It was the longest day, but not for the same reasons that inspired Ken Annakin and Darryl F. Zanuck who brought out this masterpiece of the American cinema in 1962! But other reasons like the choice to put on the show and fit two days’ racing into one in a programme that began at dawn and ended at nighttime. It was also the longest day because of the constant rain and the mild temperatures, which turned the ice oval beautifully prepared by the organizers, into a glistening strip of tarmac on which the studded tyres used in the Andros Trophy were as out of place as a pair of Timberland boots at an embassy reception! And finally, the longest day because race strategy became a real head-scratcher. In this tricky context – and to continue the cinema metaphor – the 4 Musketeers of the Škoda team put on a marvellous performance worthy of an Oscar!  Only an on-form Bernard Balas and a slight error by Olivier Panis on the last lap of his qualifying heat prevented the man from Grenoble or Lagorce (who finished second) from winning in the morning.  In the afternoon, while the conditions described above drowned the crowned heads of the Andros Trophy (and not just minor royalty!), the team strategy and the solidarity of the Škoda drivers hit the bull’s eye! Panis and Lagorce heeded Paul Belmondo’s advice when he told them that by driving smoothly his Škoda coped better with the spray, and improved their efficiency on the soaking track. The former had decided to push in the first heat but destroyed his tyres. The latter did the opposite in the second and scored his first win of the season by 2/1000s from Benjamin Rivière, as quick and consistent as ever.

QUOTES

Franck LAGORCE : “At this stage of the season my real challenge was not to win a race but to retain the confidence of the Škoda team management, so I’m very pleased to offer them this success. Personally, I always knew exactly where I was at, and I didn’t give anything away even when circumstances did not play in my favour. This victory is the result of all our efforts. I’m delighted for Oreca, the technical team and for my team-mates. We form a band that I’d compare to the Four Musketeers! Jacques (Villeneuve) made a big contribution technically speaking to our car’s setup. Paul (Belmondo) gave us good advice on how to drive according to the conditions, and Olivier (Panis) fulfilled his role as leader down to a tee. I have to admit that it hasn’t all been plain sailing this winter, but we had a fair idea of what awaited us in terms of developing the new car. We’ve managed to improve it backed up by a team of real professionals. Let’s keep up the good work!”

Olivier PANIS : “It was a very positive morning while there was still some ice around. Unfortunately, I made a mistake on the third and last lap of my qualifying heat and lost 7/10s, which probably cost me either victory or second place. But that’s the way the cookie crumbles – you go flat out and that’s the result. In the afternoon we chose the right strategy by pushing on new tyres as we were racing on tarmac. In my first qualifying run I didn’t have the right balance in the setup to take full advantage of them, and then when I tried to drive differently on the advice of Paul Belmondo, my tyres were shot. On the other hand, it worked out well for Franck. He really deserved that victory after such a tough winter. I’m happy for him, for Škoda and for Oreca. It only goes to prove that our car’s competitive and quick even if we’re constantly on the razor’s edge. We have to work to enlarge its operating window, which is still too narrow depending on the track conditions. The slightest glitch can still throw a spanner in the works.”

Paul BELMONDO : “It’s the first weekend since the start of the Trophy in which we’ve managed to string two results together over two days, thanks to Franck Lagorce in particular. It’s a shame for Olivier (Panis) as he missed out on a good result by a whisker, a bit like me on the first day. Luckily, I was able to produce a good time in the second heat, which meant that I finished the weekend on a positive note. It should also be underlined that the overall level is very high this year. Last winter, except for the first three covered by a handkerchief, the gaps behind were still pretty big. Now, five-tenths of a second and you’re in the B finals!”

Jacques VILLENEUVE : “Maybe it’s a day I’d have been better off spending on the ski slopes as from a results point of view, it was zilch! I had great difficulty adapting to the car and getting it to work. My team-mates have run into the same problem this winter at one moment or another as soon as we leave the car’s operating window. Then we don’t really know what to do. We push either too hard or not hard enough. Analyzing what needs to be changed on the setup is very difficult and that makes for long weekends. Luckily, there was my podium finish in Lars-en-Vercors, which brought a smile to my face and restored my confidence.”

Julien ABSALON (driver of the electric Škoda) : “I already had a little experience of the Andros Trophy in which I raced in thermal and then electric sprint cars. I’ve been a motor racing fan for a long time as my dad was a passionate lover of rallies in which he drove himself. I like this milieu very much and when I’m at the wheel I have the same sensations as when I’m doing cross-country biking – the trajectories in particular. Both sports require the right know-how to go fast and to slide. It’s not quite the same thing, of course, but you can draw parallels between them. In addition, when you’ve got teachers like Franck Lagorce, Olivier Panis and Jacques Villeneuve you can’t help but learn quickly, and you really want to come back. Now I’m getting ready to go to my base in Fréjus to train for the first round of the VTT World Cup,* which will take place near Durban in South Africa on 15th March.”

*31-year-old Absalon has won the World Cup five times in addition to his two Olympic and his four World Championship titles in the sport.

CLASSIFICATIONS

•    Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, race 1 : 1. Bertrand Balas 80; 2. F. Lagorce (Škoda) 77; 3. B. Rivière (Škoda) 74; 4. D. Thoral 73; 5. O. Panis (Škoda) 71; 6. Alain Prost 70; 7. J.-Ph. Dayraut 68; 8. Nicolas Prost 67; 9. J.-B. Dubourg 64; 10. E. Stievenart 63… 17. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 52… 21. P. Belmondo (Škoda) 47, etc.

•    Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, race 2 : 1. Franck Lagorce (Škoda) 80; 2. B. Rivière (Škoda) 77; 3. B. Balas, 73; 4. Alain Prost 71; 5. J.-Ph. Dayraut 70; 6. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg 70; 7. E. Stievenart, 69; 8. Nicolas Prost 67; 9. O. Panis (Škoda) 66; 10. P. Belmondo (Škoda) 62… 15. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 57, etc.

•    Andros Trophy overall classification after Saint-Dié-des-Vosges: 1. Benjamin Rivière (Škoda), 813 pts; 2. Alain Prost, 813; 3. Jean-Philippe Dayraut, 808; 4. Olivier Panis (Škoda) 784; 5. Franck Lagorce (Škoda) 762; 6. Evens Stievenart, 754; 7. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg, 751; 8. Pierre Llorach, 746; 9. Bertrand Balas, 739; 10. Nicolas Prost, 707; 11. Olivier Pernaut, 698; 12. Jacques Villeneuve (Škoda) 679… 17. Paul Belmondo (Škoda) 568, etc. (40 classified).

•    Overall classification for manufacturers: 1. Škoda, 658 pts;  2. Dacia, 624; 3. Mini, 581; 4. Renault, 553; 5. Ford, 473; 6. Toyota, 366; 7. BMW, 118.

•    Next race: 27-28th January 2012: Final in Super-Besse (Clermont-Ferrand)

Cédric JOURNEL, Škoda France marketing manager  : “We’ve tackled this Trophy with a brand-new car and we think that the early-season results are very positive. In terms of performance we still lack a little bit of fine-tuning as the weather conditions haven’t been much of a help in our preparation work. Nonetheless, after three races we’re in the running for the title; we’ve already scored one victory and there’s a lot more still to come.  We’re also very satisfied to see that our cars and drivers attract a large crowd of spectators, and that our team is working very efficiently in a harmonious ambience. It’s important for    Škoda, one of the makes of the Volkswagen Group, the no.1 European manufacturer. We’ve got ambitious hopes, and we also want the Andros Trophy spectators to enjoy a good show out there on the track.”

Olivier PANIS (141 points scored in Alpe d’Huez) : “With my second place behind Pierre Llorach, but well in front of Jean-Philippe (Dayraut) and Alain (Prost), the two drivers we have to beat, we scored a very good result on the first day. Our tests the previous day in Serre Chevalier meant that we were in the groove straight away. Franck was the guy who stood out on Saturday. Consistency and podium finishes are the key to this season’s Andros Trophy. The driver at the front at the end of the season will be the guy who makes the best out of his overall results (*). It’s still all up for grabs. Everybody’s fully concentrated in the Škoda Racing Team, and we’re all focused on the next round in Isola 2000. Personally speaking, I’m going to take advantage of the Christmas holidays to relax at home with my family and recharge my batteries. January’s going to be a long and difficult month for everybody!”
(*) All the results minus two will be counted to decide the final overall classification.

Franck LAGORCE (140 points scored in Alpe d’Huez) : “Our new car works very well but we’ve still got a lot to learn about it. I have to admit that arriving here I didn’t manage to use its potential immediately given the way it was set up. It was very different on the second day when I missed out on victory by 85/1000s! Obviously it’s very frustrating, but we’ve made a big step forward in the setup, developed a great strategy and I’d like to underline the excellent work carried out by all the members of the Škoda Oreca team. We’ve raced in three rounds and there are still four left so the Trophy’s far from over.  Like Olivier I think that the outcome will be decided by the number of results rather than outright victories. That’s why we’re not giving an inch, including in the finals in which I never give away any points. I proved this on Saturday by overtaking Alain Prost in a perfectly sporting manner as the Clerk of the Course and the impartial observers all agreed!”

Paul BELMONDO (117 points scored in Alpe d’Huez) : “With my eleventh place overall on Friday, it’s been my best weekend since the start. My results are getting better and better. From a driving point of view ice racing is really a question of confidence. It’s very difficult to find the limit between pushing too hard and not hard enough! Personally, I’ve benefitted from Olivier’s advice and it’s been a great help. I was hoping to do even better but the gaps are tiny and it’s already very encouraging to be in the main final each time.”

Jacques VILLENEUVE (99 points scored in Alpe d’Huez) : “It’s been a weekend to forget for me. I took too long to find my marks and the best compromise between pushing too hard and not enough. I only managed to find the right setup in the final qualifying heats but I made too many mistakes. Then in the finals I started from the back and I didn’t try for the impossible. It has to be said that since the start of the season we haven’t had very pleasant track conditions. Here for example there was a lot of snow but very little ice. Also I don’t like the ambience in this year’s Trophy; I feel like I’m in an F1 paddock! That dampens your desire to drive and enjoy yourself.  It’d be a good idea if the stars in the blue cars calm down a little; otherwise it’s just going to become unbearable! ”

Richard GASQUET (driver of the electric Škoda) : “I’m really happy to have had the opportunity to get to know this milieu which I admire, and which I knew nothing about. I felt very honoured to meet all these drivers and to see the event from the inside. I have to say that I felt a bit apprehensive at getting behind the wheel in the race, but Franck Lagorce was a great teacher and I’d like to thank him. When he drove me round the track to help me get to know my car I thought we were going to hit the snow wall every time! I never realized an electric car could go so quickly. After that I really had fun. I enjoyed myself very much and it seems that my lap times were okay for a debutant. Better say it now, but I wasn’t as bad as I’d feared!”

•    Alpe d’Huez, race 1 : 1. P. Llorach, 80; 2. O. Panis (Škoda), 77; 3. B. Balas, 73; 4. J.-Ph. Dayraut, 72; 5. A. Prost, 72; 6. B. Rivière (Škoda), 69; 7. O. Pernaut, 68; 8. F. Lagorce (Škoda), 65; 9. E. Stievenart, 65; 9. 10. D. Thoral, 65 ; 11. P. Belmondo (Škoda), 62… 24. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 40…

•    Alpe d’Huez, race 2 : 1. . A. Prost, 79 pts; 2. J.-Ph. Dayraut, 77; 3. F. Lagorce (Škoda), 75; 4. B. Rivière (Škoda), 73; 5. E. Stievenart, 70; 6. N. Prost, 70; 7. B. Balas, 69; 8. P. Llorach, 67; 9. O. Panis (Škoda), 64; 10. O. Pernaut, 64… 13. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 59… 16. P. Belmondo (Škoda), 55…

•    Andros Trophy overall classification after Alpe d’Huez: 1. Alain Prost, 444; Jean-Philippe Dayraut, 443 pts; 2. 3. Olivier Panis (Škoda) 431;  4. Benjamin Rivière (Škoda) 424; 5. Franck Lagorce (Škoda) 422; 6. Pierre Llorach, 421; 7. Evens Stievenart, 410; 8. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg, 386; 9. Olivier Pernaut, 383; 10. Nicolas Bernardi, 361; 11. Bertrand Balas, 356; 12. Jacques Villeneuve (Skoda) 356; … 19. Paul Belmondo (Škoda) 301… (37 classified).

•    Overall classification for manufacturers: 1. Škoda, 333 pts;  2. Dacia, 308; 3. Mini, 278; 4. Renault, 278; 5. Ford, 244; 6. Toyota, 169; 7. BMW, 84.

•    Next race: 6-7 January 2012: ISOLA 2000

The Škoda Racing team had several reasons to be satisfied on its return from Andorra thanks to a stunning drive by Franck Lagorce – who beat Jean-Philippe Dayraut in the first big final – and the performances of Jacques Villeneuve and Paul Belmondo, fourth and ninth in the second qualifying heat. Even if, unlike those who cross the border to fill up, the team did not pull off a clean sweep its leader Olivier Panis is still in the frame. The driver of the n° 4 Škoda who shared the wheel with his former BAR-Honda team-mate in F1, Jacques Villeneuve, is hot on the heels of the overall leaders only 4 points behind Jean-Philippe Dayraut, the new leader, and just three behind Alain Prost.

Olivier PANIS:  “Hats Off to Alain and the Dacia team for their performance,” said Olivier when he came down from the podium on Saturday evening. “They dominated proceedings. I didn’t make any mistakes on my four timed laps, but I just couldn’t do any better. We had a tough weekend as we’re still getting to know our new car.  The team’s progressing slowly but surely and reacts well; there’s a very good ambience with great harmony between the drivers and the technical staff. No way are we downhearted, quite the opposite in fact. We’re continuing to work to stay in the game as well as trying to win again as quickly as possible.”

Concerning the overall showing of the Škoda Racing Team in the Andorran leg of the Andros Trophy, the individual performances of each of its four drivers should be highlighted. Alain Prost, the winner, said that Olivier Panis’s second place in the second qualifying heat was as good as his victory in Val Thorens a few days earlier. “He really drove well,” Alain stated. Franck Lagorce fulfilled the mission entrusted to him by Hugues de Chaunac by giving Škoda a podium finish when Panis was not in the best possible situation to fight his corner as he had to carry 60 kilos ballast (1). Twenty-four hours later Jacques Villeneuve (respectively fifth and fourth in his qualifying heats and sixth overall) and Paul Belmondo made people sit up and take notice. Panis was determined to pay homage to his team: “Jacques and Paul are getting stronger. They both had a great weekend scoring their best performances since the start of the season.”

(1) The handicap imposed after his victory Val Thorens on 4th December.

Franck LAGORCE : “We’re still learning about the car and it’s not possible to go any quicker at the moment. We’re working, we’re learning, we’re taking it apart and we’re putting it together. We’ve got great potential and a team that works methodically.  I’m happy with my third place on Friday. I hope I’ve done the job. By beating Jean-Philippe Dayraut in the first final, I took a point off him that can help Olivier and me. It’s only a point but it could be important when it comes to totting up the final results.”

Quip of the day: “I’m not going to watch the finals from the trackside any more. When I see the others driving like crazy, it scares me!” Franck Lagorce.

Jacques VILLENEUVE : “What was annoying in qualifying was losing six places by 3/10s and one by 9/1000s! That’s what happened to me on Friday and Saturday and each time I was furious. But anyway I’m starting to get there. Bit by bit I understand how the car works and how to adapt to it. Its rev band is very narrow, we’re on the razor’s edge. I’m pleased with my sixth place and that motivates me for what’s coming up next.”

The figure-6: The best result obtained by Jacques Villeneuve in a race (2011-2012 season). Last winter he finished second in Lans-en-Vercors.

Paul BELMONDO : “It’s encouraging to score a good result. In the round before the one in which I finished ninth, I felt I drove well. I felt confident. We found a better setup and it worked well. It also helped me give good technical feedback to my team-mates. At the end of the second day Olivier was again at the top of the time sheets and all four of us were in the top ten. Not a bad result overall. ”

A first: It’s a long time since Paul Belmondo has started a “Finale Elite Sup” – a privilege reserved for the first 20 after the qualifying heats. He finished seventh in his – won by Alain Prost from Olivier Panis.

•    Andorra, race 1 : 1. J.-Ph. Dayraut, 79 pts; 2. A. Prost, 71; 3. F. Lagorce (Škoda), 75; 4. B. Rivière (Škoda), 72; 5. O. Pernaut, 71; 6. P. Llorach, 71; 7. J.-B. Dubourg, 67; 8. E. Stievenart, 77; 9. O. Panis (Škoda), 66; 10. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 64… 20. P. Belmondo (Škoda), 49…

•    Andorra, race 2 : 1. . A. Prost, 80 pts; 2. J.-B. Dubourg, 76; 3. O. Panis (Škoda),74; 4. B. Rivière (Škoda), 74; 5. A. Dubourg, 71; 6. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 70; 7. J.-Ph. Dayraut, 68; 8. F. Lagorce (Škoda), 65; 9. N. Prost, 64; 10. E. Stievenart, 64… 13. P. Belmondo (Škoda), 59…

•    Andros Trophy overall classification after Andorra: 1. Jean-Philippe Dayraut, 294 pts; 2. Alain Prost, 293; 3. Olivier Panis (Škoda) 290;  4. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg, 286; 5. Benjamin Rivière (Škoda) 282; 6. Franck Lagorce (Škoda) 282; 7. Evens Stievenart, 275; 8. Pierre Llorach, 274; 9. Jacques Villeneuve (Skoda) 257; 10. Olivier Pernaut, 251… 21. Paul Belmondo (Škoda) 184… (35 classified).

•    Overall classification for manufacturers: 1. Škoda, 224 pts;  2. Dacia, 204; 3.Renault, 199; 4.Mini, 170; 5. Ford, 162; 6. Toyota, 109; 7. BMW, 52.

•    Next race: 15-16 December: Alpe d’Huez

The Škoda Racing team found itself up against a major challenge in the opening round at Val Thorens due to its new technical and sporting collaboration with the Team Oreca added to a radically new Škoda Fabia, much more restrictive tyre regulations (1), and changing track conditions. The team overcame this opening hurdle with success – Panis’s of course – but above all as the first leader of the new winter season pointed out, the team’s, as everybody saw that drivers, engineers and mechanics all worked in perfect unison.

The Škoda Racing Team started from scratch and in a calm methodical fashion used its engineers’ and drivers’ competences to put its new car at the top of the time sheets, while some of its most serious rivals had already played their first trump card. The new car is quick out of the box and this opening victory is the fruit of the right choices made by Škoda France. The make never quit first place all weekend. However, the championship, which will continue next Friday in Andorra, has only just started. As Panis pointed out, there’s still a long way to go and consistency is of crucial importance given the quality of the field. This is why the team is not making a song and dance about its first win of the 2011-2012 season.

(1) The allocation for the two days’ racing is six tyres compared to eight previously.

QUOTES:

Olivier PANIS

“This victory is the result of team work. Paul Belmondo gave me precious information about the state of the track and the car’s behavior, and I also took advantage of additional excellent information from the other driver line-up of Jacques Villeneuve and Franck Lagorce. We know one another well and there are no communication problems between us. I’m very happy for Škoda and Oreca. I’ve been telling Hugues de Chaunac to put together a team for the Andros Trophy for the past three years. The one he’s set up with methodical, organized engineers and well-designed cars that are quick out of the box with a lot of built-in development potential, is fabulous. Despite difficult track conditions the team never lost focus so we were able to keep on progressing. I’m happy to have emerged victorious on a circuit on which I haven’t had any luck till now. People say that winning the first round in Val Thorens bodes well for the final overall classification of the Trophy – we’ll see if it’s the case this year! What I’m sure of is that we’ve only crossed the first hurdle. It’ll be a long season and there will probably be several different winners given the overall quality of the field. We just have to be consistent.”

Franck LAGORCE

“On Saturday, I had my first taste of the car and its behaviour on ice. We realized immediately it was good enough to allow us to fight at the front. Because of the state of the track and various circumstances some of the others managed make better use of the conditions, but we weren’t worried from the moment our main rivals were behind us. We just simply got on with the job. My technical choices went in a fairly different direction to Olivier’s; it’s my role as team-mate. He put on a stunning performance in the first heat and gave me an open road in the second. Maybe I was a bit short of track time in that I no longer race except in the Andros Trophy in the winter. However, the team managed to boost my confidence, and I now understand why Oreca is always competitive at the top level. I feel at home with them at Škoda, and I’m convinced that we’re going to do a good job this year.”

Jacques VILLENEUVE

“My first day’s racing can be summed up as a test session. The base setup of the car didn’t suit me and I tried to do the same thing as my team-mates who adopted a more aggressive driving style, but that really  didn’t work for me either. Thanks to successive setup changes which improved the car I was able to drive in a smoother style as reflected in my results on the second day. I finished the first qualifying round in fifth position, 6/100s off fourth. The team added some new tweaks and my Škoda became very competitive in the group race. Then I was really able to fight my corner, and the progress we’d made since the previous day gave my motivation a huge boost so I’m really looking forward to the next race in Andorra!”

Paul BELMONDO

“Personally, I wasn’t able to find the setup I’d wanted. I thought I’d managed to do so on Sunday morning, but things became more complicated as the track started to deteriorate. But I did my best in terms of setups and feedback to help the team progress. Obviously, our aim is to help Škoda win. The whole team is driven by this aim, which also explains the result. We’re all very happy to see that our new car has enabled Škoda to hit the front in the very first race.”

• Val Thorens, saturday 03/12: 1 B. Rivière (Škoda), 78 pts; 2. P. Llorach, 77; 3. E. Stievenart, 75; 4. O. Panis (Škoda), 70; 5. J.-Ph. Dayraut, 70; 6. N. Bernardi, 70; 7. J.-B. Dubourg, 69; 8. F. Lagorce (Škoda), 69; 9. A. Prost, 136; 10. D. Thoral, 64… 14. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 57… 24. P. Belmondo (Škoda), 41…

• Val Thorens, sunday 04/12: 1. O. Panis (Škoda), 80 pts; 2. J.-Ph. Dayraut, 77; 3. J.-B. Dubourg, 74; 4. F. Lagorce (Škoda), 73; 5. A. Prost, 70; 6. E. Stievenart, 69; 7. J. Maurin, 67; 8. J. Villeneuve (Škoda) 66; 9. B. Balas, 65; 10. P. Llorach, 64…

• Trophée Andros overall standings: 1. Olivier Panis (Škoda), 150 pts; 2. Jean-Philippe Dayraut, 147; 3. Evens Stievenart, 144; 4. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg, 143; 5. Franck Lagorce (Škoda), 142; 6. Pierre Llorach, 141; 7. Benjamin Rivière Škoda), 136; 8. Alain Prost, 136; 9. Nicolas Bernardi, 129; 10. Jacques Villeneuve (Skoda) 123… 26. Paul Belmondo (Škoda), 76…

• Next race: 9-10th December: Andorra (Pas de la Case),

A win without contest for team Signatech-Nissan…
Arriving in China, the objective of Philippe Sinault and Didier Calmels’ men was clear : take the win ! Crowned « Teams » champions since Petit Le Mans, team Signatech-Nissan realised its mission and in the process finish the season on a high note.  At the top of the timesheets since the first practice session, the No. 26 ORECA 03 was fastest in each session, before Franck Mailleux signed pole in LMP2.

During the race, Franck Mailleux, Lucas Ordoñez and Jean-Karl Vernay once again showed good speed, avoiding incident on the Zhuhai circuit. In a competitive ORECA 03-Nissan, Jean-Karl Vernay takes the start. Franck Mailleux takes over for him for a solid double stint, but when he comes in to hand the car to Lucas Ordoñez, the team must remove a plastic sack that was sucked into a sidepod intake which was raising the water temperature.  The Spaniard keeps the ORECA 03 in the class lead, before Jean-Karl Vernay finishes the race. During the last stop, a new front cover is installed as a precaution, but this doesn’t keep the Signatech-Nissan team from reaching the top step of the podium.

Franck Mailleux is satisfied with this first place finish : « I’m really happy.  This victory is a good way to finish the season. We were determined to win at least one race this year. » The Brittany native underlines the work of the whole team : « I’d like to thank the entire Signatech-Nissan team, as well as my teammates – Lucas, Jean-Karl, without forgetting Soheil (Ayari)- for all of the work done and these accomplished performances.The weekend was good.  We had to learn the track and I gave it my all to take pole.  This victory is a well-deserved result for everyone. »

For its first year in competition, the ORECA 03 LMP2 shined both in the Le Mans Series – with two wins and the Constructors title for ORECA-Nissan – as well as in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup – with the Teams title for Signatech-Nissan, including a second place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in class.  The prototype designed in the Signes workshops concludes its world tour with a convincing win in Asia.

Mission accomplished for PTRS Racing…
An ORECA-FLM 09 was also present on track at Zhuhai, entered by PTRS Racing. The Formula Le Mans was driven by Wei Liang Chen, the Team Manager, and Zhang Shanqui. The latter already knew the track and the car, which he drove during the Test Day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, then at the 6 Hours of Imola, with a third place finish driving for Hope Racing.  The Chinese team PTRS Racing did well on home soil : after getting used to their new ride, the team and duo of Shanqi/Chen rallied the finish after an uneventful race.  After this convincing performance, the young Zhang Shanqi will be hoping to continue his climb up the endurance racing ladder to participate in the 24 Hours of  Le Mans next year.

The new collaboration marks Dempsey Racing’s first ALMS prototype effort and continues the momentum of STR’s successful 2011 season that saw the team take part in every major North American sports car endurance race and Richard capture the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series MESCO Building for the Future Rookie of the Year Award.

“Joining with Patrick, Joe and everyone at Dempsey Racing is an amazing opportunity for next year,” Richard said. “They’ve done a very professional job in GRAND-AM, and we all seem to have mutual interest in using this as a forum for our guests and business partners. Dempsey Racing brings a great name to our business-to-business platform, and the value it will bring to each event will be a great boost for our team. According to media value reports, the team created over $10 million in media exposure in 2011, and at the very least I’m sure we’ll have a lot more executives pushed by their wives and daughters to come out to the races! This is also another step forward towards my ultimate objective: competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the prototype category.”

Established in 2003 as Hyper Sport, Dempsey Racing has operated from its Atlanta base for the last nine years, primarily focusing on the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series with a fulltime Mazda GT program since 2008. The team fielded a two-car GT effort the last two seasons and posted its first win on the NASCAR short-course race at Watkins Glen in August of 2010. Foster also co-drove with Scott Maxwell to the 2008 GRAND-AM Koni Challenge Series Grand Sport (GS) class championship.

A founding goal of Dempsey Racing was to ultimately expand to a multi-faceted motorsports program with teams competing in several different racing series, and the announcement of the Silicon Tech/Dempsey Racing relationship is a major step in that direction.

“We’ve been seeking to expand our program base for some time and we firmly believe that we’ve arrived at the correct opportunity with Henri and his Silicon Tech Racing partners,” Dempsey said. “Next year will be a big step for Dempsey Racing as we continue to work with our long term manufacturer partner Mazda and expand into the ALMS. We have long term, international aspirations, and long term international partners like Silicon Tech Racing and Mazda will help us achieve those goals.”

Dempsey and Foster, who handles the day-to-day operation of Dempsey Racing along with Team Manager Greg Cates, have also been co-drivers of the team’s No. 40 Mazda RX-8 GT for the last four seasons. The team remains committed to its Mazda GRAND-AM Rolex Series GT program and looks forward to announcing its specifics in the next few weeks.

“Patrick and I both are super excited about having Henri as part of Dempsey Racing and for allowing us this next step as a team,” Foster said. “Patrick has made no secret of his desire to return to Le Mans again and this is the first step in building the team in that direction. We are planning additional announcements both for the Rolex Series and ALMS programs in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.”

Concluding its fourth season of competition in 2011, STR’s results included multiple victories in ALMS and numerous top-10 finishes in the Ferrari Challenge, the Porsche Cup Asia, and the GRAND-AM Rolex Series as well as being awarded the Grand Am MESCO rookie of the Year award.
Richard, who lives in Los Altos Hills, California, is the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales for Freescale Semiconductor. Producing microprocessors for a number of industries including automotive, consumer electronics, networking and industrial applications, Richard is constantly traveling and engaging in conferences and meetings around the world while leveraging his racing program for corporate and client hospitality and business growth.

Plans for Silicon Tech/Dempsey Racing include taking delivery of a new Oreca FLM-09 and a comprehensive testing plan prior to the season-opening 2012 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, beginning the venture’s season-long campaign.

ŠKODA has held the manufacturer’s title since the make’s debut (2008-2009 winter), and it has renewed its entry in the Andros Trophy for another two years. It has chosen ORECA to build its new cars – on the base of the ŠKODA Fabia – and also to run them in the races. It was a natural choice,“as they’re top-class professionals who’ve proved their talent in the area of motor sport engineering,” commented Luc Chausson, the director of ŠKODA France, after Olivier Panis the interface between the two groups, made the introductions.

Olivier Panis, winner of the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix, has teamed up with three other F1 drivers: Jacques Villeneuve, F1 World Champion in 1997, who can’t wait to get back on the ice again, Franck Lagorce, in the top three last year, and Paul Belmondo for whom the Andros Trophy will be his only outing since his retirement from motor sport. Another common factor between the four ŠKODA aces is that they are all in their prime as Villeneuve turned forty on 9th April. Technical director is David Floury backed up by an experienced engineer who’s already a member of the team, Christophe de Coninck.

. Since its debut in the Andros Trophy in 2008, ŠKODA has racked up 18 victories, 2 drivers’ championships and 3 manufacturers’ titles. . ŠKODA has also renewed its entry for the electric car category as part of its on-going sustainable development strategy.
. ŠKODA has also renewed its entry for the electric car category as part of its on-going sustainable development strategy.

QUOTES:

Jacques VILLENEUVE
“After my first outing with ŠKODA, I can’t wait to get back on ice again! It’s great fun, and in addition I finished the 2010-2011 season with a few good results. I was really determined to come back as with the new car it looks like we’ll be in a position to fight for victory. Last winter my aim was to play myself in; I was out to enjoy myself. Today, it’s a whole different challenge. If we can continue to have fun while battling for victory, then it’ll be fantastic!”

Olivier PANIS
“As always, I’m feeling very happy as the dawn of a new season approaches. I like the Andros Trophy; it attracts excellent drivers, great teams and manufacturers, and the ambience is very pleasant. We’re restarting with a whole new outfit and brand-new cars. As ŠKODA France decided to continue very early on we’ve had time to prepare ourselves. We four drivers get on very well and we’re delighted to be together. We know that we still have a long way to go to win, but that makes it all the more exciting.”

Franck LAGORCE
“For a French driver becoming part of the ORECA organization at one moment or another is a key step in his career. For me it’s the first time! I’m very proud and happy to finally race with this team backed by a manufacturer like ŠKODA, which has invested what it takes to put us in a position to reconquer the drivers’ title. I’m going to do my utmost to help ŠKODA win it.”

Paul BELMONDO
“My aim is to serve the team as much as possible. If I can make a contribution to help ŠKODA win the Trophy, ensure all goes well and Olivier, Jacques or Franck wins the title, I’ll have achieved my aim. And if I can enjoy myself by doing a bit better than has been the case up to now, it’ll be just perfect – especially if I manage to score a podium finish during the season.”

Jean-Karl Vernay : « Finish this good season with a win ! »
Assured of the title, it’s with a liberated sense of spirit that the men led by Philippe Sinault and Didier Calmels come into this final meeting of the year.  Consistently at the front of the pack since the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Signatech-Nissan ORECA 03 has had some convincing performances, with multiple podiums and zero retirements.  Although Franck Mailleux and Lucas Ordoñez began their seasons with the team with the Florida classique, Jean-Karl Vernay participated in his first race at the 6 Hours of Silverstone. The frenchman wasted no time finding the right pace, with his front row qualifying performance at Petit Le Mans confirming it : « I arrived in the team in the middle of the season and I had to get myself into the swing of things quickly, » explains Jean-Karl. « Luckily, I already knew the team well because I drove for Signature in Formula 3. Everyone had confidence in me and the fast times were quick to come. The spirit within the team is very good, which allows you to work without worry. »

At Road Atlanta, « JK » was often among the fastest : « I especially like the American style races, where the tracks are unforgiving. Everything went well and I’m thrilled that we were able to bring home the title. The ORECA-Nissan package is very good and the car is really pleasant to drive.  The performance has been there since the start of the season : the ORECA 03 has been competitive at all of the races. » At Zhuhai, the goal will be to finish with an excellent result : « Signatech-Nissan has the title in their pocket, so we arrive in China with less pressure.  We will do everything we can to finish this good season with a win.  My goal will once again be to enjoy myself on track as much as possible while gaining experience. »

An ORECA FLM 09 in the Chinese arena…
On September 19 an ORECA-FLM 09 was on exhibition at the Chinese circuit during the Pan Delta Super Racing Festival. Several drivers were able to take advantage of this opportunity and test the Formula Le Mans. PTRS will be entering one during the 6 Hours of Zhuhai, with Wei Liang Chen, the Team Manager, and Zhang Shan Qi sharing the wheel. The Chinese driver began racing only three years ago in Formule Renault Asia. Before driving for the PTRS Racing team, he had defended the colors of Hope Racing, with a third place in Imola.

Practice for the 6 Hours of Zhuhai begins Friday, November 11, at 10 :30 am local time (3 :30 am French time). Qualifying will be held November 12, with the start given Sunday,  November 13 at 11 :00 am (4 :00 am in France).

In recent years, ORECA has shown its qualities, rivaling the two official constructors, Audi and Peugeot. Most notably, Hugues de Chaunac’s men won the 12 Hours of Sebring in March 2011, and finished 2nd in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta a few weeks ago.

The LMP1 chassis that will be entered in 2012 has been designed, developed and built at TMG’s technical centre in Cologne. The prototype will be powered by a petrol engine equipped with hybrid technology, provided by Toyota Motor Corporation. ORECA will support the TMG track operations team and this partnership will begin in the coming weeks.

Hugues de Chaunac, President of Groupe ORECA: “It’s a very big day for ORECA. To be chosen by Toyota Motorsport GmbH is a huge reward for the work we’ve done in recent years. ORECA has proven its worth at the highest level of endurance racing, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2011 and finishing three straight times in the top 5 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thanks to its know-how, ORECA now has the opportunity to work with the biggest automobile manufacturer, and on a project that’s particularly interesting. We are proud to support Toyota Motorsport GmbH in this challenge and we’re looking forward to an exciting future.”

Rob Leupen, Director Business Operations, Toyota Motorsport GmbH: “This is clearly good news for TMG. Oreca’s competence and track record are well known, which is why we were very keen to develop a relationship with them. They will enhance our track operations team as we make progress in the world of endurance racing.”

LMPC. Henri Richard : « It’s a win full of fun… »
Once again the LMPC class was a hotly contest battle that saw Intersport Racing and PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports fighting to the end. It wasn’t until the final lap that Lewis/Richard/Dobson (PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports) were declared the victors with only. 172 thousandths’ gap over Marcelli/Ducote/Drissi (Intersport Racing).

None of the six drivers gave an inch during the 368 laps covered by the eventual winner. « It was just fun » said Henri Richard after the podium. « To be totally honest, I didn’t know what place I was in because the team didn’t want to tell me in order to keep pressure off. It was the first time that I drove this car here and the team gave us a fantastic car.  I gave the controls to Ryan, who took it to the finish. It’s a win full of fun for us today. »
The two title hopefuls were both fighting for the lead, but Jeannette/Gonzalez/Junco Jr (CORE Autosport) and Lux/Zügel/Grogor/Julian (Genoa Racing) were held up. At the end, the CORE Autosport foursome reached the 3rd step on the podium, ahead of Genoa Racing.  After the final tally, it was discovered that three drivers are champions ! Jeannette, Gonzalez and Lux ! « It’s been a fantastic year and I had a lot of fun sharing the drive with Ricardo, » explained Gunnar Jeannette. « The team really went far since Sebring. » In its first year in the category, CORE Autosport takes the Teams title ahead of Genoa Racing.

Four at the Petit Le Mans and championship leader with only a three point lead arriving in Georgia, Eric Lux is also champion after an exciting race : « The start was pretty chaotic with a lot of traffic.  The whole season has been tight, and the competition has been intense at each event.  At the end of the day we are all racers and we all want to have intense battles, like was the case today and during the whole championship. »

The second CORE Autosport ORECA-FLM 09 of Dalziel/Montecalvo/Bennett finished in fifth place after an incident in the final laps.  Contact in the early part of the race kept Performance Tech Motorsports (Boon/Nicolosi/Lueders) from contesting for the win. The trio crossed the line in sixth position.