News from the teams: LMP2

Signatech Nissan

It was at the FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, in Japan, that young team G-Drive Racing by SIGNATECH-NISSAN was in action this weekend, for the penultimate round of the FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP. After some fine performances this season, most notably a fourth-place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and a superb podium in Silverstone, Nelson Panciatici, Pierre Ragues and Roman Rusinov were hoping to bring back a good result, or even a win, in their luggage this weekend. Having been at the front in free practice, the Bourges-based team had a difficult weekend, spoiled by a recalcitrant starter motor, which saw them lose ten minutes in the pits, as well as all hopes of success.

The crew of the nr 26 ORECA 03-NISSAN finished the Six Hours of Fuji in 7th position, but, as a consolation prize, set the best race lap (1.33.453) ahead of the LMP2 race leaders, proving once again that they are definitely competitive !

For more information: http://signature-team.com/index.php

Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE. The No.26 Signatech-Nissan Oreca 03-Nissan.

OAK Racing

A battling performance helped OAK Racing score their third FIA World Endurance Championship LM P2 podium of the season at the 6 Hours of Fuji today, while its LM P1 machine came home eighth in class on its series return.  Despite the #24 Morgan-Nissan 2012 LM P2 being less suited to the Fuji Speedway than other circuits, the French squad was confident that its pace over a longer stint could make it a podium contender in race conditions.

For more information: http://www.oak-racing.com/?lang=en

Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE. OAK Racing has entries in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes.

ADR-Delta

Lotus

The 6 Hours race of Fuji started off well for Lotus when Vitantonio Liuzzi took the lead in LMP2 class. Car #32 was in second position for half of the race. But after several contacts with competitors, a stop and go penalty and a Stewards request to change the rear end, the team lost positions in the last three hours of the race. Nevertheless, after all these incidents, the team managed to finish the race with car #32 in fifth position.

Car #31 had to retire because of a failure of the alternator. Until then, Thomas Holzer and Mirco Schultis showed a strong performance and climbed up to sixth position in LMP2 class.
 

For more information: http://www.lotus-lmp2.com/en/

Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE. The No.32 Lotus Lola B12/80 Coupe-Lotus.

Greaves Motorsport

Today at the Fuji Speedway Greaves Motorsport extended their sequence of points scoring finishes with a strong 6th place at the 6 Hours of Fuji. Driving the team’s Nissan powered Zytek, Christian Zugel, Ricardo Gonzalez and Elton Julian had a largely trouble free run during the race.

For more information: http://greavesmotorsport.com

Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE.  The No.41 Greaves Motorsport Zytek-Nissan making a pit stop.

Starworks Motorsports

Ryan Dalziel was feeling on top of the world after he and Florida-based Starworks Motorsport clinched the inaugural FIA World Endurance LMP2 class title at Fuji in Japan. The Scot – who lives in Windermere, Florida – and team-mates Enzo Potolicchio, from Venezuela, and French star Stephane Sarrazin knew they only had to better the result of their Pecom Racing rivals. They managed to bring the #44 Starworks HPD Honda home two laps clear of the #49 car, in second place behind the ADR-Delta entry.

Information from driver press release

Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE.   Starworks Motorsports second place allowed the team to clinch the LMP2 FIA Endurance Trophy. 

Pecom Racing

An electrical hitch on the Pecom Racing Oreca 03 Nissan and the consequent forced pit stop of 5 minutes did not allow the possibile second position in the LMP2 category. In the “Fuji 6 Hours”, penultimate round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Luis Perez Companc, Pierre Kaffer and Nicolas Minassian drove a perfect race. Up to the last pit stop, the trio had the concrete chance to take the silver medal position. But during that pit stop, the technical problem emerged neutralising the possibility to finish one more race on the podium. The Oreca 03 #49 was 4th under the chequered flag of the Japan’s race in the LMP2 category.

For more information: http://www.afcorse.it/english

Photo: OYAMA-CHO (SHIZUOKA PREFECTURE, JAPAN), FUJI INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER 2012, RACE.  Multi-class racing in the FIA WEC, the LMP2 No.44 Pecom Racing Oreca-Nissan alongside the LMP1 No.1 Audi R18.