For our column dedicated to « Le Club des Pilotes des 24 Heures du Mans », we give voices today to Lawrence Tomlinson who has kindly agreed to answer a few questions.
Lawrence Tomlinson is founder and Chairman of LNT Group which houses fivr core businesses : healthcare, construction, chemicals, automotive and software. Motosrport lover, he founded Team LNT in 2004 and one year later he acquired Ginetta before becoming shareholder of Zytek. LNT had quickly some successes, Lawrence Tomlinson himself, Tom Kimber-Smith and Richard Dean winning the GT2 category at Le Mans with a Panoz Esperante GT-LM. Lawrence Tomlinson has raced been racing four times at Le Mans (2004 with a TVR Tuscan, 2006 and 2007 with the Panoz esperante and 2009, with a Ginetta-Zytek 09S LMP1. As a driver and a manufacturer, he continues his activities. Ginetta has designed and built the first ever LMP3, the Ginetta-Juno and he has launched the Ginetta G57. Behind the wheel of one of thses G57s, partnered with Mike Simpson, Ginetta factory driver, he has recently been winner at Le Mans in the VdeV Endurance Series in the LMP3/PFV category,
You are a member of Le Club des Pilotes des 24 Heures du Mans/ Are you proud of it? What does this membership represent for you? How much is it important?
“It’s a great honour to be a member of the Le Club des Pilotes des 24 Heures du Mans and it’s reallys nice to have so many friends within the club.”
Do you think the Club has a special mission for motorsport racing?
“It’s wonderful that people who have so many memories of Le Mans and have achieved so much can all meet together like a big family. That to me is what the club is all about.”
You have been winner of the GT2 category in the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans with the LNT Panoz Esperante GTLM. Do you consider that it is your greatest achievement as a driver?
“As a driver, winning at Le Mans in 2006 in GT2 was fantastic. I think equally though, finishing second in the European Le Mans Series was also a great achievement for me.”
Have you some personal memories of this win? Did you really expect it?
“My special memory of the 2006 win were that with 45 minutes to go, the car didn’t restart after the tyre and fuel stop! That really was a heart-stopping moment. We expected to have good race based on reliability and running a consistent time, but you can’t know whether or not you’re going to win – that depends on what other people do – but we achieved what we set out to do and that’s why we won.”
Generally speaking, what are your best memories at Le Mans (except your win), as driver and as a mere fan?
“Driving at night and in the wet behind the wheel of a Ginetta Zytek LMP1 car is one of the best memories I have. Seeing the light from the exhaust flashing and the disc brakes glowing red is something to behold!”
Which are for you the best sportscars ever?
“The best sports car ever for me is the Ginetta G57. I became a winner at Le Mans again whilst driving it recently on the Bugatti circuit. For me, that is absolutely fantastic.”
The Ginetta name has run at Le Mans with the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S. Could the company be back at Le Mans in the future? If so, in which category?
“I am sure that sometime in the future, Ginetta will return to Le Mans,. We will hopefully be in the category which can give us a win!”
The Ginetta LMP3 project seems to have been given up to the benefit of the G57? Why did you choose to give up the LM P3 category?
“The Ginetta LMP3 car was a huge achievement for us, and winning the first ever European Le Mans Series LMP3 class was fantastic for Ginetta. We will have five Ginetta LMP3 cars running in Asian Le Mans Series which will be great for us. We have never given up on the LMP3 category.”
Endurance-Info thanks Lawrence Tomlinson.