French racer Franck Mailleux endured a short-lived 12 Hours of Sebring last weekend after an unavoidable incident took the #23 Signatech-Nissan Oreca 03 out of the race with less than quarter of the race distance completed. Franck had run as high as second in the competitive LMP2 category before handing over to his team-mate Olivier Lombard but a patch of oil on track put Lombard into a harmless spin. Unfortunately, before he could recover, he was hit by a GT car which had been caught out in exactly the same manner, causing irreparable damage to the car.

It was a sudden end to an otherwise solid opening race weekend to the new World Endurance Championship and meant that the reigning ILMC champions scored no points for their efforts.

Quick Q+A with Franck Mailleux

How do you feel looking back at last weekend’s Sebring 12 Hours?

“You know, it is always disappointing to have to retire from a race when there is nothing that anyone in the team can do to prevent it. To leave the first race of the World Endurance Championship with no points is pretty tough. It had been a reasonably good week for us. We had a new driver line-up with Olivier Lombard and Jordan Tresson, and the three of us got on really well. The car was performing well and we were enjoying the fantastic atmosphere of the 60th anniversary race of the Sebring 12 Hours, so it’s a shame we couldn’t get the result we wanted.”

What exactly happened with the incident?

“Olivier was in his second stint and looking good but a patch of oil on the track caused him to spin. That on its own would not have been an issue but a GT car that was behind him also did the same thing and crashed into the car. Thankfully nobody was harmed but it was clear when the car came back to the pits that there was nothing the mechanics could do to fix it. Race over. From Olivier’s point of view, it was unavoidable but it was a shame to end what was developing into a good race for us.”

What do you think would have been a realistic outcome for you and Signatech-Nissan at Sebring?

“Sebring is always a tough event because it is not only a championship event for the WEC, it is also an American Le Mans Series event, so the competition is fierce. With around 30 entrants in each series, it is an action-packed race and a lot of fun as a result. The performance of the Oreca 03, Nissan engine and Dunlop tyres was strong and for the first race of the year, I think we were showing good pace and reliability. Starting from fourth in LMP2, I was able to make my way up to second place in LMP2, and even at the time of the accident we were still looking in good shape. I was aiming for the podium from the beginning of the weekend and I think we would have been in with a good shot.”

How does this affect your preparations for Spa 6 Hours in May?

“The positives are that we know the base of the car is still good and competitive against the other WEC LMP2 cars. We were among the quickest of the WEC cars at Sebring so that gives us optimism for the next rounds, starting with Spa, which is a track we all enjoy racing at. The team and Nissan continue to offer us a great technical package and as drivers we know what is expected of us in the cockpit. I hope that Spa will be a trouble-free event and that we are not subject to any external influences like at Sebring. For the team, myself and my sponsors Sojasun, it will be good to get the 2012 season properly underway!”

Source : Franck Mailleux