A difficult weekend for Signatech-Nissan

For the first time in its history, the Signatech-Nissan team entered two cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Registered in the FIA World Endurance Championship with one car, the French team finished ninth in the LMP2 class and scored points for fifth place in the World Championship, some competitors at Le Mans are not contesting the entire Championship. The second Oreca-Nissan just missed a podium finish.

After a difficult start with an early retirement in the Sebring 12 Hours, the opening round of the Championship, Signatech-Nissan has managed to get back on track in La Sarthe by taking both cars to the finish. The race was not the easiest for the team as the No.23 car, ( the only one that scores points in the Championship LMP2 trophy), went off the track at Mulsanne corner about four am on Sunday. Olivier Lombard was able to return to the pits, but the mechanics took 40 minutes to repair the damage.

Then Franck Mailleux went off in the first chicane of the Mulsanne straight. The Oreca-Nissan was towed out of the gravel trap and the French driver was able to get back on track with no other consequences than loss of time. The third driver, Jordan Tresson, graduate of the Nissan GT Academy, did a very strong stint despite his lack of experience, as did his team mates in the sister car No.26.

The No.26 finished just off the podium in the LMP2 class due to a puncture which damaged its bodywork. All hopes of a podium evaporated as the pit stop dragged on. Roman Rusinov, Pierre Ragues and the beginner Nelson Panciatici have demonstrated the competitiveness of the car with a third place in LMP2 on the starting grid.

Jordan Tresson : “This has been a dream come true ! It was incredible ! I am really proud to be part of the team , who did an incredible job ! I have learnt a lot from my team-mates. We spent more than ten days on site. Learning the track, and learning to manage the traffic, were the most difficult things. “

Pierre Ragues : “I believed in it for a long time, we aimed for reliability rather than for pure performance. To reach the finish line at Le Mans is always an achievement, however, to finish so close to our goal is infuriating ! “

Dave Davies (quotes from team press release)

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HEURES DU MANS, WEDNESDAY 13TH MARCH 2012, PRACTICE. Mixed feelings for Signatech-Nissan at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.