This weekend sees three highly talented and experienced French Racing car drivers travel to South Africa to test the Bailey Cars built Le Mans Challenger. Michel Disdier, Vincent Capillaire and Sylvain Boulay will arriving on Thursday before traveling to Welkom’s Phakisa circuit on Sunday to test South Africa’s Le Mans challenger over 3 days. These will be very initial tests as the Bailey Car team plans to get its car to the Le Mans Series in 2012, and with South African’s having very limited experience in the series the team is looking at teaming up with international partners for the first year of competition.
Driver’s Profiles:
Michel Disdier came from two wheels to end up on four wheels. At the age of 16 Michel Disdier won the French Moto-Cross Endurance 125cc Championship. In 1993 he was the Formula Ford B French Champion. In 1999 he won the Formula France Championship. He is looking to become a French NASCAR racer and has been competing successfully in the ARCA Championship in America.
Vincent Capillaire is the official instructor at the Le Mans circuit. He was the winner of the Elf driving school in 1997 and participates in numerous race disciplines. He is also the official safety car driver at the famous Le Mans 24 hour race in an Audi R8.
Sylvain Boulay is a massively experienced driver having raced the Le Mans 24 Hour races 10 times between 1987 and 2005. His best finish at Le Mans to date his 3rd place in the LMP2 class in 2000. He has also raced 1000 kms races at Spa and raced the 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2010 he founded Sbarta Sports endurance racing team which will be looking to race in more endurances races moving forward. He also holds the World Speed Record in a Prototype car powered by LPG (195.73 miles/hour in an WR Peugeot V6).
The Bailey Cars team sees this weekend as an important part of the testing process to make this dream come true. This weekend will also see the team doing extensive testing with the new 500bhp V8 Ford motor in the LMP2 car. The motor has been expertly prepared by Peter Frost and Brian Cook of RHS engines. The team is looking forward to hearing the feedback from the French drivers on this South African built and designed LMP2 car, although that’s if they can understand the all French Trio as the Baileys are only 5 weeks into French lessons! Hopefully they will conclude the sale of chassis number 2, which will then be entered into Le Mans 24 hours in 2012.
Source : Bailey Cars