LMS: Peugeot land first blow at Barcelona

Plex

Peugeot landed the first blow of the Le Mans Series season by setting the fastest time in the first practice session for this weekend's race at Barcelona.

The 908 HDi of Stephane Sarrazin and Pedro Lamy completed the session with its best lap nearly half a second quicker than that of Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello in the lead Audi.

The second Peugeot of Nicolas Minassian and Marc Gene was just a whisker further back in third, with the second R10 TDi of Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Premat over a second adrift.

The second Audi was only fifth quickest, with Jos Verstappen setting an astonishing pace in the LMP2 Van Merksteijn Porsche RS Spyder. The Dutchman lapped the Catalan track almost two and a half seconds quicker than any other LMP2 car, and was only 0.8s slower than the leading Peugeot.

Charouz Racing's new Lola Aston Martin was best of the petrol-powered LMP1 cars in sixth place, just ahead of the Creation of Jamie Campbell-Walter, Stuart Hall, and Felipe Ortiz.

The other new closed-roof prototype, the Epsilon Euskadi, placed 11th in the LMP1 class, one and a half seconds off the pace of the Charouz Lola.

Only four GT1 cars took to the track and the Lamborghini of Peter Kox and Roman Rusinov was comfortably quicker than the Larbre Saleen and the two Luc Alphand Chevrolet Corvettes.

Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni were nearly a second clear of their GT2 rivals in the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430, with Richard Lietz and Raymond Narax a comfortable second in their IMSA Porsche.

Pos Drivers Car Time
LMP1
1. Lamy/Sarrazin Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1:33.250
2. Capello/McNish Audi R10 TDI 1:33.679
3. Gene/Minassian Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1:33.781
4. Premat/Rockenfeller Audi R10 TDI 1:35.062
5. Mucke/Charouz Lola Aston Martin 1:35.976
6. Campbell-Walter/Hall/Felipe Creation CA07 1:36.203
7. Collard/Boullion Pescarolo Judd 1:36.742
8. Ortelli/Ayari Courage-Oreca 1:37.344
9. Panis/Lapierre Courage-Oreca 1:37.359
10. Primat/Tinseau Pescarolo Judd 1:37.360
11. Burgueno/De Castro Epsilon Euskadi 1:37.539
12. Barbosa/Ickx/Short Pescarolo Judd 1:39.140
13. Evans/Berridge/Stretton Lola B06/10 AER 1:40.359
14. Nicolet/Faggionato/Hein Pescarolo Judd 1:41.960
LMP2
1. Van Merksteijn/Verstappen Porsche RS Spyder 1:34.008
2. Amaral/Pla Lola B05/40 AER 1:36.422
3. Nielsen/Elgaard Porsche RS Spyder 1:36.844
4. Lienhard/Theys/Lammers Porsche RS Spyder 1:36.860
5. Barazi/Vergers Zytek 07S Zytek 1:37.086
6. Belicchi/Pompidou/Zacchia Lola B08/80 Coupe 1:37.321
7. Erdos/Newton MG Lola EX 265 MG 1:38.687
8. Kane/Foster WF01 Zytek 1:39.773
9. De Pourtales/Noda Lola B05/40 Mazda 1:40.602
10. Hughes/Haberfield WF01 Zytek 1:41.093
11. Ragues/Lahaye Pescarolo Judd 1:41.266
12. Rostan/Petersen/Lueders Radical SR9 AER 1:41.976
13. Didaio/Francioni/Savoldi Lucchini Judd 1:43.937
LMGT1
1. Rusinov/Kox Lamborghini Murcielago 1:46.000
2. Makowiecki/Bornhauser/Bouchust Saleen S7R Ford 1:46.734
3. Alphand/Moreau/Goueslard Corvette C6.R 1:46.976
4. Blanchemain/Dumez/Bervillec Corvette C6.R 1:47.727
LMGT2
1. Bell/Bruni Ferrari F430 GT 1:48.016
2. Narac/Lietz Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:48.891
3. Lieb/Davison Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:49.758
4. Nielsen/Westbrook/Simonsen Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:50.086
5. Ehret/Kaffer/Beltoise Ferrari F430 GT 1:50.906
6. Aucott/Daoudi Ferrari F430 GT 1:52.093
7. Van Der/Merwe/Lemeret/Outzen Aston Martin Vantage 1:53.032
8. Balandras/Lecourt/Belloc Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:53.492
9. Daniels/Paltalla/Fortsen Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:53.555
10. Basso/Mac Cormick/Casadei Ferrari F430 GT 1:54.859
11. Ried/Felbermayr/Felbermayr Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:54.945
12. Dumbrek/Kelleners/Vasiliev Spyker C8 Laviolette 1:56.664
13. Chiesa/Leuenberger Spyker C8 Laviolette 14:14.781

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Plex · Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 2:29 pm Post subject:

Peugeot continue to lead at Barcelona

Peugeot scored a one-two in the second free practice session at Barcelona today, ahead of the Le Mans Series season opener at the Spanish circuit this weekend.

Having already set the fastest time in the first session, the 908 HDi of Stephane Sarrazin and Pedro Lamy repeated the feat this afternoon, with the sister car of Nicolas Minassian and Marc Gene just 0.062 seconds behind.

The Audi R10 TDis were third and fourth, with Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Premat seven tenths quicker than Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello.

This time the ORECA-Courage was best of the rest, in the hands of Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre. The French pair were just half a tenth shy of the second Audi.

Michael Vergers and Juan Barazi led the LMP2 class runners this time, in the latter's Barazi Epsilon Zytek, with Essex Racing's John Nielsen and Casper Elgaard the best of the Porsches, second in class.

After missing the earlier practice session, the Team Modena Aston Martin was quickly on the pace and Tomas Enge and Antonio Garcia topped the GT1 times ahead of the Peter Kox/Roman Rusinov Lamborghini Murcielago.

Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni were quickest in GT2 again, half a second clear of Marc Lieb and Alex Davison's Porsche in their Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430.

Pos Drivers Car Time
LMP1
1. Lamy/Sarrazin Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1:33.352
2. Gene/Minassian Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1:33.414
3. Premat/Rockenfeller Audi R10 TDI 1:34.000
4. Capello/McNish Audi R10 TDI 1:34.727
5. Panis/Lapierre Courage-ORECA 1:34.774
6. Primat/Tinseau Pescarolo Judd 1:35.844
7. Campbell-Walter/Hall/Felipe Creation CA07 1:36.274
8. Ortelli/Ayari Courage-ORECA 1:36.391
9. Collard/Boullion Pescarolo Judd 1:36.742
10. Mucke/Charouz Lola Aston Martin 1:36.883
11. Burgueno/De Castro Epsilon Euskadi 1:37.976
12. Evans/Berridge/Stretton Lola B06/10 AER 1:38.594
13. Barbosa/Ickx/Short Pescarolo Judd 1:38.609
14. Nicolet/Faggionato/Hein Pescarolo Judd 1:42.179
15. Lavaggi/Kaufmann Lavaggi LS1 AER 1:44.360

LMP2
1. Barazi/Vergers Zytek 07S Zytek 1:36.367
2. Nielsen/Elgaard Porsche RS Spyder 1:36.859
3. Van Merksteijn/Verstappen Porsche RS Spyder 1:37.039
4. Erdos/Newton MG Lola EX 265 MG 1:38.054
5. Belicchi/Pompidou/Zacchia Lola B08/80 Coupe 1:38.172
6. Lienhard/Theys/Lammers Porsche RS Spyder 1:36.860
7. Hughes/Haberfield WF01 Zytek 1:39.726
8. Amaral/Pla Lola B05/40 AER 1:40.727
9. De Pourtales/Noda Lola B05/40 Mazda 1:40.843
10. Ragues/Lahaye Pescarolo Judd 1:40.937
11. Rostan/Petersen/Lueders Radical SR9 AER 1:40.977
12. Kane/Foster WF01 Zytek 1:41.024
13. Didaio/Francioni/Savoldi Lucchini Judd 1:44.000
14. Ojjeh/Gosselin/Schroyen Zytek 07S Zytek 1:46.437
15. Salini/Salini/Roussel WR Zytek 1:56.812

GT1
1. Garcia/Enge Aston Martin DBR9 1:46.172
2. Rusinov/Kox Lamborghini Murcielago 1:46.547
3. Alphand/Moreau/Goueslard Corvette C6.R 1:46.680
4. Makowiecki/Bornhauser/Bouchut Saleen S7R Ford 1:47.148
5. Blanchemain/Dumez/Bervillec Corvette C6.R 1:50.047

GT2
1. Bell/Bruni Ferrari F430 GT 1:48.922
2. Lieb/Davison Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:49.446
3. Ehret/Kaffer/Beltoise Ferrari F430 GT 1:49.766
4. Nielsen/Westbrook/Simonsen Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:50.641
5. Aucott/Daoudi Ferrari F430 GT 1:50.945
6. Balandras/Lecourt/Belloc Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:51.070
7. Narac/Lietz Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:51.086
8. Dumbrek/Kelleners/Vasiliev Spyker C8 Laviolette 1:52.695
9. Ried/Felbermayr/Felbermayr Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:52.766
10. van der Merwe/Lemeret/Outzen Aston Martin Vantage 1:53.117
11. Daniels/Paltalla/Fortsen Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:53.688
12. Basso/MacCormick/Casadei Ferrari F430 GT 1:54.609
13. Chiesa/Leuenberger Spyker C8 Laviolette 1:55.594

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Plex · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:30 am Post subject:

Peugeot dominate Barcelona qualifying

Reigning Le Mans Series champions Pedro Lamy and Stephane Sarrazin got their defense off to a perfect start by taking pole position for the opening round of the 2008 championship at Barcelona.

True to form the pair once again lowered their fastest lap time to 1m31.875 as the two factory Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP diesel-powered racers continued to dominate proceedings at the Spanish track.

Audi Motorsport, embarking on a full-blown two-car assault on the European series in 2008, had no answer to the rapid French machines and the leading German car, driven by Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello, was 0.8s slower than the second Peugeot of Marc Gene and Nicolas Minassian.

The factory-backed Charouz Racing Lola Aston Martin continued its impressive competition debut by setting the fourth fastest time overall.

Another impressive start came from Jos Verstappen and the Merksteijn Racing team who put their LMP2 Porsche right in among the LMP1 cars, with fastest time in class and fifth overall.

The second Audi R10 TDI, crewed by Alexandre Premat and Mike Rockenfeller, will line up sixth on the grid.

In GT1, the Team Modena Aston Martin crew of Tomas Enge and Antonio Garcia fought off a concerted challenge from the Luc Alpand Aventure Corvette C6.R to take pole in the class.

Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni will start from the front in the GT2 class.

Pos Driver Car Time
LMP
1. Lamy/Sarrazin Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1:31.875
2. Gene/Minassian Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP 1:32.454
3. Capello/McNish Audi R10 TDI 1:33.250
4. Mucke/Charouz Lola Aston Martin 1:33.734
5. Premat/Rockenfeller Audi R10 TDI 1:34.671
6. Panis/Lapierre Courage-Oreca Judd 1:35.078
7. Collard/Boullion Pescarolo Judd 1:35.641
8. Campbell-Walter/Hall/Ortiz Creation CA07 - Aim 1:36.375
9. Primat/Tinseau Pescarolo Judd 1:36.516
10. Barbosa/Ickx/Short Pescarolo Judd 1:36.640
11. Ortello/Ayari Courage-Oreca Judd 1:36.797
12. Burgueno/De Castro Epsilon Euskadi Judd 1:36.922
13. Evans/Berridge/Stretton Lola B06/10 AER 1:39.063
14. Nicolet/Faggionato/Hein Pescarolo Judd 1:40.594
15. Lavaggi/Kauffman Lavaggi LS1 - AER 1:41.610

LMP2
1. Van Merksteijn/Verstappen Porsche RS Spyder 1:34.422
2. Belicchi/Pompidou/Zacchia Lola B08/80 Coupe Judd 1:35.797
3. Lienhard/Theys/Lammers Porsche RS Spyder 1:36.156
4. Elgaard/Nielsen Porsche RS Spyder 1:36.266
5. Amaral/Pla Lola B05/40 AER 1:36.641
6. Barazi/Vergers Zytek 07S Zytek 1:37.516
7. Hughes/Haberfield WF01 Zytek 1:38.109
8. de Pourtales/Noda Lola B05/40 Mazda 1:38.437
9. Erdos/Newton MG Lola EX 265 MG 1:38.485
10. Kane/Foster WF01 Zytek 1:38.500
11. Ragues/Lahaye Pescarolo Judd 1:39.594
12. Rostan/Peterson/Lueders Radical SR9 AER 1:40.750
13. Ojjeh/Gosselin/Schroyen Zytek 07S Zytek 1:41.516
14. Didaio/Francioni/Savoldi Lucchini Judd 1:44.579
15. Salini/Salini/Roussel WR Zytek 1:49.859

GT1
1. Garcia/Enge Aston Martin DBR9 1:44.484
2. Alphand/Moreau/Goueslard Corvette C6.R 1:44.531
3. Rusinov/Kox Lamborghini Murcielago 1:44.969
4. Blanchemain/Dumez/Bervillec Corvette C6.R 1:46.718

GT2
1. Bell/Bruni Ferrari F430 GT 1:47.844
2. Lieb/Davison Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:49.093
3. Narac/Lietz Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:49.250
4. Nielsen/Westbrook/Simonsen Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:49.250
5. Ehret/Kaffer/Beltoise Ferrari F430 GT 1:49.343
6. Balandras/Lecourt/Belloc Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:49.593
7. Aucott/Daoudi Ferrari F430 GT 1:50.297
8. Chiesa/Leuenberger Spyker C8 Laviolette GT2R 1:50.953
9. Dumbreck/Kelleners/Vasiliev Spyker C8 Laviolette GT2R 1:50.953
10. Van der Merve/Lemeret/Outzen Aston Martin Vantage V8 1:51.015
11. Ried/Felbermayr/Felbermayr Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:51.218
12. Daniels/Paltalla/Fortsen Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:51.250
13. Bassc/MacCormick/Casadei Ferrari F430 GT 1:52.078

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