For MICHELIN, the 6 Hours Spa was an extremely important event since it served as an opportunity to validate its latest 2013-generation endurance racing tyres and prepare for June’s fast-arriving Le Mans 24 Hours. It was a case of ‘mission accomplished’, since MICHELIN runners went on to claim pole position and victory in all four classes, and the French tyre firm was fully satisfied with its weekend at the Belgian roller-coaster.
The race took part in bright, sunny weather which saw the track temperature range from 33°C at the start to 20°C at the finish. MICHELIN’s partners co nsequently used slick tyres throughout. The 2013 range is now categorised by temperature ‘operating windows’ and the latest solutions proved competitive and durable as Spa was spared the sort of fickle weather many people associate with the Belgian venue. The French tyres were also particularly versatile during Friday’s free practice and qualifying sessions when the conditions were more changeable, switching from wet in the morning to dry for the evening’s battle for pole position…
In LMP1, Audi Sport Team Joest and Toyota Motorsport GmbH produced a thrilling battle which opposed them not only on the race track but also in the pits as they double-stinted with the new ‘high temperature’ soft MICHELIN slick. There was one period that was marked by an especially fierce clash between the N°7 Toyota TS030 Hybrid (in the ha nds of Nicolas LAPIERRE) and the N°2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Loïc DUVAL) which kept spectators on their toes for about half-an-hour at around 4pm. The Japanese car survived the assault to defend its lead, helped by its MICHELIN tyres which were on their second stint. Audi Sport Team Joest eventually claimed a one-two-three finish with the N°1, N°2 and N°3 R18 e-tron quattros in that order.
The LMP2 battle saw Pecom Racing dominate the second round of the 2013 FIA WEC. The N°49 Oreca-Nissan was the only car in its class on MICHELIN rubber and it went on to claim both pole position and the victory. PEREZ COMPANC/MINASSIAN/KAFFER emerged in front early on and then held on to their lead for more than five hours. With 45 minutes remaining, its run was nearly spoiled by a front-left puncture which was due to a collision with the N°8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid. However, the combination of Pierre KAFFER’s driving, the car’s efficiency and the performance of its MICHELIN tyres allowed the Pecom Racing car to finish on the highest step of the podium.
The N°51 Ferrari 458 Italia of BRUNI/FISICHELLA took the top prize in LMGTE Pro, ahead of the N°98 Aston Martin Vantage V8 of SENNA/MAKOWIECKI/BEL L. The N°71 Ferrari (KOBAYASHI/VILANDER) was third in the class. Last but by no means least, the LMGTE AM standings were topped by the N°81 Ferrari 458 Italia (8 STARS Motorsports) which finished clear of the two Aston Martin Racing Vantage V8s.
Serge GRISIN, the manager of MICHELIN’s four-wheel motorsport programmes, was very pleased with the French firm’s weekend: “Our partner teams and drivers were happy with our new tyres and their feedback was globally very positive. The LMP1 cars had no trouble double stinting while at the same time meeting their targets in terms of lap times. Our new tyres for the GTE Pro cars also delivered a competitive mix of durability and performance.
“We were very pleased with the outcome on the sporting side, too. The only LMP2 car racing MICHELIN tyres – the Pecom Racing Oreca-Nissan – dominated its category, and I would like to congratulate our partner AF Corse, because three of the four classes were won by cars run at Spa by the Italian team…”
MICHELIN and its partners will now devote their attention to the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours. The official Test Day on June 9 will provide the French manufacturer and its teams with one last opportunity to fine-tune their strategies ahead of the celebrated endurance race.
Source : Michelin