The NAVI Team Goh Porsche RS Spyder will not race at Okayama on October 31st and November 1st, as the car has been withdrawn, as Tetsuya Kato, Team Director, confirmed us today : “Yes,it is true. We will not race Asian LM series. We have already informed to cancel our entry to ACO. Mr.Goh has been sold RS spyder to a person (not a team). So we have no plan for next season. We will be back our job as a editor of automobile magazine.”

So, this RS Spyder has raced only once in 2009. It was at Le Mans for the 24 Hours. While it had been in the lead of its class on Saturday, the Porsche driven by Sascha Maassen/Seiji Ara/Keisuke Kunimoto was heading towards the second place of the LMP2. However, in the end of the race, Seiji Ara, due to suspension or braking problems, had a big crash in the Playstation chicane in the Mulsanne straight. The 2003 Le Mans winner was not hurt but the RS Spyder was badly damaged – bodywork, suspensions…- and had to retire, while the monocoque was intact. NAVI Team Goh will remain in the 2009 Le Mans record, as their mechanics have been given the ESCRA Award for the best technical assistance during the race.

Following this withdrawal, there are only two cars left at Okayama in the LMP2 category : the OAK Racing Pescarolo-Mazda and the Ibañez Racing Service Courage-AER LC75.

Claude Foubert