Motorsport.com - LEMANS - Stories

Qualifying day two

Mon, 18 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Italian Rinaldo Capello continued his stunning run for Audi by claiming pole position overnight for the 24 Hours of Le Mans ousting team-mate Tom Kristensen by a mere 0.029 seconds. Capello is unbeaten in the Le Mans series this year. His run actually started at Adelaide on New Year's Eve and he has gone on to capture race wins at Texas, Sebring, Donington and Jarama. Teamed ... Keep reading

Seiji Ara named Qualifying Rookie of Le Mans

Mon, 18 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Le Mans, France - Chrysler Team ORECA driver Seiji Ara has been named Le Mans' Qualifying Rookie of the Year. The 27-year-old Japanese shares his Chrysler LMP, that was qualified 16th overall, 13th in class, with countryman Masahiko Kondo and Portuguese Ni Amorim. "We are delighted that Seiji has been recognised in such a way by the organisers of the Le Mans 24 hours," said ORECA's ... Keep reading

Chrysler Playstation LMP in ELMS

Tue, 13 Mar 2001 23:45:42 +0000

CHRYSLER PLAYSTATION LMP IN THE EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES Bicester, UK, Monday 12th March 2001: ORECA has today confirmed that it is entering the brand new Chrysler Playstation LMP in the European Le Mans Series race at Donington Park over the Easter weekend (13-14th April). The prototype will be piloted by Olivier Beretta and Yannick Dalmas and will race in the highly competitive ... Keep reading

Five American auto manufacturers to race at Le Mans

Thu, 07 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (June 6, 2001) -- Since it was first organized in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been a highly-visible proving ground for automobile manufacturers. Five American makers will be seeking victory in the 69th running of the classic French endurance race on June 16-17 at the famed Circuit de la Sarthe. Industry giants General Motors and DaimlerChrysler will be ... Keep reading

Team Bentley finishes on the podium

Tue, 19 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

After 71 Years, Bentley is Back on The Podium at Le Mans Le Mans, 17TH June 2001, 4.00PM... It's taken a lifetime but Bentley is back where it belongs, on the podium at Le Mans. During the toughest race in a generation, Team Bentley's number 8 EXP Speed 8 Prototype defied the conditions, its newness and a total lack of weather testing to let Andy Wallace drive triumphantly over the ... Keep reading

Audi Fastest in Le Mans practice

Mon, 07 May 2001 23:45:42 +0000

New Audi Sport updated body work designed for LeMans. Photo: Audi Sport Le Mans, France -- Audi was fastest in the pre-practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday. Tom Kristensen recorde ... Keep reading

Three Courage prototypes on Track

Mon, 07 May 2001 23:45:42 +0000

#17     PESCAROLO SPORT COURAGE C60 PEUGEOT
#18     PESCAROLO SPORT COURAGE C60 PEUGEOT
#19     SMG CHALLENGE           COURAGE C60 JUDD

LE MANS (May 6, 2001) - In its second year as a pure constructor at Le Mans, the French Courage marque is in full renaissance. Strong client teams have entered three C60s for the 24-Hour classic, more than any other customer ... Keep reading

Chrysler LMP May 6 test report

Mon, 07 May 2001 23:45:42 +0000

The Chrysler LMP team had an encouraging start to this year's Le Mans campaign when four-time Le Mans winner Yannick Dalmas set eighth fastest time having worked through a series of pre-planned tests. The Frenchman, a four-time Le Mans winner, recorded a time of 3m36.988 seconds, while Japanese Seiji Ara was 13th quickest in another Mopar 6-litre V8-powered Chrysler LMP, shared with ... Keep reading

Audi takes one-two victory

Wed, 20 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Audi drivers Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Tom Kristensen pulled out a dominant performance to win their second successive 24 Hour of Le Mans. The trio headed an Audi 1-2 result with team-mates Dindo Capello, Laurent Aiello and Christian Pescatori taking second spot. The thousands of visiting British fans also had something to cheer about with Bentley taking the final spot on ... Keep reading

Corvette Cadillac Wednesday, Thursday notes

Mon, 18 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

LE MANS, Wednesday 13 June, 9.00pm - Corvette Racing and DAMS Team Cadillac put in fine performances in the first part of the first qualifying session. Both Corvettes provisionally lead the GTS class ahead of the Larbre Viper and the factory Saleen. Frenchman Emmanuel Collard managed a seventh fastest time overall in the #5 Cadillac Northstar LMP in the very last seconds of the ... Keep reading

Chrysler Team Oreca final report

Wed, 20 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Chrysler Team ORECA raced to fourth position at the 69th edition of the Le Mans 24 hours, the manufacturer's best result at the world famous Le Mans 24 hours since 1928. The Mopar 6-litre V8 powered Chrysler LMP, driven by Olivier Beretta, Karl Wendlinger and Pedro Lamy, crossed the line behind the winning Audis and Bentley and was immediately swamped by well-wishers who swarmed onto ... Keep reading

Bondurant instructors successful

Sun, 24 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

CHANDLER, Ariz. Two long time instructors at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving celebrated this week their successful runs in the 69th 24 Hours of LeMans endurance race last Sunday, their boss reports. Johnny O'Connell, co-driving with veteran Scott Pruett, finished eighth overall and won the GTS class in the race. Terry Borcheller co-drove with ... Keep reading

Johansson announces ELMS program

Thu, 15 Feb 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Johansson Racing will campaign one privateer Audi R8 in the full ELMS Series and also enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The day-to-day operation and all racing activities will be managed by Mike Earle's Arena International Motorsport, which most recently competed in the BTCC. Stefan Johansson is also pleased to welcome his new partners English businessmen Peter Tarrant and Richard ... Keep reading

Porsche sweeps GT class

Wed, 20 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

LE MANS, France - June 17 - The #83 Seikel Porsche 911 GT3 RS of Gabrio Rosa, Fabio Babini and Luca Drudi overcame a damaged radiator and a late-race spin to hold off the #77 Freisinger Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 RS of Romain Dumas, Gunnar Jeannette and Phillippe Haezebrouck for a two-minute victory in the GT class at the 69th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not only did ... Keep reading

Dalmas, Beretta team up again with Mopar

Tue, 13 Feb 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Chrysler Team ORECA will continue in 2001 with two of the most successful endurance racing drivers of all time, Olivier Beretta and Y annick Dalmas, to drive the new Mopar-powered 6.0-litre V8 prototype at the 69th running of the 24-Hours of Le Mans this year. Beretta, the reigning American Le Mans Series GTS-class drivers champion, has renewed his contract with ORECA, the team ... Keep reading

Gulf Oil leds British challenge F

Fri, 15 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

London, UK, Tuesday 12th June 2001: This weekend sees the 69th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the worlds great motor racing classics, and leading the British challenge for podium honours is the Gulf Oil-sponsored Audi R8, race-prepared in Littlehampton, Sussex, by Johansson Racing. The car will carry the famous Gulf Oil racing colours of powder blue and orange and the ... Keep reading

Goodyear race recap

Fri, 22 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

GOODYEAR DOMINATES GTS CLASS IN LE MANS ENDURANCE CLASSIC 24 Hours of Le Mans: Goodyear continued its domination of the GTS class of world sports car racing, sweeping the first three finishing spots in that class in the soggy 2001 edition of the world's premiere endurance race. Team Corvette finished first and second in the class and a Saleen S7R finished third. The same teams ... Keep reading

Pruett awed, inspired as Le Mans nears

Fri, 15 Jun 2001 23:45:42 +0000

LE MANS, France (June 11, 2001) -- As a youngster, there were four races that Scott Pruett dreamed he would someday get the chance to race in. He's only days away from having part of his dream fulfilled. Pruett, an American who has tasted success in many forms of auto racing, will compete for the first time in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 16-17 at France's Circuit de la ... Keep reading

Johansson LeMans practice report

Mon, 07 May 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Le Mans, France, Sunday 6th May 2001: Stefan Johansson recorded fastest time of the morning session at the Le Mans trials in his Gulf Oil-liveried Audi R8, the Swede setting a time of three minutes 36.054 seconds, half a second faster than the pole position time last year. It was a fantastic achievement for Johansson, who is racing in a 2000-spec Audi R8 against three more developed ... Keep reading

Barbour names van de Poele as replacement

Tue, 29 May 2001 23:45:42 +0000

Dick Barbour Names Indy-Experienced Matsuda To Drive At Le Mans Braselton, Ga. (May 29, 2001) - Dick Barbour has named a versatile and experienced driver to replace Eric van de Poele at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. Hideshi Matsuda will partner with Didier de Radiguès and Sascha Maassen in Barbour's #36 Reynard 01Q Judd at Le Mans. Matsuda will thus co-pilot the car that not ... Keep reading