The trio Sérgio Jimenez/Felipe Fraga/Átila Abreu shows evolution and concludes the 1000 km of Paul Ricard in 13th place overall and in ninth in ProCup category scoring two points in the Endurance Series. The next round of Endurance will be 24h of Spa, in 25th and 26th July
The BMW Team Brasil demonstrated on Saturday (20th), a great power of reaction and a very effective strategy to complete the 1000 km of Paul Ricard in 13th overall and ninth in the category ProCup, after starting from 31th position, almost in the middle of the grid. With the result, the team of Antonio Hermann and Washington Bezerra scored his first points in Endurance Series. After six hours of evidence, valid for the third round of the Blancpain Endurance Series, the victory went to the trio Katsumasa Chiyo/Wolfgang Reip/Alexander Buncombe, Nissan # 23, which did a good fight with Bentley #7 of the trio Guy Smith/Andy Meyrick/Steven Kane, especially in the closing laps. The next stage of Endurance is the 24h of SPA at the end of July (the event will be 21th -26th) before, on July 05th, BMW Team Brasil participates in the fourth round of the Sprint Series in Moscow.
Each driver of green and yellow team was responsible for doing a stint of about two hours each. During the 171 laps of race, it took a total of six stops in the box for supply and exchange of tires, one more than the team had expected, due a one flat tire in the third hour of racing, plus two pit stops to change drivers. With the ninth place in ProCup, the BMW Team Brasil scored his first two points in Endurance Series. The other Brazilian driver in the race, Bruno Senna, completed the round in 21th, with his teammates Alvaro Parente and Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, aboard McLaren 650 S GT3 #59.
Drivers Quotes
Sérgio Jimenez, BMW Z4 #77
“In my stint, I managed to escape three accidents in front of me, and it saved our race. The pace was always good. I got to be ahead of the BMW # 46 when I went to box and he finished third, it is a sign that we were very competitive. I pass the car for Fraga in 13th. In his stint in sixth lap, he had a little problem with another competitor and it stuck our tire. What made us lose a lap. That is pity. But, the race was very good, especially if we take into account all these problems we had. Were it not for these things, we would have completed on the top-5. We have a lot of potential and we show it. Now is verify what broke, and make thorough review because it was 24h, we would still have 18 hours more of race”.
Felipe Fraga, BMW Z4 #77
“It was very good. In my stint I was among the three fastest of the track, I had an incredible pace. I was very happy with my work and the team too, which made a pit stop very good. I recovered several positions, from 17th to ninth, and this because I had a flat tire and had to use almost an hour just to recover the ninth position. Without it, I believe we would have been in the top five, but it was good anyway”.
Átila Abreu, BMW Z4 #77
It was an exciting race and got the first points in the championship. Finished ninth in the ProCup category. That pity this break on the last lap. But we managed to finish in the points, even losing two positions at the end. It was our first time in night race, first race really long. Guide at night is different, because changes slightly its benchmark braking and deep. There are some things that we have noted that giving to improve, after all we do not practice any time at night. And the car changes a bit the day behavior for the night. And we already know what it is. Overall, it was really cool and I’m happy. They were the first team points in Endurance and a great learning experience for everyone. We had potential to get ahead, but with a flat tire just make a stop to more and lose a lap, for the leader. The important is learning and effort of the entire team. Now we prepare for the 24h of SPA, which is a greater challenge. Congratulations to all the team”.