Status Grand Prix enjoyed a strong run in the 6 Hours of Silverstone to take eighth place in the ultra-competitive LMP2 class in Britain’s round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. The team’s Lola-Judd B12/80 Coupe set the third-fastest LMP2 lap of the race, quicker than any of the top four finishers in the division. But a couple of minor problems earlier in the race lost the car time and it finished just over two laps behind the class-winning Oreca-Nissan run by ADR-Delta, Status GP’s near-neighbour on the doorstep of the famous Silverstone circuit.
After qualifying 10th in class, Alexander Sims started the Status GP Lola and shot up to sixth place. He was in seventh position, with the third-to-eighth LMP2 cars running very close together, when he made his first pit-stop. Four laps into Sims’s second stint the car suffered an instantaneous electrical problem at Stowe Corner. Sims coasted into the pits, and the problem rectified itself when he engaged the pit-lane speed limiter. The team topped up his fuel and he completed his stint. Maxime Jousse then took the wheel of the Status GP Lola for the first time in a race. He completed a strong double-stint, starting in 10th place and rising into the fight for fifth. On his final lap he felt a suspected imbalance and, wisely using discretion over valour just in case the problem was a puncture, he drove cautiously back to the pits.
The Frenchman’s big brother Julien Jousse climbed in for his first race action since the Sebring 12 Hours in March. He showed very good pace in his double-stint, which he began in 10th but ended in ninth. He matched the speed of the class leaders, even though he was in pain from the harness digging into his hips. As a result of this he spun, but was able to rejoin after a pit-stop.
Sims then took the final shift. He quickly passed the Murphy Prototypes Oreca of Brendon Hartley to take eighth in class, which also represented an overall finish of 15th place. Although the leading seven cars were more than a lap ahead, Englishman Sims went on a charge and unlapped himself from the seventh-placed Jota Zytek of Sam Hancock with a quarter of an hour remaining. The Status GP Lola was the fastest car in LMP2 throughout the final stint of the race.
Status GP team manager Simon Cayzer said: “The team has really enjoyed its second outing in the World Endurance Championship. It’s always good to get a result. It wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but if you encounter any kind of problem this class is too competitive to expect to be on the podium. Having the same driver crew for a second weekend in a row paid dividends. They all did a really great job and the pit work was excellent. Alexander’s final run emphasised that our Lola-Judd is right at the forefront of LMP2 performance.”
DRIVER QUOTES
Alexander Sims:
“We made a hell of a lot of progress and I’m sure there’s still more to come. The first stint was just like a single-seater race, with all the LMP2 cars together. But after my first stop the car died – luckily it was out of Stowe and close to the pits, so I thought I’d coast in, but then literally it picked up again as I entered the pit-lane. Other than that it was pretty solid. Fair play to Brendon Hartley – he knew I was on new Dunlop tyres so he didn’t put up a massive fight. That last stint was really good fun, and we just need to maintain that level at our next race.”
Julien Jousse:
“At the end of the first stint I had an issue with a belt that was hurting the top of my leg. I made a mistake on the kerb and spun, and after that of course I was not comfortable and the pace was not as good as I would hope. I was quite upset because I could not do my best job. We had some small problems, and because the level in LMP2 is so high you need to run trouble-free, but we showed a lot of potential. The car really improved over the weekend and Alexander showed how quick it was in the last stint, so with more practice I think we can have a good result, because we saw a lot of good things in this race.”
Maxime Jousse:
“My first stint was OK. I tried to stay consistent and I was doing a good job. We put fuel in for my second stint and again I didn’t have many problems, didn’t make any big mistakes, so I’m quite pleased with my double-stint. I learned a lot, my lap times were not bad and I was happy to hit the target that I had. The end result was a little bit disappointing – Alexander had a very good stint at the end but it was just a little bit too late. But thanks to Status Grand Prix for a good car and especially to the mechanics who did a fantastic job.”
Source : Status GP