Senna blames Rebellion for Fuji LMP2 defeat

Bruno Senna says Rebellion Racing cost his RGR Sport by Morand team the chance to win the LMP2 class in last weekend’s WEC 6 Hours of Fuji.

Senna blames Rebellion for Fuji LMP2 defeat
#43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JSP2 - Nissan: Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Albuquerque, Bruno Senna
#43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JSP2 - Nissan: Bruno Senna
#43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JSP2 - Nissan: Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Albuquerque, Bruno Senna
#43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JSP2 - Nissan: Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Albuquerque, Bruno Senna
#43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JSP2 - Nissan: Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Albuquerque, Bruno Senna
Podium LMP2: second place #43 RGR Sport by Morand Ligier JSP2 - Nissan: Ricardo Gonzalez, Filipe Albuquerque, Bruno Senna
#26 G-Drive Racing Oreca 05 - Nissan: Roman Rusinov, Alex Brundle, Will Stevens
LMP2 Polesitters #26 G-Drive Racing Oreca 05 - Nissan: Roman Rusinov, Alex Brundle, Will Stevens
#26 G-Drive Racing Oreca 05 - Nissan: Roman Rusinov, Alex Brundle, Will Stevens
Podium LMP2: race winners #26 G-Drive Racing Oreca 05 - Nissan: Roman Rusinov, Alex Brundle, Will Stevens
Listen to this article

The Brazilian, who shares the #43 Ligier with Ricardo Gonzalez and Filipe Albuquerque, lost out in the final minutes to the #26 G-Drive Oreca of Will Stevens, Alex Brundle and Roman Rusinov, as Stevens managed to pass Senna on-track to take class honours.

However, Senna believes his chances of bringing home RGR Sport its third win of the season were wrecked by the #13 Rebellion of Matheo Tuscher, which held up the #43 car by putting a lap on it at Turn 10.

The former HRT, Williams and Lotus F1 driver said this was the critical factor in being passed by Stevens, and that he felt he had the situation under control before then.

"Of course, very disappointing," Senna told Motorsport.com. "We had a great race, and to finish 1.4 seconds behind G-Drive without them making any mistakes means we did a great job.

"It's a bit bitter to be honest, because we did the job and we got ahead, and then someone that's not fighting for anything just interfered, the Rebellion – which overtook me into Turn 10.

"That cost me two seconds and that was the margin I had. Very disappointing, I was pretty confident in those last three or four laps I could keep the G-Drive at bay."

Stevens had in fact passed Senna along the main straight with around 30 minutes remaining, but in doing so he crossed the white line marking the edge of the track on the right-hand side.

"He knew there was a white line there, it's a track limit," recalled Senna of the move. "I was very clear in my demeanour, I was not being aggressive or anything.

"But he decided to go outside of the track, so he had to give the position back. From then on, I had it all under control until another car interfered."

Stevens "honoured" to clinch victory for G-Drive

For his part, Stevens – back in WEC for the first time since Le Mans as a substitute for Rene Rast, who was on Audi DTM duty at Hockenheim – said he never doubted being able to pass Senna for the win.

The British driver added it was an honour to seal the JOTA Sport-run G-Drive squad's first of the year following a season plagued by ill fortune.

"The last stint was tough, and we knew it would be extremely close with Bruno coming out of the pits," recalled Stevens.

"My first lap was a good chance to get past, and if there was a gap I was going for it. I would have appreciated a bit more room up against the pitwall – for sure I was as close as I would want to get!

"Obviously they decided it wasn't right so I had to let him back past, and I was sure I was getting back past again.

"The team should have won a lot of races this year, so it's an honour to be up here."

shares
comments

Ford “nailed it” on way to Fuji win, says Priaulx

Blomqvist joins ESM LMP2 team for Shanghai

Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023

Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023

Prime
Prime
WEC
Gary Watkins

Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023 Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023

Motorsport.com writers' most memorable moments of 2022

Motorsport.com writers' most memorable moments of 2022

Prime
Prime
Formula 1

Motorsport.com writers' most memorable moments of 2022 Motorsport.com writers' most memorable moments of 2022

Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?

Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?

Prime
Prime
WEC
Gary Watkins

Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay? Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?

How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title

How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title

Prime
Prime
WEC
Gary Watkins

How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title

The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age

The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age

Prime
Prime
IMSA
Gary Watkins

The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age

How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game

How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game

Prime
Prime
WEC
Michael Cotton

How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game

Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes

Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes

Prime
Prime
Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
Kevin Turner

Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes

The history lessons Peugeot should have learned on its return

The history lessons Peugeot should have learned on its return

Prime
Prime
WEC
Monza
Tim Wright

The history lessons Peugeot should have learned on its return The history lessons Peugeot should have learned on its return