LE MANS 24 HOUR, 2005

2005 LE MANS 24 HOUR RACE (24 Heures du Mans)

18-19 June 2005 , LE MANS, FRANCE

QUALIFYING & RACE PREVIEW

2005 LE MANS GRID

1. Team Pescarolo: Emmanuel Collard, Jean-Christophe Bouillon, Erik Comas 3m 34.715s

2. Team Pescarolo: Sebastien Loeb, Eric Helary, Soheil Ayari +0.84s

3. Team Audi: Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela, Alan McNish

4. Ryo Michigami, Seiji Ara, Katsutomo Kaneishi - Dome Mugen

5. Franck Montagny, Jean-Marc Gounon, Stephane Ortelli - Audi

6. Jonathan Cochet, Shinji Nakano, Bruce Jouanny / Courage

7. Nicolas Minassian, Jamie Campbell-Water, Andy Wallace - DBA

8. Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto, Marco Werner - Audi

9. Martin Short, Joao Barbosa, Vanina Ickx - Dallara

10. Sam Hignett, John Robert Stack, Haruki Kurosawa - Zytek

GT1 POLE: 19TH: Aston Martin DB9,

GT2 POLE: Porsche 911 RSR, Alex Job Racing

2005 LE MANS PREVIEW

LOEB / MICHELIN: Sebastien Loeb to drive Pescarolo-Judd at Le Mans (Michelin Interview)

From rallying to Le Mans With Sebastien Loeb and Michelin The 2004 World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb (Citroen-Michelin) will drive a Pescarolo-Judd running on Michelin tyres in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours (June 18th- 19th). For Michelin, whose record boasts a total of 36 world titles in rallying and an unbeaten run at Le Mans since 1998, the Frenchman's presence in the celebrated endurance classic offers an opportunity to look at the parallels between the two sports -- which at first sight appear to be worlds apart -- through the eyes of a driver who has always understood the importance of good tyre management.

Is it true that you familiarised yourself with the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit virtually thanks to Playstation, your partner in this operation!
Sebastien Loeb: "It is! And according to my team-mate at Pescarolo, Eric Helary, the circuit and the feeling you get at the wheel in the game are quite accurate. That doesn't mean however that you will see me taking corners in 5th gear as you do in the game on my very first lap! The real thing promises to be very different."

Tyre choices are also likely to be more complex too, no?
What parallels are there between an asphalt rally tyre and an endurance racing tyre? "In both cases, what you want above all is grip; lateral grip, grip under braking, under acceleration and traction. In rallying, I also like my tyres to be progressive. That is to say tyres that warn you before 'letting go', especially at the rear. I tend to 'lean' a lot on my rear tyres and I like to 'feel' the car. I also like tyres to be responsive when the going gets narrow and I tend to go for a slightly harder compound for extra precision and consistency."

Do you look for the same qualities from your tyres with the Pescarolo-Judd?
"In endurance racing, you need tyres that offer even more precision. The car is more exacting to drive and more difficult to reel back in when things go wrong. You can't push it as you can with a WRC car. In rallying, even through fast corners, you can use the steering wheel to add lock or opposite lock if you are caught by surprise or if you're not on the ideal line. That's out of the question with a prototype. Your driving therefore has to be very precise, which in turn means having tyres that allow you to drive that way. I think it takes longer to find the limits of an endurance tyre. Perhaps it's down to my lack of experience of circuit racing, but I don't yet feel the car and tyres 'working' as well as I do in rallying. In WRC, I can feel my car move. I can anticipate its reactions, and even play with them..."

Are the effects of compound and tyre pressure the same in both disciplines?
"In rallying, I have no trouble feeling the difference between, say, a soft and a medium compound. That's not yet the case in circuit racing. That said, I am sensitive to changes in tyre pressure in both cases. With the Pescarolo-Judd, if I sense I'm getting less grip at the rear, I know I've pushed my rear tyres too hard; there is too much heat in them and the air pressure has gone up. You feel that at the wheel straight away."

At Le Mans, you've also got the phenomenon of aerodynamic downforce. The cars benefit from more than a tonne of downforce at high speed. How much of a difference does that make?
"The aerodynamic downforce is effectively very impressive to begin with. In the fast corners, the quicker you go, the more grip you get thanks to the aerodynamics. You don't get that in rallying. But it can catch you out under braking because you lose downforce and grip as the car sheds speed. In fact, you have to brake hard at first before lifting and using the brakes to accompany the deceleration. Otherwise, the wheels can lock and you run the risk of flat spotting a tyre. It's particularly difficult for me because in rallying you don't have to think about that; you simply press on the brakes and the differentials make sure the wheels don't lock. Also, from the cockpit of a racing car, you can't see the wheels. When you see the smoke it's too late! It's not easy to find the limit."

What other difficulties have you come across during your testing for Le Mans?
"You don't only have to be careful with the braking, you also need to take care not to spin the wheels under acceleration. In circuit racing, even though the sense of speed and power is to a certain extent effaced by a certain number of factors due to what I would call your 'environment', such as the width of the track, you've always got to remember that the engine is putting out 600 hp for a weight of just 900 kg. To prevent wheelspin, you therefore need to learn to measure how hard you press on the right hand pedal when accelerating out of slow corners. If you don't, you lose time. The phenomenon is similar in rallying on asphalt, but there you've got the traction control and differentials to deal with the wheelspin.

"On loose stages, however, you need a certain amount of wheelspin to enable you to set the car up, for example. What about the effects of heat build-up in the tyres? In both sports, the tyres are pre-heated in special blankets or racks, but in rallying you've got the road section to keep them warm. When competing round a circuit, you have to be really careful during your out lap. In fact it's more complicated than that. After a few corners, you can feel the grip come on. You consequently think your tyres are up to temperature and then you get caught out under braking and lock a wheel. That's never happened to me in rallying."

You mentioned the notion of 'environment'. How different are the two disciplines?
"In a prototype car, you sit very low down and you can't see the exit of tight turns. That can be a little disconcerting to begin with. But if you raise the seat even by as little as 2 cm, your head just bobs around all the time and your neck soon begins to hurt. Finding the ideal driving position takes time. I have had my seat re-made a number of times. You're also competing in traffic of course. I haven't come across that problem too much for the moment but it's an important factor I will have to take onboard at Le Mans. There's also the night-time driving. You rarely get night stages in rallying today but I have often competed in the dark in the past. In the French championship, for example. It's not a problem for me, except that it obviously takes a little time to find your marks, even though you may know the track by heart. You effectively won't have Daniel Elena sitting alongside to read out the notes... In rallying, despite two passes through the stages during recce driving a road car, it is impossible to learn the stages bend by bend. To help us, we benefit from the pacenotes called out by our co-driver, but improvisation still plays a role. In circuit racing, although you quickly get to know the track by heart, you've got to be consistent for two hours at a time whereas in rallying, the stages rarely last more than half an hour. But Daniel will be watching from the grandstands!"

ALAN McNISH / AUDI PREVIEW:

Allan McNish bids for his second and Audi's fifth Le Mans 24 Hour race victory in the 73rd running of the famous twice-around-the-clock marathon motor race which begins on Saturday (18 June, 1500BST). The 35-year-old Monaco-based Scotsman lines-up for the Audi UK supported two-car Team ADT Champion Racing squad looking to repeat his 1998 Le Mans triumph. McNish co-drives with triple Le Mans winners Frank Biela (D) and Emanuele Pirro (It) while a second Audi R8 sportscar is piloted by JJ Lehto (Fin), Marco Werner (D) plus Tom Kristensen (Den) - the latter attempting to make history with a record seventh outright Le Mans win.

"With the Audi R8 and Champion Racing, we have a proven car and team package combined with an extremely strong, two-car driver line- up," commented Allan who finished second at Le Mans for Audi in 2000 having clocked the pole-position time and fastest race lap. "Audi will race a new car next year at Le Mans and I'd love to give the Audi R8 a final victory send off at La Sarthe."

Audi monopolised the top-two positions last year for the fourth time since 2000 but McNish suffered heartache - or to be more precise, a severe headache. "I had set the fastest time in the pre-race test and qualified second to Veloqx team-mate Johnny Herbert for the race. But shortly before two hours and with the leading Herbert Audi just 25secs ahead, I skated off the track on oil at the high-speed Porsche Curves. JJ [Lehto] in the Champion Audi followed me in to the barriers seconds later.

"I was momentarily stunned by the heavy impact with the barriers but nursed the badly damaged Audi back to the pits. Once out of the car, I was immediately examined by doctors from Audi before being taken to the circuit's Medical Centre for a precautionary check-up. Suffering no injuries and declared physically fit apart from nursing a bad headache, I was advised by race officials not to take any further part in the race so last year was a huge, personal disappointment. Our car lost 75mins in the pits making repairs but my co-drivers recovered from 46th place to take fifth in my absence."

The Florida-based Audi Sport North America Champion Racing team has achieved third place at Le Mans for the past two years but now aims for overall victory. It would be the first triumph for a privateer US team at Le Mans and the first for an American team since 1967. Meanwhile the French Oreca team, Le Mans winners in 1991, aims for "home rule" with a third Audi R8 - leased from Audi UK - in the 50-car field driven by French trio Jean-Marc Gounon, Franck Montagny and Stephane Ortelli.

Audi competes in the Le Mans 24 Hours for the seventh time. Since the German car manufacturer's Le Mans debut in 1999, it scored wins for three consecutive years 2000-2002 (Biela/Pirro/Kristensen) plus 2004 (Ara/Capello/Kristensen) and has recorded 13 winners' rostrum places encompassing all seven years. The Audi R8 sportscar has scored 54 victories in 66 races worldwide. But the Le Mans race organisers have landed the R8 with 50 kilograms more ballast (950 instead of 900kg) this year. Additionally, the regulations stipulate an even smaller engine air intake restrictor than in previous years. The power of the V8 twin- turbocharged engine, featuring FSI fuel-saving technology, has therefore dropped to approximately 520-bhp - compared with in excess of 600-bhp in 2000.

Allan added: "I think this year's Le Mans is going to be one of the most competitive I have raced in with several cars capable of victory. The last couple of races in the American Le Mans Series and the first round of the Le Mans Endurance Series prove that Audi will have a fight on its hands." The temporary 8.48-mile Le Mans track, utilising some closed public roads, is used exclusively for the 24 Hour race event each year. The only opportunity to test in advance is during a one-day practice held recently (5 June) in which the Champion Audis set the fourth (Lehto/Werner) and eighth (Biela/Pirro) fastest times. Kristensen and McNish were unable to attend this test at Le Mans due to their commitments for the "factory" Audi team in a DTM race at Brno in the Czech Republic the same day.

ASTON MARTIN PREVIEW:

Following consecutive victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March and the FIA GT race at Silverstone last month, Aston Martin Racing is preparing to lead the marque's eagerly anticipated return to the Le Mans 24 Hours - a race won outright in 1959 by Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby, with the Aston Martin DBR1.

Driving Aston Martin Racing's two DBR9 entries are, in car 58: Tomas Enge (Czech Republic), Peter Kox (Netherlands) and Pedro Lamy (Portugal). In car 59: David Brabham (Australia), Stephane Sarrazin (France) and Darren Turner (UK).

Aston Martin Racing Team Principal, George Howard-Chappell, said: "Although our DBR9s topped the GT1 class in both official test sessions in pre-race testing last week, the first year at Le Mans is always an unknown quantity.

"Our endurance testing programme has given us confidence in the DBR9's ability to finish the race but it is still a young car. It will also be interesting to see what our competitors are capable of when it comes to race pace.

"This is a talented group of drivers and the team is well prepared so I have every confidence that we have done as much as we can in testing with the time and resources available."

The Aston Martin Racing team completed the official test at Le Mans last week ahead of the 73rd annual Le Mans 24 Hours in what promises to be a fiercely competitive GT1 class. The race will see both cars debuting a new aerodynamic package that will ensure maximum speed on the long straights of the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans.

Howard-Chappell added: "Le Mans is very different from the circuits at Sebring and Silverstone and we need to adapt accordingly. Fans will notice some visible changes to the cars with the new aerodynamic package, but it offers an ideal compromise between downforce and drag."

Tomas Enge, who will be making his Aston Martin race debut in the 24- hour race, commented: "I love Le Mans and now I have the chance to race with a great team.

Although I haven't done as much mileage as my team mates I'm pleased with our preparation and I think I have the right feeling for the car. I know that the car will be very competitive at Le Mans and the track should suit us. The cars have been running trouble-free and I hope that we will maintain this record."

Stephane Sarrazin, who will be marking his home race in car 59 said: "Le Mans is an exceptional race for a driver, but for a French driver it is a massive event and very important to me because so many fans will be present."

Sarrazin, who had an extended stint in the car during the Le Mans practice sessions, added: "We did many laps during practice without problems but compared with Sebring, the Le Mans circuit is much faster with a top speed of more than 300 kph and double the length. Driving for Aston Martin Racing is a big chance for me personally - we have a very good car and will do all we can to give our fans a good race."

Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello, Seiji Ara (AUDI JAPAN)

KRISTENSEN (AUDI) 6 times winner: "... I have just been a part of a fantastic team every year, fantastic drivers, engineers and mechanics ... There are many people I need to thank and I will make sure I do it personally ... I have not thought to look back at my other wins yet. It still hasn't sunk in ... As a young kid looking at what Jacky achieved it was something I could barely dream of ... But now having the same number of individual victories as him I am very, very proud ... Jacky Ickx wished me good luck at the Monaco Grand Prix and he said I will make it one day ... "

2 Johnny Herbert, Guy Smith, Jamie Davies (AUDI UK)

3 AUDI, Lehto, Pirro, Werner +11 laps

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