« Bonjour Endurance Info. June was a very important month for me, or any sportscar driver. Le Mans was my main focus, this is one of the biggest races in the world and it’s amazing to be involved. It is very important also for JMW Motorsport, Dunlop and Ferrari.  We had no test day this year which made it important to have two experienced co drivers who knew the circuit well. I was partnered by Tim Sugden and Andrew Kirkaldy, both guys I know well and who I have driven with in the past.

During the week we had planned to do as little running as possible. We would concentrate on getting a good balance in the car and make sure all drivers felt confident and comfortable for the race. Unfortunately the weather was terrible. This made it difficult because the track was changing each time we drove. When it was dry the track was green and had very little grip. Then as more cars cleaned the track and it became better, it would then rain again….very frustrating!  However at the end of the test day we were happy with the balance of the car and ready for qualifying. We all had to drive in qual but I was the one to go for a fast lap time. The car balance was good and the tyres were working well but a gear box problem meant I couldn’t get the best result for the car. This was disappointing but we knew the car would be good for the race.

The race went as we had expected. I started and everything went well. The hot conditions were not ideal for our car set up but we knew as the track cooled we would be strong. During the first hours we were between third and forth and when the Porsches had problems we were then in a strong second place, with the car, tyres and drivers all working well.   During the night and into Sunday morning we had some minor issues with traffic and small body work damage but we were still in a strong second position. With just over six hours remaining we had our first major problem…the clutch failed. This was not too much of a problem but the gear change was becoming more difficult and starting the car at pit stops was an issue. We could start the car in gear off the starter motor but this would probably fail after three or four stops. We tried to fix the problem and lost about ten minutes.   We dropped to third place but were still on for a podium finish. Then with only two hours to go the rear left suspension failed. Tim was driving and managed to bring the car back to the garage but we lost more time and then could only finish fourth. It was great for the team to finish their first LeMans but to be honest we were all very disappointed. It was similar to the year before, the car, tyres, mechanics and drivers all worked well but we missed out on a podium at the last moment. Next year ?!

No rest for me after LeMans. The weekend after was Round 3 of FIA at Oschserleben. Again the Porsches were v fast here. Our car felt well balanced. Also we carry 50kg weight because are both “Platinum” drivers. This is more of a problem this year because we have a smaller restrictor and harder tyres than last year. All we can do is try to have a comfortable car for the race and hope the other cars have a slower driver. Andrew qualified 4th, which was good and we were confident for the race.

I started the race. The start was good for me, up to 3rd behind Ragginger and Bruni. The pace was good and we had a good strategy. Then three laps before I was due to pit it started to rain gently. It was very slippery but we tried to stay out on slicks for as long as possible. I caught up with the two cars in front and was looking to take the lead. Then it rained hard, we had to pit for wets and a driver change. Andrew took over but after two laps reported that the heated windscreen had failed and he could not see! He had to pit because it was a huge problem we lost a lot of time and were then sixth and more than a lap down. We don’t seem to have much luck in FIA so far!

After three FIA races we have one podium. The rule changes make it very difficult for two  platinum drivers to be fast but I think we can still win races and will aim to kick start our season at the 24hrs of Spa. See you soon… »

Rob