s a long way to go, but it’s a good start. You have to enjoy these moments.”
Support series in action
Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe joins the show for the third time this year (after outings at both Imola and Spa with the WEC), the traditional Road To Le Mans double-header again supports as the blue-riband event of the usually ELMS-supporting Michelin Le Mans Cup and, for the second time, Friday will see the VW Fun Cup mount an endurance race.
All told that’s over 220 cars, 51 Lamborghinis, 58 in Road To Le Mans and no fewer than 115 Fun Cup ‘VWs’
The Fun Cup welcomes a number of familiar names and faces to the budget silhouette package, The cars are all produced by WRT, a space frame chassis, powered by a rear/mid-engined 2.0L 4-cylinder VW petrol engine that produces 172 BHP with, in the latest Evo 3 version, a sequential Sadev gearbox, all clad in a classic VW Beetle shaped fibreglass shell.
WRT themselves field three cars with ex-Le Mans entrants Team AAI also fielding a car for team owner Jun San Chen and Jesse Krohn! Heart of Racing too has an entry for Gray Newell and so too to GT World Challenge squad Comtoyou.
Other ex-Le Mans drivers include David Pittard, Nigel Greensall, Anthony Beltoise, and Amanda Stretton with many more familiar names including Steve Van Bellingen, James Kaye, Steve Palette, Nico Verdonck (with Dirk, father of TF Sport Corvette driver Tom) van Rompuy, David Zollinger, Enzo Ide and ex-team owner of the now defunct 360 Racing Mark Owen together with one of his ELMS drivers Ross Kaiser.
Some additions to the Road To Le Mans grid include Christophe Cresp (who doubles up in both Fun Cup and RTLM), Pierre Kaffer – who also raced in the Ligier European Series on Test Day, ex-JMW Ferrari racer Rory Butcher, who races the Steller Motorsport Audi and current ELMS duo Martin Berry and Lorcan Hanafin who race a Blackthorn Aston Martin with factory driver Jonny Adam driver coaching the pair.
Solution F and Saleen form partnership for Hydrogen engine development
Announced in the Le Mans paddock today was a partnership between French engine manufacturer Solution F and American automotive brand Saleen Automotive.
Eric Boudot (GCK) and Steve Saleen (Saleen Automotive) were onsite in the Hydrogen Village to announce the partnership today, alongside the Foenix H2.
The partnership will see Solution F develop and supply a brand new twin-turbo V6 for an upcoming Saleen supercar for the street, capable of running on both traditional/synthetic fuels, as well as hydrogen.
The engine design, manufacture, and development will be undertaken at Solution F’s site in Venelles, with technical support by its partner Motul, which will supply specific lubricants.
The program will start with co-development of an experimental car using the Foenix H2 as a platform, using a hydrogen combustion engine, with demonstrations planned for the US towards the end of 2024. The vehicle will be a testing and development platform for the new engine technology, as well as a show car.
The Foenix H2 will showcase Solution F’s progression on hydrogen combustion engines with a demonstration lap on Saturday at 12:30pm, just before the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Eric Boudot: Eric Chantriaux [Solution F Founder]’s experience… is a significant asset in GCK Group’s hydrogen strategy. We’re proud to scale up to industrial production and to participate in creating the first dual-fuel supercar in history, sharing our technical expertise in hydrogen with a prestigious manufacturer like Saleen.
Steve Saleen: We believe… hydrogen and synthetic fuels are the future in environmentally friendly engines, while still offering the ultimate in performance, and traditional fueling convenience.
Alpine launches road-going EV
Prior to the Solution F announcement Alpine launched its all-new A290 EV hot hatch at the circuit.
Powering the A290 is a 52kWh battery which is expected to offer a range of up to 236 miles and can charge at 100kW for a 15-80% top-up in around 30 minutes.
“Our Alpine A290 is the first model of a new electric generation, inaugurating our Dream Garage in the finest possible way. This urban sportscar marks the introduction of Alpine to a broader public and resurrects a forgotten category, the hot hatch, so much loved for the driving pleasure it delivers,” said Philippe Krief, the CEO of Alpine.
First deliveries are expected in early. 2025
