Mixed fortunes for OAK Racing
The OAK Racing team have two cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 2012 season in two different classes. The OAK Pescarolo-Judd #15 had to give up with three minutes remaining following a broken suspension while fighting for seventh place overall, while the Morgan-Judd #24 driven by Jacques Nicolet, Olivier Pla and Matthieu Lahaye finished eighth in the LMP2 class, but fourth in World Championship competitors. The second LMP2 present at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the Morgan-Judd #35 crossed the finish line 4th place in class and 11th overall.
Olivier Pla took a masterful start with the #24 car, but after contact with another competitor, the driver from Toulouse pitted for mechanics to replace the starter. OAK Racing still retains their chances for the Team trophy in LMP2, currently only five points behind ADR-Delta. Disappointment in the LMP1 Team trophy though as car #15 Moreau, Baguette and Dominik Kraihamer retired a few miles from the finish.
The French team who will have a third car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the third round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, driven by Bas Leinders and David Heinemeier Hansson. The duo in this non-WEC entry at Spa took the chequered flag at Spa in fourth place in LMP2 class at their first collaboration.
Sebastien Philippe, Team Manager: "All three cars made good starts. Bas Leinders did a fantastic job to go from eighth to second during his first stint while Olivier Pla and Bertrand Baguette did very well in the wet. But then the #24 lost 15 minutes in the pits with a starter motor problem which was frustrating because the car was very quick afterwards with Matthieu Lahaye and Jacques Nicolet. It could have finished on the podium but at least we scored good points for the World Championship. Of course I am very pleased with the #35’s result after a great weekend for Bas and David Heinemeier Hansson. The LMP1’s late retirement was a big disappointment though especially as we were not classified. Bertrand Baguette, Dominik Kraihamer and Guillaume Moreau had all done really well up until that point.”
Matthieu Lahaye, driver of Morgan-Judd LMP2 n°24 : “It’s a shame we had the problem with the starter motor because we had the pace to win today. It’s not too bad however as we still scored a good points haul to remain in the hunt for the championship which is our principle objective. We know we have good pace and the drivers all did well today so now we must concentrate on a good performance at Le Mans which is worth double points.”
Dave Davies (Quotes from team press release)
Photo: FRANCORCHAMPS (LIEGE, BELGIUM), SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS CIRCUIT, 6 HOURS OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Thursday, May 3, 2012, FREE PRACTICE. The # 15 OAK Racing unfortunately had to retire with a few laps remaining.