At the start of Sunday’s race, the weather remained mild and dry, although rain was forecast for early afternoon. When the race got under way, Nicolas Lapierre took the early lead in the LMP2 class. Whilst looking after his tyres, the French driver wasted no time in putting daylight between himself and his rivals.

At the end of his double stint, Nicolas handed over driving duties to Gustavo Menezes. The Californian gradually extended his lead. After 2 hrs 30 mins, whilst leading by thirty or so seconds, Gustavo encountered the first proper shower of the race. He nonetheless managed to stay on track without coming in for treaded tyres, completing his triple stint just as yellow flags were shown for the first time, as the race came under “full course yellow”.

As Matt Rao headed out on track, he was more than a minute ahead of the rest of the LMP2 field. But this patiently built-up lead dwindled to nothing during a long safety car period. When racing resumed, the Silver category driver initially managed to contain his challengers. Struggling with his tyres, he was eventually no longer able to hold off Vaxivière (no.28) and Laurent (no.38). Despite coming into the pits to change the front left-hand tyre – subject to considerable stress on the English track – he continued to struggle with the handling of the car.

For the closing stages of the race, Nicolas Lapierre took over driving duties again in the A470. Fifth with 1 hr 20 mins to go to the chequered flag, he summoned all his strength for one final push. After quickly gaining a position, Nicolas was then hit by gearbox issues. At that point, the team decided to play it safe and content themselves with fourth position.

Bernard Ollivier, Alpine Deputy Managing Director

“The result of the race is frustrating, but it also goes to show that you can’t take anything for granted. It was something of an emotional roller-coaster ride for us during the six hours. After leading by more than a minute, the way the pit stops and safety car periods played out meant that we found ourselves down in fifth place. We have sweated blood and tears to finish fourth, but we certainly deserved better. Yet again, we’ve not had the rub of the green at Silverstone! In any case, this weekend confirms that competition is stiff and the standard of the LMP2 has gone up another notch this year. We’ll go to Spa-Francorchamps even more determined to do well and with two Alpine A470s to fight for victory!” 

Philippe Sinault, Signatech Alpine Matmut Team Principal

“We opted for an aggressive strategy, which paid off for the first half of the race. After the safety car period, we found ourselves at the start of a whole new race… but without fresh tyres and without our Silver driver having had his stint. Matt took over in tricky conditions, driving on slick tyres with the track still damp and the rest of the field breathing down his neck. He pushed hard to defend his position, but that damaged his tyres and lost us even more time. I’d prefer to concentrate on the positive aspects of the race, the fact that the commitment of the team, our pace and strategy allowed us to build up a lead of more than a minute in normal racing conditions.” 

Signatech Alpine Matmut no.36

Nicolas Lapierre

“I’m disappointed, because we had the speed to win here. After the half-way stage, we had a comfortable lead which meant we could control from the front. The safety car period ruined our chances and it’s not easy to accept… Having said that, we can be pleased with the balance of the car. We were one of the fastest cars on the track. We’ll analyse the positives and the negatives so we can come back stronger at the next few races.” 

Gustavo Menezes

“I think it was an interesting race to watch! Nicolas was incredible at the start, grabbing the lead on the opening corner. We continued to increase our advantage until I took over behind the wheel. When it started to rain, the team asked me to stay calm and not take any risks. The track dried out pretty quickly and I was able to complete a triple stint at a good pace. Unfortunately, all our hard work was wiped out by the safety car period. I suppose it’s also part of racing… In any case, the car was fantastic to drive today. We have the potential to win.” 

Matt Rao

“Nicolas and Gustavo had done a great job at the start of the race, since I had a solid lead when I got in the car. My stint began well and I managed to maintain the gap despite the rain and the ‘full course yellow’ periods. When the safety car came out, all the LMP2 cars became bunched together and our lead was wiped out. I pushed to try and hold onto first place, but the tyres went off quickly. I was unable to defend my position because I then had a lot of oversteer. I’m disappointed that the safety car ended up ruining our race.”

Tincknell and Priaulx opened the season with an emphatic qualifying performance to score pole position by over 8 tenths of a second. But any advantage was short lived. After only 10 minutes of the 6 hour race, Priaulx struggled at the front of the field with a technical issue, enforcing an unscheduled pit stop which sent the crew tumbling down the order to last in the GT Pro class.

In mixed conditions, Derani drove the middle stint of the race before pitting from 7th place under a Full Course Caution to hand over to Tincknell with 2 hours 37 minutes remaining. The reigning European Le Mans Series champion immediately set a searing pace in an effort to regain lost ground and a well timed safety car bunched the pack up, with the #67 moving up to 4th after some strategic positioning from the Ford team. When the race resumed, Tincknell wasted little time overtaking the #91 Porsche and the #51 Ferrari in two well timed moves before taking the lead during the penultimate round of pit stops. It was a lead that would not be relinquished, as Harry lapped the 5.8km circuit consistently faster than his class rivals, building a comfortable lead to take the win on home soil.

Harry Tincknell (GB):

“I can’t believe it, I’m absolutely over the moon to win at Silverstone. It looked like we were completely up against it when Andy had an issue with the car but everyone kept their heads during those tense moments. We set about making up the lost ground and Pipo did an excellent job in his first race for Ford. The set up was absolutely perfect for my two and half hour stint and once the safety car came out, I knew the win was possible”.
 
“It was fantastic to be in the thick of the action, racing nose to tail with Porsche, Ferrari and the sister Ford car. Once I was in the lead I just kept pushing as hard as possible to build a gap, I felt really in the zone and never doubted we were going to win. I had a lot of friends, family and my sponsors, Goodridge, supporting me this weekend and I really had to take it all in on the final lap, what a comeback”!

Harry leads the FIA World Endurance Championship standings by 8 points. 2017 is the first year that the GT Pro Class is officially reconisged as a World Championship. The second round takes place at Spa Francorchamps, Belgium, on the 6th May..

The day before, the qualifying sessions allowed both teams to start on P4 for n°13 (best lap : 1: 44.071) and P5 for n°31 (best lap : 1: 45.1150). Earlier that day, the first two free practices were also positive for the crew 13, as it finished in pole position and later in third place.

At noon, under the cloudy sky of Silverstone, the two Oreca07 #13 and #31 of Vaillante Rebellion started a 6H race. After an hour of racing and one pit-stop for each driver, the Oreca07 #31, led by Bruno Senna, nephew of one of the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history, took the second place behind the Signatech Alpine #36, after a three-seat climb. Then, the Brazilian driver gave the wheel to Nicolas Prost, name of the famous French driver of the 80’s, also heir, followed by Julien Canal, to continue the efforts provided since the beginning of the race. Constraints for the drivers accumulated: the intermittent rain and the changing weather slowed down the pace. At the halfway point, a first yellow flag was put on after the burning of the Porsche #92, driven at that moment by Kevin Estre (Porsche GT Team). A second flag was set up again after the major accident of the Toyota #7 (LM P1), which called the safety car for thirty minutes. Strategic choices allowed the drivers to take pole position for the last thirty minutes, even though they were finally caught up near the arrival by Jackie Chan DC Racing’s #38.

Julien Canal (pilote #31 ): « I’m pleasantly surprised by the performance of the car and the team! The level in LMP2 is very high this season ; it twill be very interesting this year. We started with a good strategy, both technically and on the tires. The potential is there, I’m really happy to be with Nico, whom I’ve known for almost 10 years when we were driving on Formula Renault 2L, and Bruno, whom I had the opportunity to meet many times on the circuits. »

Meanwhile, a few technical problems on the n°13 pushed David Heinemeier Hansson to stop at the stand and leave his seat to Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet Junior, who reached the eighth spot after two hours of racing. Then, n°13 went up a few spots thanks to Mathias Beche, but two clashes, including one involving Sam Bird Racing’s Ferrari 71, damaged a wing and resulted in a 15-second penalty for the trio. The crew #31 eventually finished its race in ninth position.

Mathias Beche (pilote #13) : « For us, the race was quite complicated. Overall, the performance is encouraging. We are happy for crew # 31, this podium is really great for them. Now, we will do things right to be standing on the podium at the next race. »

Nicolas Prost (pilote #31) : « The team was very focused and motivated. After two difficult seasons, getting back into a more competitive category motivates us all. Despite of the lack of training before Silverstone, everyone has done a great job. We did not  the perfect race but we did not any mistake, for a first meeting, it is very positive ! »   

Bart Hayden (team manager) : « It’s a great start of championship for us, especially since we are discovering this category this year. In the #31, the trio was able to perform the passes correctly. For the #13, some technical problems disturbed the race. We hope to learn to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Overall, the season is starting well, and we are satisfied with this first promising performance. »

 MOTIVATED FROM THE FIRST PRACTICES

During this very winter break, Xavier Combet manager of TDS Racing made a significant step by entering the French team in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the British Silverstone race circuit was the scenery of these debuts, giving the team the chance to validate a lot of points, suppress any type of doubts away and most of all look forward the championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A full French driver line up took place behind the wheel of #28 ORECA 07 TDS Racing, with François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxivière and Emmanuel Collard. The two first are real “rookies” in the LMP2 category while the third one, Manu Collard has the biggest endurance experience, but had not take the wheel of a prototype for some years. Matthieu Vaxivière comes from single sitters racing (FR 3.5).

As soon as Friday and Saturday after the free practice sessions, TDS Racing ORECA 07s showed that the team is at the correct place, and again on Saturday after qualifying session, where #28 set the 7th LMP2 best lap time. Sunday at noon, the 27 entries of the 2017 FIAWEC season, roared on the track to offer the spectators a fabulous race in all the categories.

 A RACE UNDER CONTROL

#28 TDS Racing started the season in the best possible way. After two hours, Matthieu Vaxivière at the wheel from the beginning, had put the car on second position in the LMP2 category. François Perrodo taking over Matthieu, experienced a fabulous double stint, showing a very constant and fast drive, and also looking for fight in his first prototype race… Even though he was in the car when the rain showed up on the British race track, and after a Full Course Yellow, François brought the car back to hand it to Manu Collard at 17h17. The former F1 test driver put his full experience on the table, full tank and new tyres gave him the right tools to keep the car in the LMP2 top 3… Matthieu took over for the final stint and passed third LMP2 under the chequered flag.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THEIR RACE :

François Perrodo (Bronze driver- FRA)
“ I am super happy, I don’t really realize yet, I just fell wonderful. It’s amazing, I can’t say any other way… This morning, I was saying that a podium in the 2017 season would be a good thing, because our team is new in WEC, the driver line up is made of inexperienced drivers in prototypes (Matt and myself), and Manu has not driven a prototype in a while. We have to learn a lot.

Of course, it’s hard racing. When I stepped in the car after Matthieu, I was a little stressed out, a little more than usual, I must admit. But hey, I am really happy, because one of my problems is that it takes me usually a little time to get into the rhythm. But here, after one lap I just felt great and I could make some good times. I even made it under 1:50 without trying that hard. I was just feeling great. The way you have to deal with traffic is quite different to what I have experienced so far. But my GT knowledge was very helpful as I know exactly where you have to be with a GT, so I know exactly where I can overtake with the prototype…

It’s impressive. Compared to the GT racing, the LMP2 driving is so much quicker that there is no place for distraction… if you are not 110% concentrated, it is immediately a problem.

In the middle of my second stint I started to feel a little tired, it’s hard stuff… so I managed to the end without losing any place, staying concentrated, but without trying too hard. When the rain started, even though I love the rain, I was happy to hand the car to Matt. It’s just incredible. If anyone had told me I would stand on the podium on my first LMP2 race, I would have smiled…. It’s really fantastic! ”

Matthieu Vaxivière (Gold – FRA)
“ In my first stints, it took me some time to find the correct position in the car, in addition I had the feeling I had some gearbox problem, which hindered me to break as late as I would have liked too. So I couldn’t use the full potential of the car even though it felt great. To be very honest I would never have bet on us on the podium… it was one of our objectives for the season, but not that soon… We have a great and interesting driver line-up, and each one of us has his own history. François started here to compete with the prototype, Manu knows that very well, but he had not driven in the category for a while… on the other hand we all feel the same and are in the same team mood. We worked perfectly together these last months, and our goal was to be in the Top 5.
So, it’s a surprise to be third today, now we will have to work even harder to keep up to this, but this is really really great. On the other hand, we keep calm, we will continue to work well, to fulfil the programs we have decided with the team and to go for good places at every race. Of course, it gives us confidence, and to start the season like that, is a mega bonus. Sincerely, I was surprised with François in his stint… He was constant, quick, and sometime event quicker than some good Silver drivers… ”

Emmanuel Collard (Platinium – FRA)
“ We are truly and sincerely happy with his result. It’s much more than we would have expected, and a great surprise. But it’s also the result of a good team work, of a well thought and managed race strategy. We had a good car, a good driver line up, a good strategy and even if we were not the fastest on track, we were constant and did not make any mistakes. This is a great part of what endurance racing is all together. It’s a fantastic result, a very good way to start 2017. ”

Xavier Combet – Team Manager
“ We are very pleased for the whole team. TDS Racing is new to WEC and we have a totally new driver line-up, so this result is a wonderful surprise. We decided from the beginning to put everything on the table to get to a podium at one point this year, but we did not expect to do it at the first race. It comes early in the season and this gives us a great confidence, mostly for François who discovers the prototype driving. Nevertheless, this victory shall not be the only objective of the season, and we will continue working hard. It promises a very interesting season, in which all of our drivers can only progress race after race. We will stay humble and concentrated because everyone knows that motorsport can bring a lot of surprises all along the season. This podium is a very good start and will add dynamism. We want other nice surprises like this one. See you in Spa to go on with this great team work. ”

Saturday’s qualifying sessions set the tone, confirming the homogeneity expected in the LM P2 category, with three cars finishing within only two tenths of each other. Enough to actually give great value to the pole position which was clinched by G-Drive Racing. Yet, just a couple of metres after the green lights had gone off, the standings were already totally different.

With the best start against Vaillante Rebellion’s and G-Drive Racing’s ORECA 07 (respectively No. 13 and No. 26), the Alpine A470 with Nicolas Lapierre on board completed a perfect beginning of the race, taking control straight away. For over four hours, team Signatech Alpine Matmut was strong and uncompromising, widening the gap with its rivals further and further.

The tables turned in the last third of the race, particularly during the 5th hour, and what seemed to be a perfectly-controlled performance changed radically. Due to an LM P1 having gone off track, the race got neutralised and all contenders progressively gathered behind the safety car which annihilated all of the efforts that Lapierre-Menezes-Rao had put in since the start. While stuck, like others, by a choice of tyres following on an episode of rain, Jackie Chan DC Racing’s car played its cards right during the last phase of the race, crossing swords with Alpine, of course, but also with TDS Racing (No. 28) and Vaillante Rebellion (No. 31) which probably benefited most of the neutralisation, having caught back up in the lead. Delayed by a pit stop to do some work on a door, G-Drive Racing fought hard too, while Jean-Eric Vergne showed potential of British team Manor in this class, posting excellent lap times, one after the other, throughout his last stint.

The race was far from over in the last hour, especially with the different strategies in place, even though Vaillante Rebellion (No. 31) seemed to be holding a good position. But the Jackie Chan DC Racing went into the pits for a very fast stop, roughly twenty minutes before the finish line. Olivier Janis managed the end of the stint really well and smoothly, allowing the Chinese squad to prevent direct rivals to catch up, as well as to clinch its first success with authority, in a championship which promises to be particularly competitive this year.

Rémy Brouard (Jackie Chan DC Racing by Jota): “How great! What a joy! It’s absolutely amazing. Yes we knew that we were ready for this, and I’d tell lies if I said that we didn’t think to race in the lead this weekend. We’re ambitious and it’s Chinese culture to put everything in place to win. Yet the level in LM P2 this year is so incredible that one also needs to be humble. Our three drivers did a fantastic race. We were bold and went for intermediate tyres when it’d just started raining. And that didn’t paid off! But we managed to catch up with one extra pit stop. The team did an amazing job, until the very last express pit stop, which was decisive, before Olivier’s last stint. What a relief to cross the finish line! Though I got nervous about the podium. But today was meant to go well. We couldn’t have dreamt of more to start the season.”

Xavier Combet (TDS Racing): “It’s a great satisfaction to finish on the podium considering the overall level of teams in this class. We lost about twenty seconds when the car from the pit next to us stopped too far and got in our way. It’s a shame, but that’s part of the race. On G-Drive Racing’s car, we got delayed by some issues with the right hand door which did cost us time in the pits. Generally speaking, what we’ve done this weekend allows us to be positive and optimistic for what’s to come next. The championship will be very competitive but we can give it a good shot.”

Nicolas Lapierre (Signatech Alpine Matmut driver): “The safety car ruined our race. We were quite comfortable, 45 seconds ahead, and there you go… our strategy was totally thwarted with everybody behind us. We spent over half of the race in the lead, we were fast, had a good strategy, the car was performing really well… We had it all to achieve something great. But unfortunately the safety car went out. It’s disappointing, infuriating actually, but that’s how it is.”    

Next round of the FIA WEC on May 4th, 5th and 6th.

After qualifying on pole yesterday, Paul Dalla Lana (C), Mathias Lauda (A) and Pedro Lamy (P) amassed a commanding lead by the three-hour mark. Despite the team’s strong start, an incident in the series’ LMP1 class ensured the safety car came into play, diminishing the crew’s advantage in the process.

With the three GTE Am leaders trading lap-times throughout the closing stages, Lamy emerged second by the fall of the chequered flag cementing a strong start to the team’s 2017 GTE Am campaign.

Lamy said, “We were enjoying a very strong race until the safety car arrived, which completely destroyed the advantage we had. We lost everything and then of course the race starts again from zero. On the restart, the Ferrari was a little faster than us and we had to defend ourselves hard until the end to claim this position. That was a positive result though and we start the championship well, but we we’re now completely focused on the next race at Spa”.

Lamy’s team-mate Lauda added, “My second stint, we were still in the lead over the Ferrari but with a much smaller lead than before. I could hold the gap at around 5 to 6 seconds but it was getting tougher as Pedro jumped in for the final laps. We’re very pleased with the points, we didn’t make any mistakes ourselves and we’ll be working a bit harder to make sure we have a little more pace in Spa”.

In GTE Pro, the team’s #95 and #97 entries completed the season opener 6th and 7th respectively, adding to the team’s overall manufacturer points tally.

“Silverstone was certainly a challenging first round to the championship. The race threw up many situations but the team reacted well to each of them. Across the team we’ve gained a significant amount of information which we can analyse and use to our advantage ahead of Spa. As on many occasions, we’ve left the circuit today with silverware and we’ll be looking to claim more as the season progresses”.

Aston Martin Racing enjoyed further racing success across the weekend, as customer teams TF Sport and Beechdean AMR finished 1st and 3rd in Saturday’s European Le Mans Series opener; the 4 Hours of Silverstone.

With factory driver Nicki Thiim (DN) racing with TF Sport and Darren Turner (GB) piloting the Beechdean AMR entry, the result demonstrates the strength of the V8 Vantage GTE beyond the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“Darren and Nicki have had a tremendously busy weekend supporting both customer outfits in the ELMS on Saturday claiming a victory for TF Sport and a podium for Beechdean AMR. Without doubt, the V8 Vantage GTE remains a force to be reckoned with on track as well as Aston Martin Racing drivers. Congratulations to both outfits on your successes this weekend”.

Aston Martin Racing returns to the WEC on Saturday 6 May for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.

“That was a fabulous way to start the season,” said WEC Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell. “To come out fighting like this, to take pole position and win the race with the #67 car is just amazing and much more than we expected. It was a shame for the #66. They were in with a shout before they got messed about a bit with the safety car. I’m not going to complain though as it has been a great kick off to our season. I’m really happy with the work we’ve done over the winter on fine-tuning the car and with the great support we’ve had from Michelin with the tyres.”

Andy Priaulx started the #67 Ford GT from pole position after a stylish performance in Saturday’s qualifying session. He held the lead at the start despite a strong challenge from a hard-charging Stefan Mücke.

The Ford GTs ran first and second during the opening laps before the #67 GT had to pit early with a technical issue. This put their strategy out of sync with the rest of the class so while the #66 Ford was in the lead the #67 was way down the field.  A safety car later in the race completely turned this on its head and the #66 GT lost its 30-second lead and fell down the order.

“After the first stint we were looking down and out but we never gave up,” said Priaulx, alluding to a technical problem the #67 crew experienced in the opening part of the race. “In my second stint I kept my head down and pushed to the maximum.  For sure the safety car helped us but you make your own luck in racing. Coming out when it did it reset our race. It’s so good to be able to convert pole position to a win. We leave here leading the championship and we plan on keeping it that way.”

Pipo Derani, who was racing for the first time in GTE Pro today, drove the middle stint in the #67 Ford GT.

“It wasn’t an easy race for me,” said Derani. “Everything is new so I had to learn a lot of things, including the tyre management, which on the GT is a little bit different than on a P2 car. It was a really good race and we didn’t expect to be here, especially after the beginning with the problem we had but the guys did a fantastic job, the team was phenomenal and we will enjoy our win.”

With two and half hours of the race remaining there was a Full Course Yellow when an LMP1 car had an accident so the team grabbed the opportunity to pit the #67 car and switch from Derani to Harry Tincknell.

“I was sitting in the office in the truck having a chat with Andy when I heard “Harry, helmet on!” so I didn’t have much time to prepare!” said Tincknell. “I really enjoyed having such a long run and it was one of those times when it goes very quiet in the car and you really get into the zone. I was just nailing the laps one after the other and focusing on the chequered flag. To get the win at home, in front of family, friends and Ford employees is fantastic. I gave it absolutely everything I had today and I hope this sets us on the path to a championship win.”

TOUGH START FOR THE #66 FORD GT BUT THEY WILL BE BACK!

“The start of the race was actually really good for us,” explained Mücke. “We managed to go from fourth to first before Andy got through for the lead again and then ten laps later we were back into the lead. We had some vibrations in the car, which we will investigate. This affected our balance quite a bit but we still managed to stay in the lead even with that problem. Our pit stops were good and when I handed the car over to Billy (Johnson) after a double stint we were in a good position.

Johnson and then Pla after him drove strong double stints but the switch around under the safety car put paid to a podium finish for the #66 Ford GT today.

“It’s a real shame,” said Mücke. “Of course it is great for the whole team to win at the start of the season but for us it’s hard to lead for so long then only finish fourth because of the safety car.  It was out of our hands today and we will come back even stronger.”

It all started on April 14th on the Silverstone Grand Prix racetrack with good pace in all the free practice sessions (4th in Free practice 1, 1st in Free Practice 2). The car is new, as for all the other competitors, but it feels good, even though everyone knows there will be work to be done to get all the set ups right. The drivers are happy to see that amongst all the new ORECA07 on the grid (a total of 10), the number #26 can be very competitive.

April 15th, Roman Rusinov, Pierre Thiriet and Alex Lynn set the second fastest time of the third and last free practice, continuing to prepare the car for the first 2017 WEC qualifying session.

Reminder: In the WEC championship, the qualifying of the car is made of the average of the two fastest lap times of the two designated drivers. At G-Drive Racing, Platinum driver Alex Lynn and Silver driver Pierre Thiriet did the job. With an average time of 1:44.387, #26 ORECA07 G-Drive Racing set the LMP2 fastest qualifying lap time, thus giving Russian team the honour to set the first LMP2 pole position of the season.

Brit Alex Lynn started the first race of the season, and even if he was passed in the first corner, he showed the great potential of #26 Oreca07 lapping consistently until he encountered a technical problem as the right door was opening while on track. He was therefore forced to come back into the garage for the mechanics to attempt a quick repair, which definitely changed the team’s strategy. French driver, newly introduced to WEC, Pierre Thiriet took his first stint 10 laps ahead of plan, after the repair which was not successful. He was asked by Race direction to come back in, where the team decided to fully change the door. Theses technical problems made the team lose a lot of time, which it was unfortunately unable to make up along the race. Roman Rusinov took over, and even if he managed to set very good lap times, he had to deal with rain and could not make up for the lost time.

 WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THEIR RACE:

Alex Lynn (GBR) :
“ It is obviously very disappointing to come away with a fifth place. We had the pace, all drivers drove well, but the issue we had with the door ruined our chances of getting the win, in addition, the Full Course yellow came at a bad time for us, while it was perfect for other teams. The fact that we had the door issue just before the FCY windows did not play for us, therefore our strategy finally did not work out. It’s a shame for the team because everyone has worked hard, and we lose our potential because of a silly reason. This means that we will have to work harder for the next race in Spa Belgium next month. This technical problem put us out of sequence with all the other teams, and when you are out of sequence it’s black or white, it can be a good key or it can go all wrong together… In our case, it did not help. It’s not our dream start, and it’s not the race we deserve, but we still get points for the championship.”
 
Pierre Thiriet (FRA):
“ My first FIAWEC race could have been better. First I had to take my stint earlier than planned, which is not a problem, that’s part of endurance. But the first repairs made by our mechanics on the right door, were not successful, therefore I had to come in a second time and we lost a lot of time. It really is a pity, because we started from pole position, and were looking for a good start of the season. In my first stint I was saving the tyres, and therefore I was not quite as fast as I should have, but this was good for my second stint. I had a great car and I could fight with the other ORECA’s. The door problem was really the black point of the week-end.”

Roman Rusinov (RUS):
“ We did not have the race that we wanted to have. The problem with the door is not totally new, and even if we thought it had been dealed with, it was not, and we lost a huge amount of time… basically, it is the time we needed, to stay up front. It’s really a pity because after the super pole position of Saturday, we were confident to have a good race, with a good car, a good line-up… but it did not end up that way. Our strategy was totally messed up, and we will work it out for Spa.”

Xavier Combet, Team Manager:
“ We started a good race week-end with a superb qualification, and this gave us confidence for the race. Our arrival in the FIA WEC championship starting with a pole position was just fantastic. Pierre and Alex did a wonderful job and the race could have gone in the same mood. Unfortunately it did not happen that way, as we encountered, early in the race, that technical problem which made us drop down the classification. In the WEC championship, the competitiveness is so high that it’s really difficult to regain the precious time. We will learn from this race in order to rebuilt confidence. Of course, we are disappointed with the result, but we know it’s the first race and we will have many other occasion to show what we can do. The work done by the team this week-end was really good, so we will come even stronger in Spa.”

In his first race for the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team, the 23 year-old shared the #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Ford GT cockpit with teammates Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell and left the UK leading the ultra-competitive LM GTE Pro World Championship.
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​The thrilling success was made even more noteworthy after early race problems saw the #67 Ford GT drop to the rear of the class field.

Derani then provided two excellent stints in difficult conditions to hand the car over to Tincknell, who then took the lead in the penultimate hour and built a lead over the #51 Ferrari to take a commanding win.

In his first race for the factory Ford team, Derani was congratulated by his teammates after the race for his weekend performance. After just two days testing to acclimatise to Ford GT and LMGTE Pro racing in general, Derani exceeded all expectations to help secure the spectacular win.

The young Brazilian was delighted with the performance over the weekend and believes that the victory was the perfect way to start his career as a fully-fledged factory endurance driver.

“What a way to start the 2017 WEC season, it is a very nice feeling indeed to win with Ford,” said Derani. “We had a tough start to the race with a door problem so we had to stop early which put us out of sequence with the rest of the field. We got a little bit of luck with the Safety Car which brought us back in to contention.

“The whole Ford Chip Ganassi team were excellent. Andy and Harry did fantastic stints and it has been nothing but a pleasure learning and listening to them as I get more and more used to the Ford GT car,” continued Derani. “They are really great teammates.”

For Derani the first race with Ford was the culmination of several impressive seasons in endurance racing with LMP2 machinery. Now he believes that with more familiarity of the Ford GT car he has a chance of more success in the upcoming races
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​“For me it is nice to get the first race under my belt as I did not know what to expect in several areas. I know I will keep improving and with more time in the car we can really look forward to Spa next month. I have to say a big thanks to Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. What a team and it was a very proud moment for me to win on my first appearance with such a professional organisation.”

Derani, Tincknell and Priaulx lead the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE PRO class points standings with a maximum score of 26 points after sealing pole position and the race win last weekend.

The next round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship is at Spa-Francorchamps on Saturday 6th May .

In front of more than 50,000 fans, the #38 ORECA of Tung Ho-Pin, Oliver Jarvis and WEC newcomer, 19-year-old Thomas Laurent, crossed the finish line 19.376 seconds clear of their nearest LMP2 rivals, having taken complete command of the race in the final hour of a grueling 6 Hours of Silverstone in difficult weather conditions, which saw the track change from dry to wet.

In a race packed with drama, a Full-Course Yellow and Safety Car Period shook up the order in the final hour.  Jarvis, making his LMP2 debut, took advantage to seize the lead and pull away from his rivals. The #37 ORECA of David Cheng, Alex Brundle and Tristan Gommendy fared less well in the late-stage events, after failing to get a wave by under the Safety Car and losing a lap, finishing 8th. However, this did nothing to detract from the jubilation of the team’s well-earned win.

The historic victory in the world’s most respected sportscar endurance championship is the culmination of years of work by Cheng, Tung, team manager Gary Holland, Jota Sport team directors Sam Hignett and David Clark, team director Rémy Brouard, staunch supporters Jackie Chan and Sparkle Roll, and the new collaboration with Jota Sport.

Already the team is looking ahead to the next FIA WEC round, the formidable 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium from May 4th to 6th. There, the team which has proven to itself – and it its rivals – to be a true tour de force, will reunite as Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport continues its quest for the FIA WEC LMP2 championship crown.

Quotes

#37 David Cheng:

“This was a really huge day for the team! We walked away with maximum championship points from the win and building our momentum for the big one in Le Mans in a couple of months. This is the perfect way to start off the championship. We really showed our strength as a team with Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport. Coming in to the season we all knew we could do the job, but to have it done and to show it is really important not just to us, but also to our competition. Looking at this achievement we’ve built together over the months, even years; myself, Ho-Pin and Rémy [Brouard], and now with Jota Sport.  Everything has come together with all the drivers on the team, having two cars and with such a good atmosphere with all six drivers. We’ve got a lot more work done together, and this shows the strength of the team and the collaboration we’ve created with everyone working together here; Jackie Chan, Sparkle Roll and Jota Sport. This win is a testament to everyone.

On the #37 ORECA, we have some more work to do, Tristan and Alex did a really good job and put in fast and solid stints for us. But we know the strategy we need to adapt. Now it’s full forward to Spa.”

#38 Ho-Pin Tung:

“A fantastic, perfect start to the season. I couldn’t be happier. Since 2013, I’ve been working with David [Cheng] towards this result. To be here at Silverstone, at the first race of the 2017 FIA WEC and to claim a fantastic victory for Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport makes me really proud. I think it’s the first time ever a Chinese team has won a race or been on the WEC podium. I know how much work has gone into this by everyone; by the guys at Jota Sport who have worked literally flat out from the beginning of the year to this first race. It’s a new era of LMP2, a first win for the ORECA 07, which I’m glad we have to our name.

We’ve had so much support from China, being on the podium, hearing the Chinese national anthem and seeing the Chinese flag being raised is just phenomenal. After all the years of work – myself, David [Cheng], Rémy [Brouard], Sparkle Roll and of course Jackie Chan – it’s a moment we should all enjoy and hopefully the start of a fantastic season.”

#38 Oliver Jarvis:

“It was a really good job by my two team mates Ho-Pin [Tung] and Thomas [Laurent]. Superb. That really set us up for a very exciting finish. When I got in the car, I knew we had to push flat out and give it everything because it was going to be very close with the Rebellion. I just got in the car and focused on setting quick laps. Fortunately the car was superb and in the end we were able to open up quite a comfortable gap. At one point we thought it was going to be very close, but we got out of the last stop in the lead and from there I was just able to manage the gap and cross the line in first place. For me, it’s the first time winning at Silverstone for a long time, but more importantly it’s a great result for the team. It’s so important to get points on the board early on in the year. I can’t thank David, Jackie Chan DC Racing and Jota Sport enough. We’re going to have a very successful year. The team’s done a superb job and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season.”

#38 Thomas Laurent:

“A big thanks to the team. For sure the mechanics did a really good job. Maybe we won two seconds in the pit stop, so a big thanks to the team, mechanics and engineering team, particular to Greg Wheeler for his excellent race strategy. It was really a good race for us. I look forward to Spa – I can’t wait.”

Sam Hignett, Co-owner and Director, Jota Sport:

“Thank you very much to Jackie Chan, DC Racing and all the sponsors, and all of the team here at Jota Sport for putting together such good, reliable and quick cars, from the shop floor to the engineers.  It was a great result for the ORECA #38 with the win outright in LMP2. A great effort by all the drivers, particularly Thomas Laurent in his first world sportscar race. The #37 was so close to being right up there in the top four if it wasn’t for that Safety Car at the end where we didn’t get the wave by and we lost a lap on, we would have been one car first and one car fourth or fifth. Looking ahead, everything’s looking very positive for Spa.”

Jackie Chan DC Racing

Supported by team founding partner, Hollywood superstar Jackie Chan, the team was established in 2015, and immediately claimed the 2015-16 Asian Le Mans LMP3 championship.  For the team’s 2017 FIA WEC campaign, Jota Sport brings almost two decades of endurance racing expertise which includes class wins in both the Le Mans and Spa 24 Hours.

Flying the flag for China and Chinese motorsport development across the world, Jackie Chan DC Racing has brought together the strongest driver line-up in its history in its quest to capture the LMP2 title in the world’s most prestigious endurance racing championship. The combination of multiple championship and race winners with fledgling talent creates a potent formula for success at the highest echelon of the sport:

#37 – David Cheng / Alex Brundle / Tristan Gommendy

#38 – Ho-Pin Tung / Oliver Jarvis / Thomas Laurent

We went to the Silverstone 6 Hours in good spirits. From the start of free practice we were all on form – me and my co-drivers Roman Rusinov and Pierre Thiriet. Everyone felt confident and that was cemented in qualifying when we set pole position. Qualifying in the WEC is decided by an average of the times set by the two nominated drivers. I was hugely satisfied to set the fastest ever lap of Silverstone in an LMP2 car, and Pierre did his job really well too to give us the pole. I did really want to set the fastest lap in the category, and it’s a credit to the team because the car was fantastic. It also gave us the overnight championship lead, because there’s a point for pole!

I made a good start and got away in the lead, but obviously we started behind the LMP1 cars that were fighting for overall victory, and one of the Porsches seemed to have a boost issue. It braked very early and almost spun right in front of me, and Nicolas Lapierre and Bruno Senna were able to pass me. I chased Bruno until the pit stops and we were able to get ahead of him during the stops. That put us up to second, and I hunted down Lapierre. From 15 seconds back, I was literally two seconds behind when the door opened, and we were forced to come into the pits to fix it.

That put us a lap behind and fighting to get in the top six. Pierre and Roman both did a good job, and then I got in again. There was still a slight chance of a win if I could unlap myself, because a shunt might bring out a safety car and put us back in the game. I really got into a rhythm, pulling away from Senna – who was a lap ahead of us – and the car was fantastic. We finally got back on the lead lap, but it was too little too late. We ended up finishing fifth in class, which on the one hand is good because it’s nice to have the points, but on the other hand is so frustrating.

In terms of pace it was a great weekend, but what can you do? If the door doesn’t shut, you’re not going to win it! It’s one of those silly, trivial problems, and I can’t believe we lost a race because of it. But it does mean that we go to Spa for the next round knowing that if everything goes as it should we hope to be at or near the top by the finish.

In the meantime, it’s back to the Nurburgring next weekend with BMW Team Schnitzer for the 24 Hours Qualification race in the M6 GT3. I’m really looking forward to racing a GT3 car on the amazing Nordschleife circuit for the first time – it’s going to be a brilliant experience and build-up to the 24 Hours itself.

Twenty-seven cars lined up on the Silverstone Circuit to kick off this year’s Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC. The sky over the storied racetrack in the British Midlands was overcast, a cold wind blew, and light showers fell especially in the second half of the race. However, this dampened neither the spirits of the enthusiastic British motor racing fans on the grandstands nor the pilots, who, instead of switching to wet tyres on the partially wet track, stayed out on slicks and treated the spectators to gripping fights and spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. The Porsche GT Team used the entire qualifying session to prepare for the race and to save the tyres. This season, only four instead of six sets of tyres may be used per race weekend.

This strategy paid off. In the #91 Porsche 911 RSR, Frédéric Makowiecki made up three positions in the first lap; after nine laps he was already running in third. In his slipstream, his works driver colleague Michael Christensen (# 92) turned consistently fast lap times and was within striking distance of the frontrunners. After just half an hour, the Frenchman was in second with the Dane in third. In his pursuit of the leader, Frédéric Makowiecki didn’t let the first drops of rain halt his charge. After 26 laps, he snatched the lead for the first time, which he then had to reclaim again and again over the course of the race. After two hours he handed the 911 RSR off to his teammate Richard Lietz. In the #92 vehicle, Kévin Estre took the wheel and continued to chase down the front group. However, at just over the halfway mark, he had park his 911 RSR with a technical problem.

Frédéric Makowiecki on the other hand seemed unstoppable. When the safety car was deployed a good two hours before the finish, he took over driving duties from Richard Lietz and promptly turned the fastest lap of the race. With one hour and twelve minutes to go, he pulled into the pits as the leader. Even as he pitted for a splash-and-dash fuel stop shortly before the finish he was still running at the top. Since his rivals had already made their final pit stops at this stage, Makowiecki returned to the race action in fourth. Still, with a breathtaking final push in the final laps he managed to snatch third – which everyone had believed to be lost – and made the much hoped for good start into the WEC season.

In the GTE-Am class as well, Porsche had every reason to celebrate. With the 911 RSR campaigned by the customer squad Dempsey Proton Racing, the Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy) joined forces with his German teammates Christian Ried and Marvin Dienst to claim third place after a dramatic final lap. Matteo Cairoli was also one of the pilots who secured second in the 911 RSR of Proton Competition at the season-opening round of the European Le Mans Series ELMS at Silverstone the day before.

Round two of the Sports Car World Endurance Championship is contested on 6 May in Spa-Francorchamps/Belgium.

Comments on the race
Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “That was a great race in the GTE-Pro class; extremely close and with spectacular overtaking manoeuvres. It was a great advertisement for our sport. The spectators were truly given their money’s worth. Strategically, it was a very tough race, which was made even more interesting by the caution phases. It’s a shame that our number 91 contender had to retire with a technical problem, which is as yet unidentified. But basically we have the pace and that makes us confident for the next race. The GTE-Am class was also gripping from start to finish. In the final dramatic lap, our Dempsey Proton Racing customer team also clinched third place, and they were rewarded for their strong team performance.”

Richard Lietz (911 RSR #91): “It was a very difficult race, particularly my stint with slicks in the rain. We can be very pleased with a podium place. Still, it was definitely a great and promising start to the WEC season.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (911 RSR #91): “We concluded this extremely tough race with a well-earned podium spot. In some situations we simply had luck on our side, but that’s just part of a strong and balanced field. Finishing third is more than we could have expected after our qualifying. Now we can build on this performance for the next races.”

Kévin Estre (911 RSR #92): “We were running well with our 911 RSR right from the start. Our strategy was to conserve our tyres until the last two hours of racing. Everything actually ran according to plan. But towards the end of my double stint I suddenly lost power. A short time later I saw smoke and flames. It’s a shame that our first WEC race ended like this for our new 911 RSR.”

Michael Christensen (911 RSR #92): “The race started really well for us. Our strategy to use the qualifying to prepare for the race and save our tyres worked brilliantly. This put us in the position to overtake several competitors and then match the pace of the frontrunners. At times we were in third place. That was all very positive. So we’re now looking ahead and we’re excited for the next race at Spa.”

Matteo Cairoli (911 RSR #77): “What a way to start my first WEC season. The race was a fantastic experience for me. I’m totally thrilled with third place. In the last lap we had a little luck on our side, but we all deserved this podium result.”

GTE-Pro. The 488 GTE No. 71 of AF Corse had an uphill start in GTE-Pro class. Sam Bird, in the driving seat, was hit by a Porsche and forced wide dropping several positions. James Calado did better in the 488 GTE No. 51, moving up rapidly from sixth to fourth and setting a respectable pace, although slower than the two Fords that in qualifying had already proved considerably faster down the straights. Car No. 51 pursued an aggressive strategy, while No. 71, partly because of the start, at the first stop kept the tyres and driver in place for a double stint. Calado and Pier Guidi made the most of the work of mechanics to settle quickly into third place, later moving up to second because of an early pit stop for the Ford no. 67. However, it was not a walk in the park for the drivers as car No. 51 always had to battle with Ford and Porsche cars. The car finished runner-up thanks to a flawless strategy in the second and more chaotic half of the race, which saw the team call it to the pits for a series of rapid refuellings. This enabled Calado and Pier Guidi to stay near the front and pursue a more flexible strategy in the final part. Car No. 71 had a less successful race. After the trouble at the start Bird and Davide Rigon launched a recovery that was hampered by not a perfect strategy during the fourth hour, compounded by a severe penalty of 15 seconds when Bird was adjudged responsible for a contact with the Oreca of Rebellion team driven by Mathias Beche. Class win went to the No. 67 Ford driven by Andy Priaulx, Henry Tinknell and Luis Felipe Derani, the overall race went to the Toyota of Mike Conway, Kazuki Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi.

GTE-Am. In the GTE-Am class the WEC Clearwater Racing team’s adventure, in its first full season in the Champ

In a race defined by several rain showers, the #8 TS050 HYBRID of Sébastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Kazuki Nakajima earned victory inside the final 15 minutes in front of 50,200 spectators (weekend figure).

As well as the usual winners’ trophies, the #8 crew also claimed the Royal Automobile Club International Tourist Trophy, first awarded in 1905 and won by motorsport legends such as Tazio Nuvolari, Graham Hill and Stirling Moss.

The pole-sitting #7 TS050 HYBRID of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López set the fastest lap of the race but lost over an hour due to an accident and finished 23rd. José María visited the circuit medical centre and then travelled to hospital for a precautionary scan which confirmed he suffered no injuries.

Although the race started in cool, dry conditions and the two TOYOTAs ran in first and second, the weather soon intervened; after 45 minutes a shower struck and light rain fell intermittently after that.

Close to the second pit stops, the #7 suffered an anti-roll bar problem which created handling difficulties and caused Kamui to lose performance and drop to fourth.

Anthony, now at the wheel of the #8, took over the lead and a battle with the #2 Porsche. But with two hours completed, the weather worsened and created a very challenging situation.

Both TS050 HYBRIDs stayed on slick tyres throughout, unlike the Porsches which switched to hybrid intermediates. Kamui lost time in the gravel when the rain was at its heaviest, while Anthony in the #8 initially slipped to second.

But as the conditions improved and the Porsches made an extra stop for slick tyres, Anthony reclaimed top spot. More rain came just after half distance, which caused the end of the #7 car’s challenge. José María, fighting a car with difficult handling, crashed into a tyre barrier at speed, causing extensive damage to the front and rear.

He brought the car back to the pits and the mechanics worked hard to repair the damage. After 66 minutes in the garage, Mike brought the car back on track in 26th.

That accident brought out a safety car and significantly reduced the #8 car’s advantage over the #2 Porsche. The close fight continued throughout the final two hours, setting up a grandstand finish, with Sébastien at the wheel for the last stint.

When the #2 Porsche emerged from its final pit stop, with 30 minutes remaining, its lead was only eight seconds. Sébastien hunted down the lead with a series of quick lap times, even as more drizzle fell, and eventually overtook with only 12 minutes remaining, taking the win by 6.173 seconds.

The team now prepares for the second round of the season, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, the final race before the Le Mans 24 Hours. Spa will mark the first time TOYOTA has entered three hybrid-powered LMP1 cars, with Stéphane Sarrazin, Yuji Kunimoto and Nicolas Lapierre competing in the #9 TS050 HYBRID.

Toshio Sato, Team President: “This has been a dramatic race but the first priority is José María and we are all relieved that he is okay after the accident. Despite our strong performance in qualifying, we knew that Porsche would be a much tougher opponent in the race. The whole team performed well and fought right until the chequered flag. Of course it is disappointing not to have two cars on the podium but I am proud of the team for their determination and fighting spirit today, particularly the mechanics who worked so quickly to get the #7 car back on track. Overall I am satisfied with our high-downforce TS050 HYBRID, which showed strong performance throughout this week. Now we need to fine-tune our package for Spa-Francorchamps when we look forward to again fighting closely with Porsche at the front.”

TS050 HYBRID #7 (Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, José María López)
Race: 23rd, 159 laps, 6 pit stops. Grid: 1st. Fastest lap: 1min 39.656secs

Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #7): “Well done to the #8 crew on the victory; they did a great job. It was a good first couple of stints for me but we had an issue with the anti-roll bar so the car didn’t feel right. That affected Kamui’s stint and unfortunately José had an incident in the wet. I’m glad to hear he’s okay. The guys did a great job getting the car back out there so big thanks to the team for that. A tough weekend but we had a good car so now we look forward to Spa.”
 
Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #7): “Congratulations to everyone on the #8 car on their victory. Obviously we had a good start in qualifying and the first part of the race when we were leading. But during the last few laps of Mike’s stint we had an issue with the anti-roll bar. The car didn’t feel right and after I jumped in, it was not well balanced. It’s a pity because we could have had a good result. We showed our performance and we will come back for the next race.”

TS050 HYBRID #8 (Sébastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson, Kazuki Nakajima)
Race: 1st, 197 laps, 6 pit stops. Grid: 2nd. Fastest lap: 1min 39.804secs

Sébastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #8): “I am so happy with this win. It has been a long time since the last one on our car so it’s great to start the season like that. It was a tough race and really exciting at the end. The car was quick and during the last stint I was on fresher tyres so that was an advantage. When I caught the Porsche I knew it was my only opportunity as they were faster on the straights due to their low downforce package. So I had to try something and happily it worked out well.”

Anthony Davidson (TS050 HYBRID #8): “It’s amazing to finally get our first win together as a car crew. We really had to work for it today though; we did a great job individually and as team. We read the conditions correctly and made the right call on strategy in difficult conditions, although we were unlucky with the safety car timing. Séb was on fire at the end on fresher tyres. Kazuki and I were willing him on from the pits and he did an amazing job. We couldn’t be prouder to win this one.”

Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #8): “I am very happy to get this win with Anthony and Sébastien because it is our first win together, even though we have been on the same car since 2015. I am very happy to achieve that. The race was a lot more difficult than we expected; we were a bit unlucky with the safety car and it was difficult with the rain. I was happy with the car but Porsche also had good pace and made it very difficult for us. Séb did a great job in the end; we believed in him but it was exhausting to watch.”
 
6 Hours of Silverstone results:
1st       #8 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing                            197 laps
2nd       #2 Porsche (Bernhard/Bamber/Hartley)               +6.173secs
3rd       #1 Porsche (Jani/Lotterer/Tandy)                        +46.956secs
4th        #38 DC Racing (Tung/Jarvis/Laurent)                  +13 laps
5th        #31 Rebellion (Canal/Prost/Senna)                      +13 laps
6th        #28 TDS (Perrodo/Vaxiviere/Collard)                   +14 laps
23rd     #7 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing                            +38 laps

The first race of the 2017 WEC was accompanied by typical cool and changeable British weather with rather low ambient and track temperatures of around 11 degrees Celsius and occasional light rain. However, this did not hamper the atmosphere with 50,200 fans attending over the weekend.

The Porsche LMP Team – Le Mans winner and world champion in 2015 as well as in 2016 – leads the manufacturers’ classification after the first of nine championship rounds on 33 points with Toyota second (26.5). In the drivers’ standings, the Porsche crews are currently second and third.

How the race went for car number 1:
Jani starts three on the 27-car grid but slips behind the sister car in the first part of the opening lap. He pits after 28 laps for fuel only and continues in P4. At the second regular pit stop (fuel and tyres) after 57 laps, Tandy takes over and resumes in P4. He is up to third on lap 64 ahead of Toyota #7 which appears to have an issue. After 86 laps, Tandy comes in for fuel only and afterwards attacks the #8 Toyota. When rain sets in, Tandy stops again only three laps later (after 89 laps) and takes intermediate tyres. Having completed 98 laps, Tandy hands over to Lotterer who continues on slicks in P3 behind the leading #8 Toyota and the #2 sister Porsche. On lap 117, the #7 Toyota crashes causing a safety car period that Lotterer uses for refuelling. With 141 race laps completed, the tyre performance has dropped significantly and the team decide to stop early and let Tandy take over again. At his final stop for fuel after 171 laps, the Brit only changes the two left hand tyres – used ones from qualifying and comes home third.

How the race went for car number 2:
Hartley moves up from his fourth place start to third in the opening corners on the first lap. At the end of lap 29 he refuels and resumes in P3, consistently matching the Toyota lap times. After 59 laps, Hartley hands over to Bernhard, the German rejoining second and now ahead of Toyota #7. After 87 laps, Bernhard initially comes in for fuel only but on short notice, has intermediate tyres fitted. He rejoins the race in P2. Bamber jumps into the car 99 laps into the race, the car now on slicks again and continues in P2. During the safety car period triggered by the #7 Toyota crash, Bamber comes in for refuelling after 117 laps. On 149 laps, Hartley takes over again to chase the leading Toyota. When Hartley pits for his final refuelling after 178 laps, he leads the race by almost one minute. This and a perfect service from the pit crew enables the Kiwi to rejoin with a lead of eight seconds. It is still half an hour before the chequered flag and the Toyota not only benefits from better aerodynamics due to the high downforce configuration but also is on fresher tyres. On lap 190 of 197, and in light drizzle, Buemi squeezes himself through on the inside of Hartley’s car to take the race win.

The Porsche LMP Team after the race

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “This was a thriller for us as well as for the spectators. Due to our consequent decision for the low-downforce aero package, as expected we couldn’t be a threat in qualifying. Therefore, we are even happier about today’s second and third place with such a marginal gap to the winners. Our low downforce aerodynamic package now has its most difficult race behind it. We can very much look forward to the next race at Spa-Francorchamps. The fans there can expect to see even more from us. Thanks a lot to the entire team.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “Today’s second and third place feels like a race win. I am very proud of every single team member in Weissach and here on site – it is amazing what this team achieved today. Despite the decision to come here with little aerodynamic downforce, both our cars were 100% reliable and very competitive. Additionally, our six drivers have again underlined what a high and balanced level they operate on. Congratulations to Toyota for a well deserved race win.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid car number 1:
Neel Jani (33, Switzerland): “I was first in our car and at the start I struggled with some oversteer. I had two very big moments on lap one because the rear tyres were not warm enough. Then, as expected, we were slower than the Toyotas but not by too much. It was all about managing the traffic on track and I had two situations that cost me a lot of time. On the second stint, when the tyres were pretty used, it wasn’t easy to handle the front axle but still it was better than expected.”

André Lotterer (35, Germany): “It was good to have my first race with the team. I had no major issues but I’m still obviously in a learning process. The car requires a completely different driving style. Overall it was a positive race and better than expected as we thought we would be a lot weaker against the Toyotas.”

Nick Tandy (32, Great Britain): “I felt comfortable with the car and all went well in my opening stint. It rained just after we had stopped for fuel. We had to do an extra stop for tyres which was a shame and that dropped us down. The car was working well in the dry as well as in the damp. Before I came in to change from slicks to inters, the track conditions were really tough. It was just a matter of trying not to crash.  We rolled the dice on strategy with our car in my final stint by taking tyres and although the pace was good, I couldn’t pull back the time. That said, I’m really optimistic for the future after such a good run with both cars in this set-up.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid car number 2
Earl Bamber (26, New Zealand): “I had a good stint and the car was handling well. We had mixed and difficult conditions out there but we survived and managed to keep hanging on to the Toyotas and fight. We were actually competitive on a low downforce kit in Silverstone and this was excellent.”

Timo Bernhard (36, Germany): “On my stint towards mid-race, it wasn’t really easy to find a good rhythm. I managed to follow the leading Toyota and the timing to change from slicks to inters was right, but it was pretty slippery out there. The necessary change back to slicks shortened the second half of my scheduled double stint from 29 to twelve laps.”

Brendon Hartley (27, New Zealand): “It was an action-packed first lap, getting the jump on Neel around the outside of Turn 3. He gave me room, which was good. I did my best to hang on to the Toyotas while at the same time trying to save a little fuel which would open up our strategy. I was back in the car for the finish and it was very close, closer I think than many thought it would be but I was always optimistic. We took a gamble at the end by not taking tyres to retain track position. Buemi was a little forceful although he’d have got through sooner or later but we can all be happy with second place.”

This weekend will see him join fellow AMR drivers Darren Turner and Daniel Serra in the number 97 Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE at Silverstone, where the trio will battle for honours in the opening round of the World Endurance Championship.

The Six Hours of Silverstone starts at 12:00 on Sunday 16 April 2017, and the Scotsman believes the event will be a battle royal as the globe’s top GT manufacturer teams go head-to-head at the home of British motorsport.

“Easter weekend is certainly going to be a busy one! Our testing program during the close season for the World Endurance Championship has been really positive and we’ve gathered a lot of valuable data.

“Now I’m looking forward to representing AMR once again at our home event, Silverstone, and competing at the very top level of GT racing.  Working with someone of Darren’s experience is always great, and with Daniel joining the line up with his Dunlop tyre knowledge we know we have a strong driver line up with a good balance.

“The competition will be seriously tough again this season with Ford, Ferrari and Porsche all looking to up their game, but we know we have the tools to get the job done if we can deliver on the day and we are aiming for a solid start to our campaign.”

Proving that there’s no rest for the wicked, following Sunday’s WEC race Adam will head straight to Oulton Park for the opening round of the 2017 British GT season on Easter Monday.

The reigning back-to-back BGT champion is looking to achieve what no-one has before and retain his crown for a third straight season.

With a settled driver-line up and team in the shape of team-mate Derek Johnston and TF Sport, Adam believes continuity could be the key to helping him do so.

“It’s going to be nice rolling out in the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 with the number one on the side again.

“Testing has been going well following the introduction of a new Pirelli slick tyre, and Derek has been driving better than ever over the off season.

“We know the grid has improved going into the 2017 season so we’ll need to raise our game, and with two races on the day it’s vital to finish both and get points on the board for our title defence.

“However, we like Oulton as a venue and it suits the car so we can’t wait to get started.”

After this weekend’s outings in the UK, Adam’s 2017 European adventures will begin at the legendary Italian circuit of Monza, where he will race with Ahmad Al-Harthy and Oman Racing in the Blancpain Endurance Cup.

His triple campaign has been boosted by the continued backing of long-term sponsor Asset Alliance Group, with the UK’s leading commercial vehicle finance provider extending its deal to partner the flying Scotsman and provide transporter units for the TF Sport team.

“Having Asset Alliance Group join me again in 2017 is very positive heading into a big season of racing. We work closely on and off the track, not only maximising their brand exposure through my racing commitments but also entertaining and networking with clients at selected rounds in the British and World Championships.

“Securing such strong backing from a great brand helps me deliver on track and I’m grateful they are going to be involved in what should be an epic 2017 season.”

Of course, I had the amazing experience in March of winning the Sebring 12 Hours in the States with Ricky and Jordan Taylor, and then it was straight into preparation for my debut in the Nurburgring 24 Hours next month with BMW. In order to get my A licence to race a GT3 car on the Nordschleife, I had to do two four-hour VLN races at the track in a BMW M235i Cup car. The main positive point was that I’ve now got my licence, which was more difficult than I probably realised. You’ve got to do 18 racing laps over the two races, and if you crash or even speed in yellow-flag sections then they take points away for your licence. They have unconventional rules at the Nordschleife, so to get my licence is a weight off my mind.

The circuit is a driver’s paradise – it really is. I’ve been fortunate enough that every day I’ve done so far has been in the dry, but I doubt I’ll be that lucky at the 24 Hours…

After the first VLN race, I flew out to Mexico City to do the shakedown session for the Formula E race with the DS Virgin Racing team. The car’s regular driver, Jose Maria Lopez, was at the Monza Prologue test for the WEC and had to fly in just before free practice, so I got to warm the car up. That was cool and I really enjoyed being part of a Formula E race weekend. Everything went to plan, I got the car back nice and safely and I set a decent pace too. Jose Maria has to miss the New York races in July because of a clash with the Nurburgring WEC round, so I’m really looking forward to racing the car there.

Then it was back to the Nurburgring for my second VLN race, and before that I got to drive the Nordschleife in the BMW M6 GT3 car for the first time. It was just a case of starting the learning process of that car on that track. It’s a hell of a lot easier in the M6 than the M235i, which is quite weird and funny. The M6 is an out-and-out race car, while the 235 is a modified road car. I’m doing the 24 Hours with the famous Schnitzer team alongside Antonio Felix da Costa and Timo Scheider, which is great, and that can’t come soon enough!

But for now it’s Silverstone. I really do think there’s a strong chance of a podium or even a win. Every car in LMP2 has to have a silver-rated driver – which is either an amateur or an up-and-coming driver who hasn’t yet proved himself in international races. Our silver driver is Pierre Thiriet, and he’s the best silver on the grid. Our other driver is Roman Rusinov – like Pierre he’s raced these cars for a while now and his performance is better and better in the latest generation of LMP2. I had to miss the Monza Prologue test because I was in Mexico, but Pierre and Roman were fourth and fifth quickest of every LMP2 driver – behind only some platinum-rated guys. So I’m very optimistic we’re in with a good shout.

The car I raced at Sebring was kind of LMP2, but the Gibson engine we use in WEC is a lot peakier than the rumbling Cadillac we have in the States, and the Dunlop tyres give better performance than the Continentals in America. Because of that, I’m glad I did the three-day test at Motorland Aragon with G-Drive before Sebring. We got a fair few laps in and some good experience, and obviously with my other activities I’m up to race sharpness already.

I’m really excited. I absolutely love Silverstone – it’s my favourite track and I think this is going to be a top weekend and a great way to start the WEC season.

Williams will work in parallel with Adrian Reynard’s Auto Research Centre (ARC) on the CFD of the project. A number of CFD runs have already taken place, with the aerodynamics element of the project set to commence in early June.

Ewan Baldry, Ginetta Technical Director; “We are thrilled to be working with Williams on the aerodynamics elements of the Ginetta LMP1 project. The have an impressive facility, which can run the Ginetta LMP1 model at a full range of ride heights, roll angles and yaw position and it’s fantastic to know the Ginetta LMP1 has the opportunity to be tested in the same wind tunnel which has helped Williams win multiple F1 titles.”

As the technology and engineering services business of the Williams Group, Williams Advanced Engineering are renowned for providing world class innovation in engineering and technology, operational performance, testing and manufacturing services.

With a focused team looking to flourish in this weekend’s race, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal Paul Howarth has identified the great importance of claiming early points and consistently gaining them throughout what is due to be an incredibly competitive season.

“We’re in a great space ahead of Silverstone,” he commented, “we have a new and exhilarating line up while retaining our committed partners including Total and Dunlop, giving us the complete package for what we predict to be a successful season for Aston Martin Racing”.

Aston Martin will enter three cars in this year’s championship, hoping to repeat the success of last season with Nicki Thiim (DN) and Marco Sørensen (DN) crowned as 2016 GT Drivers Champions with the #95 entry claiming GTE Pro honours too.

With the #95 GTE Pro occupied by Nicki Thiim, Marco S­­­­­ørensen and Richie Stanaway (NZ), the #97 will be driven by Daniel Serra (BR), Darren Turner (GB) and Jonny Adam (GB).

“Last season we set the bar high and now we are title defenders” said Thiim who added “There are some new cars which will make for an interesting season but we definitely have the team to take them on. Silverstone is an interesting circuit and there’s always a sense of anticipation ahead of a new season, but right now I just want to be back in my car and pushing for the win”.

Sørensen added, “To be champions is amazing, I want the same again” he added “It all starts at Silverstone, we want to make a strong statement. I really feel that the hard work and training has paid off over the winter and we’re in an even better place than we were 12 months ago”.

In GTE Am, the familiar trio of Paul Dalla Lana (CA), Mathias Lauda (AT) and Pedro Lamy (PT) will launch their 2017 campaign with an upgraded V8 Vantage GTE to 2016 specification. The team are looking to build on their success towards the end of last season after winning five of nine rounds last season.

“Consistency and reliability are key and our preparation from now to Le Mans is crucial,” said Dalla Lana, “we have a great team and success to build on. Le Mans will be the true test and that is the victory that we so dearly want to take”.

Exeter’s Harry Tincknell plans to make a flying start to the opening round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) on Easter Sunday. Harry will race the #67 Ford GT for his second consecutive season and will be joined in the six-hour race by regular full season team mate Andy Priaulx and Brazilian Pipo Derani.

The British venue has been the scene of some of Tincknell’s best performances having won in FIA Formula 3 in 2013, recording pole position on his Sportscar debut in 2014 and last year winning the opening round of the European Le Mans to set up a Championship winning season in the LMP2 Class.

It has been a busy off season for the 25 year old. As well as finishing 5th in his first Daytona 24 Hours in Florida this January, the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing driver has been clocking up testing miles in Abu Dhabi, Spain and most recently at the WEC Prologue event in Monza, Italy.

The Prologue is the only pre season event where all the 2017 World Endurance Championship cars practice together and Tincknell left the iconic Italian circuit with a confidence boost having set the fastest lap time in the GT Pro class on the final day, underlying a positive winter period for the Ford GT.

Harry Tincknell (GB):

“I really can’t wait to get going this weekend at Silverstone. I’ve had a great off season and arrive this weekend fitter and stronger than I’ve ever been before. I’m so motivated to start the season off on a high. As a team, we’re in a much stronger position now we have a full year of racing under our belts and we’ve been busy trying to improve the car and my own performance over the winter”.
 
“Silverstone has been a happy hunting ground for myself in the past, having won the European Le Mans Series race here last year before finishing 4th on Ford’s return to the World Endurance Championship the next day. It is my favourite circuit due to it’s fast and flowing nature and it is always special to start the season off with your home race”.
 
“I’m really looking forward to teaming up with Andy again and we formed a great partnership last year, winning two of the final three World Endurance Championship races in Japan and China. And until the Le Mans 24 Hours, we’re joined by Pipo Derani who I’ve raced against since our Formula 3 days. Pipo is not only a super fast addition to the team but he’s also a fantastic team player and he has fitted in really well”.

The race
The Silverstone Circuit with legendary corners such as Becketts, Copse and Stowe is one of the world’s most storied racetracks. On 13 May, 1950, the circuit hosted the first modern-day Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The Porsche drivers
Four works drivers tackle the GTE-Pro class with the new 911 RSR for the Porsche GT Team at the season-opening round in Silverstone. Sharing the cockpit of the #91 vehicle are Richard Lietz (Austria), the WEC GT Champion of 2015, and Frédéric Makowiecki (France). Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Kévin Estre (France) man the #92 car. In the GTE-Am class, the Porsche customer team Dempsey Proton Racing campaigns a 911 RSR from last season with the Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy), Christian Ried (Germany) and Marvin Dienst (Germany) sharing driving duties.

The Porsche 911 RSR
The 911 RSR is a completely new development: the suspension, body structure, aerodynamic concept, engine and transmission have all been designed in Weissach from scratch. Depending on the size of the restrictor, the motor, which is now positioned in front of the rear axle, puts out around 375 kW (510 hp). Thanks to the particularly large rear diffuser combined with a top-mounted rear wing, the level of downforce and the aerodynamic efficiency were significantly improved. The 911 RSR also contests the WEC sporting the further developed factory design with the primary colours white, red and black.

The schedule
The six-hour race gets underway on Sunday, 16 April, at midday local time (13.00 hrs CEST).

Live on TV
Eurosport telecasts the final phase of the race as well as the podium ceremony. The FIA WEC app is free in its basic version, but offers live streaming of the complete race as well as the time-keeping for a fee.

Pre-race quotes
Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “It feels good to be back in the WEC with the GT works team and with our entirely newly developed 911 RSR. At the Prologue a week ago in Monza, our team was able to prepare for all possible racing situations and the drivers’ feedback on the 911 RSR was very positive. Still, the competition in the extremely popular GTE-Pro class is hard to gauge. After the first race we’ll have a better idea of where we stand. In any case, Silverstone promises to be an exciting start to the season.”

Marco Ujhasi, Overall Project Manager GT Works Motorsport: “We travel to Silverstone well prepared. We used the WEC Prologue at Monza to work on setting up the car and try out double stints on one set of tyres with a view to the first race of the season. The grip level on the Silverstone Circuit is very high and puts very special demands on the setup. The fact that we’re only permitted four sets of tyres per race this season makes it all the more important to use the tyres optimally.”

Richard Lietz (911 RSR #91): “Silverstone is one of my favourite tracks and the first race where we only have four instead of six sets of tyres at our disposal. This means that every driver has to do a double stint on one set of tyres. We also have to look after the tyres even more this season so that they don’t deteriorate too much over the distance. This’ll certainly make things exciting. At the last test in Monza, our new 911 RSR fulfilled all expectations. We’re ready to tackle the season.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (911 RSR #91): “I’m very pleased to be back contesting the WEC after an exciting year in the USA. We saw from the tests that our new 911 RSR has great potential. If we can also mobilize these strengths in the race we’ll definitely have a chance to win.”

Michael Christensen (911 RSR #92): “Starting the season at Silverstone is always interesting. It’s particularly appealing to return to the WEC with a works team and the new 911 RSR on this racetrack. I’m looking forward to it. We’ll undoubtedly experience a thrilling season. I hope we can achieve some good results in 2017 with the new car and maybe even bring home victories.”

Kévin Estre (911 RSR #92): “The first race with a new car is always something very special. Our final tests in Monza went well, but we’ll only see the true value of those tests at Silverstone. It’ll certainly be an interesting race. Of course, we’re all under a little pressure but that’s not something new for us. We have to try to stay focussed and do our job well. If we can do this, then we’ll get the results that we’re hoping for.”

The eagerly anticipated first race for the 27-car field gets underway on Sunday at 12:00 hrs. Track action on the 5.9 kilometre long Formula One circuit can be followed live from basically all over the world.

The Porsche 919 Hybrid has been widely reworked for the 2017 championship. 60 to 70 per cent of the Le Mans prototype’s components are new developments. This goes especially for the areas of aerodynamics, chassis and combustion engine. However, the power train in principle remains the same. The innovative hybrid race car develops a system power of around 900 HP (662 kW) that comes from a compact two-litre turbo charged V4-cylinder (nearly 500 PS/368 kW) and two different energy recovery systems – brake energy from the front axle combined with exhaust energy. The combustion engine drives the rear axle while the electro motor boosts the front axle with an output of more than 400 PS (294 kW). The electrical energy that comes from the front brakes and the exhaust system is temporarily stored in a liquid-cooled lithium ion battery.

The newly assembled line-up of the Porsche LMP1 works drivers feel well-rehearsed after winter testing and the WEC Prologue in Monza (IT). Reigning world champion Neel Jani (CH) has the number 1 on the car he shares with Nick Tandy (GB) and Porsche newcomer André Lotterer (DE). The number 2 sister car belongs to the two New Zealanders, Earl Bamber and Brendon Hartley, together with Timo Bernhard (DE).

The Porsche LMP Team before the season’s opening race

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “The team has done an amazing job during the recent weeks and months. Now it’s time to finally go racing. The Prologue has proven that we can expect a very tough fight with Toyota. Silverstone is going to be a six-hour sprint race.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “With regards to reliability, we have been fine at our 30-hour test in Paul Ricard as well as at the Prologue in Monza. We feel well prepared for the first six-hour race. However, with regards to lap-times, Silverstone is going to be difficult. In the name of cost saving, the 2017 regulations permit only two aero kits per season. We have managed our resources the way that we focus on developing and testing our Le Mans aerodynamics until the third race of the season is over. This means low downforce for the benefit of low drag and this unavoidably will be a disadvantage in Silverstone. After the Le Mans 24 Hours in June we will consequently arm the 919 with more downforce for the remaining championship rounds. Another new challenge that is addressed by the rules is the reduced amount of tyres. Two fuel tank fillings – in other words about 90 minutes racing – with the same set of slick tyres will be standard. This requires very sensible tyre management.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid car number 1:
Neel Jani (33, Switzerland): “Last year we only won the opening round in the aftermath of scrutineering, but it was the beginning of an incredible season. Historically, Silverstone isn’t our strongest circuit and I don’t see us being the favourites this year either – especially as we are aerodynamically compromised. But still we want as many points as possible.”

André Lotterer (35, Germany): “I competed in the British Formula 3 Championship in 2001 and lived in Milton Keynes which is not far away from Silverstone. I also did some Formula One testing there and more recently won in the WEC. It is a cool circuit. Especially the fast, first half of the lap with the Copse, Maggots, Chapel and Stowe corners which have a great flow. We will, however, lack some downforce and that will present an extra challenge. The British round is also very important for the WEC because there is such huge interest.”

Nick Tandy (32, Great Britain): “Silverstone is extra special for me. Number one, it is the start of the season, so everyone is excited. Number two, Silverstone is a track I love to drive on and number three, it is my home race. I live only 30 miles away. My father, who doesn’t travel much, will come for this race plus many friends as well. Hopefully we’ll have a good celebration on Easter Sunday and then an enjoyable day off on Monday.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid car number 2
Earl Bamber (26, New Zealand): “I think we can expect a very tight fight with Toyota this year. It was close in Monza but Silverstone is a very different circuit layout so we must get on track with our Le Mans aero kit and see where we are. I have raced only once in Silverstone. This was in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and I finished on the podium. It was an amazing fight and so I have great memories of that circuit.“

Timo Bernhard (36, Germany): “Porsche and Toyota operate on the same top level. Small advantages for one or the other can vary from track to track with the respective aerodynamic strategies playing an important role. It will be very interesting to see how this turns out in Silverstone. The British fans are the best in the world – very enthusiastic and always unbelievably well informed. The last two years, unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to drive the car in the race. For 2017, I hope for a clean start to the season to build a strong foundation for the championship.”

Brendon Hartley (27, New Zealand): “I cannot wait to get the season started in Silverstone. Technically we had a great test in Monza and as a car crew, we feel ready for the fight. Earl has integrated well and also showed awesome performance in Monza. In Silverstone, we may see a different picture in terms of competition in the LMP1 category. We will see how strong Toyota are.”

A heavily-modified TS050 HYBRID, featuring upgraded hybrid powertrain plus mechanical and aerodynamic updates, will make its competitive debut in the first of nine endurance races which will decide the 2017 championship.

With only two aerodynamic packages permitted in 2017, TOYOTA will bring the high-downforce version of the TS050 HYBRID to Silverstone, where it has finished on the podium in each of its five previous visits so far.

The 5.901km Silverstone circuit, one of the most historic on the WEC calendar having been opened in 1948, is famed for its sweeping corners which put a premium on downforce rather than outright top speed.

With around 35,000km of pre-season testing under its belt, including the two-day Prologue event at Monza earlier this month, the team heads to Silverstone ready to take on LMP1 rivals Porsche in a two-way battle for World Championship honours.

Behind the wheel, three-time World Touring Car champion José María López makes his TOYOTA race debut in the #7 TS050 HYBRID alongside Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi, race winners and title contenders in 2016.

In the sister car, the #8, Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima are reunited for a third consecutive season. Anthony and Sébastien have driven together since 2013 and won the 2014 title wearing the #8.

Home heroes Anthony and Mike have enjoyed their share of success at Silverstone down the years and both are previous winners of the Richard Lloyd Trophy, presented to the highest placed member of the British Racing Drivers’ Club.

Track action begins on Friday with two 90-minute sessions, while a final hour-long practice on Saturday morning takes place before qualifying. The six-hour race, which last year saw 1,144km completed by the winning car, begins at midday on Sunday.

Toshio Sato, Team President: “The start of a new WEC season is always an exciting time and we will travel to Silverstone with plenty of hope and expectations. I would like to thank the team for their strong effort over the winter to introduce our updated TS050 HYBRID and prepare it for the new season. It is a very intense period for the whole team but I am proud of our preparations and I believe we have done everything in our power to be ready. Now we will see how we compare with Porsche; we will be pushing to the maximum to get a strong result.”
 
Mike Conway (TS050 HYBRID #7): “Silverstone is my home race; a track I raced on many, many times. I really like Silverstone because it’s fast flowing and good fun. It will be a tricky race especially with traffic but I think we have a competitive car and we arrive there well prepared. Even though it’s hard to tell at the moment where we are compared to our main rival, I’m sure we will see a tough battle so I’m really looking forward to it and I’m optimistic.”
 
Kamui Kobayashi (TS050 HYBRID #7): “It’s a great track with a lot of history, especially in endurance racing, and I enjoy racing in front of the British fans. They are real motorsport enthusiasts and we usually see a big crowd. We are here to win races so that is the target at Silverstone. It will be challenging as always in WEC but we want to show our performance after a positive winter of testing. It’s gone well so I’m confident we can put on a good show.”

José María López (TS050 HYBRID #7): “I am very much looking forward to my first-ever race in an LMP1 car and my first race for TOYOTA. Testing has gone well and I feel at home in the team already. With Mike and Kamui, I have quickly developed a strong relationship; I can’t wait to race together this weekend. It’s a long time since I raced at Silverstone but it will be good to go back. It’s a high-speed track and I’m sure the TS050 HYBRID will be a lot of fun there.”
 
Sébastien Buemi (TS050 HYBRID #8): “Silverstone is a high-downforce circuit and I think our car can be strong there. I have nice memories of racing there; I had my first podium in WEC in 2013, we won the following year and I had another podium in 2015. All in all it was usually a good race for me so I hope we can repeat that again this year. I like the atmosphere as well at Silverstone; they are really enthusiastic so it’s always nice to come back. It’s hard to say what we can expect. Looking at the Prologue results we believe we are competitive; now we need to confirm it.”

Anthony Davidson (TS050 HYBRID #8): “There’s a lot to look forward to this season. Obviously Silverstone is truly my home track as I live very close by and I’ve driven there in all kinds of cars over the years. It’s a great circuit to drive which really highlights the performance of modern LMP1 cars, especially in the fast, flowing corners where you take advantage of the downforce. The championship battle starts in Silverstone and I believe we’ve got the car to fight at the front.”

Kazuki Nakajima (TS050 HYBRID #8): “Personally I like Silverstone a lot. It’s a nice lay-out which is fun to drive and the combination of high-speed corners from Copse to Maggotts is one of the best sections on any circuit in the world. We go to Silverstone with the clear aim of winning the race. It’s difficult to predict the competitiveness of the two LMP1 manufacturers but I’m excited by the challenge. I think we are ready to get the season started.”

“With a respectable first season behind us, we are in great shape to start the second WEC season at Silverstone,” said Dave Pericak, Ford Performance global director. “The GTE Pro class is going to be intense, but we have the team ready for battle. We know the competition has been preparing as well, so get ready for some amazing racing.”

The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team will run its full Le Mans squads in the WEC so everyone is in the groove by the time they get to Le Mans. Billy Johnson (US) returns to join Stefan Mücke (GER) and Olivier Pla (FRA) in the #66 Ford GT for the first three races of the season. Luis Felipe ‘Pipo’ Derani (BRA) joins regulars Andy Priaulx (GB) and Harry Tincknell (GB) in the #67 Ford GT.

“Our goal is to win the championship this year,” said Priaulx. “We need to focus on finishing every race, playing to our strengths and taking the points we need to bring the title home. There is extra motivation in the fact that we are fighting for a World Championship now. The cars are all so equal in the GTE Pro class that I expect some fierce but fair fights on the track this year.

“A top result at Le Mans is vital of course as there are double points up for grabs. It’s our second year with the car so we have data from all of the tracks, which will help us. The team has had a year to grow and we were so strong at the end of last year. The atmosphere in this team is the best I have ever known so I’m hoping for an exciting season ahead.”

Perhaps the toughest competition for the #67 Ford GT will come from the sister car, the #66 of Mücke, Pla and Johnson.

“We have a clear goal for 2017 and that is to win the championship,” said Mücke. “A good result at Le Mans is important for that but really every race is important. I love racing in the WEC. Of course we have that amazing, intense week at Le Mans but we also get to race at some fantastic tracks all over the world.

“Silverstone is a great place to start the season as you can immediately see how well you have done with your winter development work. The circuit has a bit of everything: slow sections where you need good mechanical grip and high-speed sections with long straights and hard braking zones. The team has gelled very well and our confidence is high. Everyone is still pushing hard to find those tiny fractions of time that can make all the difference to your championship hopes. We enjoy very healthy competition here and we share information between the cars so we are a strong team.”

New for 2017 is the fact that the GT teams are now fighting for World Championships, since the FIA gave full World Championship status to the GTE Drivers and Manufacturers titles. One rule change to look out for is that the teams will have less rubber to use in 2017. Tyre allocation drops from four sets to three sets in practice and from six sets to four sets for qualifying and the race.

 “We’ve had a busy winter as we competed at Daytona and Sebring, alongside our regular test and development programme,” said George Howard-Chappell, WEC Team Principal. “To most the Ford GT will look the same as it did in 2016 as we are tied by the regulations on what we can and can’t change. As you can imagine though with any professional race team, whatever we can change has been changed. The results started to come for us in the latter part of last season with the wins at Fuji and Shanghai. I’m expecting the racing to be as close as ever this year so we will all have to fight for every inch of track.”

The 6 Hours of Silverstone gets underway on Easter Sunday at 12:00 BST (13:00 CET).

Jota has had a mutual co-operation deal with Arden since 2015 and the recent implementation of Arden Motorsport engineer Ashley Edwards in to the No.37 crew at Monza, for the official prologue test last week, is set to continue a role in the team for at least Silverstone and Spa.

“We are combing Jota and Arden’s capabilities to further accelerate the engineering strength for the WEC programme with Jackie Chan DC Racing X JOTA Sport this season,” said Jota director Sam Hignett.

“As similar sized and resourced companies we have been co-operating for the last two seasons but this is one of the most visible ways in which we can pool together our knowhow and benefit from extending a strong engineering ethos in our two-car programme in WEC this season,” continued Hignett. “Julian (Rouse) and I share the same principals in meeting very high standards to be top private teams, so it makes sense for us to share and maximise this engineering skill.”

Edwards, who has previous experience in Superleague Formula, F3, V8 World Series and GP3, has some prior experience at Le Mans but has been embedded in the LMP2 WEC team to solidify the already strong technical ability within the two-car Jota run ORECA-Gibson effort in 2017.

“It was interesting to attend the test with the Jackie Chan DC Racing X JOTA Sport guys last week and although the weather spoilt one of the days it was still very productive,” said Edwards

“The focus is on further understanding the new LMP2 class and how to maximise the average speed across the three drivers which, as always, will be the key this season,” continued Edwards. “I know Tristan (Gommendy) well from my Super league Formula days so it was great to work with him again and to be reminded of what a great professional he is.”

The Jackie Chan DC Racing X JOTA Sport duo of ORECA-Gibson’s will be in action for the first time this season at the 6 Hours of Silverstone, the first round of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship next weekend.

These GTE cars are based on production models, and are fundamentally different from each other. To create a more level playing field for competition, regulators have the ability to apply fine adjustments in the performance of individual cars to allow each model to be competitive.

The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and the GTE Manufacturers entered in the FIA World Endurance Championship have now agreed upon a plan for the governance of Balance of Performance (BOP). An innovative and ground-breaking automatic system will be introduced from the opening round of the 2017 season, the 6 Hours of Silverstone.

Adjustments to the balance of performance for cars entered in the LMGTE Pro category during the season will now be made automatically after certain rounds, according to evaluation criteria defined and agreed by all parties before the start of the season.

A calculation tool has been created which will allow the targets for balancing the different car models to be met, without human interpretation or decision-making, and using mathematical formulas based on the quantified, public, specific, measured data obtained during each race. More specific details can be found in the attached document which was jointly prepared by the FIA and ACO.

This new system will be applicable for all rounds of the 2017 WEC except for the 24 Hours of Le Mans which will be treated separately. It will only be used for the manufacturers in the LMGTE Pro class, and the same system used up until 2016 will be applied to the LMGTE Am competitors.

The manufacturers and regulators have decided not to make the first adjustments until after the first two races so as not to over-react. It has therefore been agreed that the first adjustments will be calculated after Spa, applicable for Round 4, the 6 Hours of Nürburgring.

BOPWEC2017_EN

Joining the Signatech Alpine Matmut team for the first event of the season at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Pierre took part in all five sessions, which ran over a total of 14 hours, and enjoyed a trouble-free and positive start to his 2017 campaign.

The weekend started in dry and sunny conditions as the #35 crew completed 58 laps in the morning working on base set-up, brakes and initial checks. An additional 43 laps in the afternoon saw them carry out runs on new and used tyres. As the clouds appeared, the evening’s night session was hampered by heavy rain, as the team added 20 more laps to their total.

Drier conditions greeted teams on Sunday morning but with the track still damp, initial running started on Dunlop intermediate tyres. Conditions dried sufficiently for the use of slick tyres midway through the morning session. Completing 63 laps, Pierre finished fifth in LMP2 showing promising signs.

Pierre used the final three-hour session to complete full stint simulation. The team covered 58 laps more and finished the final session second on the LMP2 timesheets. It was a fruitful way to end a productive weekend for the Frenchman.

Pierre said: “It’s been a very useful two days of testing for me, as I settle back into the Signatech Alpine Matmut team – and also learn about the new Alpine 470. We have had a real mix of weather conditions, which allowed us to evaluate many types of Dunlop tyre. We were able to complete many laps on both days, proving the new car to be encouragingly competitive and reliable. Lap times were not our main focus, as we had to look at baseline settings and initial checks, but I felt immediately comfortable in the car and encouraged by our pace. We were also able to complete some longer runs on Sunday afternoon, which gives us a lot of important information. Monza is a great circuit, perfect to unleash the extra power from the new regulations, and we had great support from the impressive crowds. We have acquired a lot of data from which we can now prepare for the 6 Hours of Spa in May. Thanks to my personal sponsors, as well as to Alpine and Signatech for the opportunity to compete once again in the incredible WEC.”

Ho-Pin Tung set a lightning lap in the final track session of the two-day Prologue, putting  the #38 car 0.111s ahead of his closest rival in the intensely-competitive, 10-car LMP2 category.

The achievement, which will be a welcome early birthday gift for team founder and Hollywood movie star Jackie Chan, was the culmination of a strong weekend for the team, during which the dazzling line-up of driver talent and team expertise came together with the rest of the WEC field for the first time, and is an indication of what is to come from the formidable outfit this season.

Although the team has already completed an extensive pre-season testing programme, the two-day official Prologue, with the entire 2017 entry present, provided a useful benchmark as well as final chance to ensure the two-car LMP2 team is working like clockwork ahead of the 6 Hours of Silverstone season-opener on April 16.

Drivers David Cheng, Alex Brundle, Tristan Gommendy, Ho-Pin Tung, former LMP1 driver Oliver Jarvis, and WEC newcomer Thomas Laurent all had runs in the new car, with lap times proving the team is going to be a strong WEC LMP2 title contender this season amongst the most competitive field in the championship’s history.

Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota Sport will take to the famous British track for free practice on Friday, April 14, with Qualifying the following day and the race getting underway at noon local time on Sunday, April 16.

Quotes

#37 David Cheng:

“For us it’s been a fantastic two days. The whole team has gelled really well, but to be here with every single team in the field, we know we’re competitive – from our average times and our fastest running. Through the first day I think we did a lot of productive work; we focused a lot less on lap times and did the programme we needed to do. The second day, with the weather being variable, it was very hard to do any performance running, but I think from our point of view we sorted out all the issues and all the advances we needed to make, both as a team and for a lot of our new components. This year it’s a new car with new ECU, new almost everything, so sorting out the little details for us is more important than putting on a new set of tyres and going out and setting a lap time.

I think Silverstone’s going to be a very exciting race, especially in LMP2 where the competition is going to be very close we’re sure. For myself I’m really looking forward to Silverstone and a high downforce car with more power this year. I think that track is going to be amazing with these cars. Here we’re running four seconds off the leading LMP1 hybrids. At Silverstone it’s going to be absolutely insane. Who knows, one of the LMP2 cars may be on the overall podium.”

#38 Ho-Pin Tung:

“It’s great to finish fastest in the final session of the WEC Prologue. We’ve worked well over the past two days at Monza and we’ve managed to improve bit by bit, mainly by focusing on the upcoming races. Everyone at Jackie Chan DC Racing and Jota Sport is gelling very well, we have a great atmosphere and I couldn’t be more pleased! All six drivers share the same feedback and feeling on car behaviour, which is a big advantage for getting to grips quickly with our new Oreca 07’s.

We have learned a lot and still have a lot to do, but this is a very good start. I had the honour of making Jackie Chan DC Racing the first-ever Chinese team to top the time sheets and it leaves us wanting more – we’ll definitely be trying to do that again at Silverstone!”

#38 Oliver Jarvis:

“I think it’s been a really successful two days testing for us. The main aim coming here was just to work through our programme, focus on ourselves and make sure we arrive in Silverstone in the best shape possible. I think we’ve managed to achieve that. There’s still lots of hard work to do between now and Silverstone. The team is working really well together. All six drivers are getting on really well together and there’s a great atmosphere in the team. I think leaving here we’re confident we’re in good shape, but  we’re aware we’ve got some really strong competition, so we’re going to have to be really on top of our game when we arrive in Silverstone, but I’m very positive and everything so far looks very good. Silverstone is a home track for me, and I think when we arrive there, we’ll be in the best shape possible.

Gary Holland, Team Manager:

“Target for Jackie Chan DC Racing by Jota Sport from a technical view was to work operationally as a two-car team in the most efficient and effective manner. Moving forward, some of the processes and procedures that we work on stand us in good stead for the rest of the year. It’s also important to cycle the drivers through the car and get some of the system checks done. We’re in a very fortunate position in that we’re a 2-car team so we can complete twice the amount of development work.  It’s important that the crew separate and them come together and we cover the ground that we should do using the two cars.

There’s really good integration between the two cars, so we’re really pleased how it is. Some of the set up work we’ve been doing stands us in really good stead. We’re very ready for Silverstone. Everyone’s looking forward to it and we’re ready and waiting to go.”

The Grand Prix circuit in Lombardy not only offered the ideal conditions to work on the tyres and the setup, but also threw changing weather conditions at the 27 teams: The cars faced sunshine and rain with the corresponding temperature fluctuations.

The 911 RSR, with which Porsche returns to the WEC this season with a factory team, successfully completed the Prologue without any significant problems. They delivered a strong performance on the storied racetrack, on which Porsche once celebrated many great victories at the famous 1,000-kilometre races. In four of the five practice sessions, Michael Christensen and Kévin Estre posted the best time in the GTE-Pro class. Their team colleagues Frédéric Makowiecki and Richard Lietz set second place two times. The Porsche customer teams campaigning the 911 RSR in the GTE-Am class also did well. Gulf Racing with the all-British driver lineup of Michael Wainwright, Ben Barker and Nicholas Foster as well as Dempsey Proton Racing with Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy), Christian Ried (Germany) and Marvin Dienst (Germany), also clocked the top times.

Comments on the Prologue
Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “The dress rehearsal for the season-opener at Silverstone was a success. We were able to complete our test programme exactly as we’d anticipated, turning more laps than any other competitor. It was important for us that we were able to prepare for all possible racing situations here. And this worked well. The performance of the 911 RSR is hard to gauge, however the feedback from the drivers was very positive. They’re all pleased with how the car handles. We want to take this good momentum with us to Silverstone. It will definitely be exciting there.”

Marco Ujhasi, Overall Project Manager GT Works Motorsport: “Our goal for this Prologue was to generally prepare the driver, car and team for the start of the season in Silverstone. We were able to implement our schedule as planned. During the second session on Sunday we focussed on worked specifically on preparing for that first race. We concentrated on important issues such as trying out double stints on one set of tyres. In this regard, too, we were able to gain new insights. The pit stops also ran very well. We’re already looking good as a team. We’ll do the final touches in the free practice at Silverstone. We’re ready for the first race.”

Richard Lietz (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “This was a very important test for us. Every team was in racing mode. We tried several different setups for Silverstone and these worked well. Monza was also an ideal opportunity to integrate the many new team members into the squad. Now we look forward to our return as a works team to the WEC and we can hardly wait until the season finally begins at Silverstone.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “We’ve gained a better understanding of our new 911 RSR. This test was very positive and brought us a big step forward. And the team has grown even closer over the last two days. I’ve had a year away from the WEC so, of course, I’m excited to be back again. The fact that the first race is contested in Silverstone, on one of my favourite racetracks, just adds to the excitement.”

Michael Christensen (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “Monza was a very good test for us. We learned a great deal, for instance, about the balance of our 911 RSR. We are pretty much already in the racing rhythm for Silverstone. Everything ran very well here, so we really should be strong at the season-opening round, as well.”

Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “These two days of testing yielded a lot for us as a team. The car felt very good and the fact that we set the best times in four sessions is a great motivation as we head into the season. This is the first time Michael and I have worked together under competition conditions. That worked very well and the understanding with the new engineers has become even better. As far as we’re concerned, the season can begin.”

Matteo Cairoli (Porsche 911 RSR #77): “It was a great experience that the Prologue for my first WEC season took place on my home turf. Many of my friends were here to support me and wish me luck. I’m proud that Porsche and Dempsey Proton Racing have given me this great chance. I will work hard to repay their trust by achieving good performances.”

At the Prologue, Toyota set the overall best lap time. Neel Jani (CH) recorded the fastest lap for a Porsche 919 Hybrid on Saturday when lapping the 5.793 kilometre long track in 1:31.666 minutes. The reigning world champion shares the 919 Hybrid with Porsche’s newcomer André Lotterer (DE) and Nick Tandy (GB) who returned to the LMP1 squad inside the Porsche family. Together the trio of the number 1 car covered 331 laps (1,906 kilometres) in two days.

At the wheel of the number 2 Porsche it was Earl Bamber (NZ) who set the fastest lap in 1:31.823 minutes. Just like for the sister car, this was achieved during a qualifying simulation on Saturday evening. Bamber took over Mark Webber’s seat and teams up with Timo Bernhard (DE) and Brendon Hartley (NZ). The number 2 car crew completed a total of 329 laps (1,894 km) during the Prologue in Monza.

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: „Thanks to a great team effort, we look back not only on a pretty tough week but also on a very successful one. In Paul Ricard, we have concluded one of the best endurance tests ever. This was followed by the car unveiling in Monza which resulted in very positive feedback for the car’s new livery. The two test days at the Prologue were excellent and given the close competition spectators can look forward to a thrilling world championship.“

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “We had split the Prologue into two test phases. On Saturday we focussed on the car’s set-up and managed to improve it. The rain in the evening was an asset because we could practice quick turnarounds in changing conditions. On Sunday we did race simulations with both cars to investigate tyre wear and exercise race-specific routines like pit stops. To meet Toyota for the first time with us and them driving low downforce aero configurations like you’d have in Le Mans was obviously very interesting for both of us. Testing doesn’t allow for proper judgement, but certainly we will see very close competition in every type of track condition. For us as a team it is very important to feel absolutely ready now for the season’s curtain raiser on April 16 in Silverstone.”

Drivers car number 1:
Neel Jani (33, Switzerland): “Practically we have been simulating a race weekend here and this worked out very well, especially as we had to deal with various track conditions. I enjoyed having the Prologue here in Monza. The circuit has a great tradition and special atmosphere and we had lots of fun with the many fans joining us. Another beneficial aspect is that this track doesn’t forgive any mistakes. This gives you an extra thrill.”

André Lotterer (35, Germany): “For me the Prologue was my first public appearance as a Porsche works driver and with the Porsche LMP Team. I have been welcomed by everybody and it was an important next step to experience the first event in conditions similar to a race weekend. I was approached by many fans who wanted to take their first picture of me in my new overalls. I enjoy getting used to it. Porsche is a special brand. I think every racing driver likes to be identified with it. I’m looking forward to an exciting season.”

Nick Tandy (32, Great Britain): „It is good to have the Prologue as a pre-race preparation. We do lots of testing but you never feel real pressure there. Here in Monza we worked like it was a race weekend. It is good to get into this feeling before the season.”

Drivers car number 2
Earl Bamber (26, New Zealand): „The guys at Porsche have done great development work to the 919. During the Prologue here in Monza, we have learnt a lot again about the car, especially when driving in difficult conditions. During the Saturday night session we had a thunder storm and it’s very useful to get track time in the rain.”

Timo Bernhard (36, Germany): “It was a very positive Prologue for me. We had been well prepared and now we are ready to race in Silverstone. A few boxes are still on the list to be ticked off, especially regarding improvements for Le Mans. I think all of us really enjoyed these days in Monza very much: a super surrounding, lots of real motor sports and sports car enthusiasts who created a great hype during the autograph session as well – overall, this was a fantastic kick-off event for the new WEC season. Brendon and I know each other like a married couple anyway, and Earl fits in just perfectly. Ready to rumble!“

Brendon Hartley (27, New Zealand): „We felt very ready when we came here. We wish we were lining up for a race rather than for a test because Monza is a great track with a good atmosphere and a lot of fans even on a test day. I hope in the future we can race here. In all conditions it was very close with the Toyotas, so it’s clearly going to be a tough and close fought championship. Also it was good to get used to traffic again as at the previous tests we felt very lonely.”