Qualifying
Issued
Thursday 15th June 2006
Thomas
Erdos claims LMP2 pole for RML at Le Mans
RML’s
Thomas Erdos added his first Le Mans pole to a long list of
racing achievements when he set a best of 3:41.555 in the
team’s MG Lola EX264 to secure the top grid position
in LMP2 for this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours.
After
Wednesday’s two evening sessions had been virtually
washed out by torrential rain, it had become inevitable that
the battle for the grid would be concentrated into the first
two hours of Thursday qualifying. With conditions almost perfect
for racing, any times set on the previous day were wiped from
the screens within ten minutes of the pitlane opening. Offered
the chance to go for pole in the MG, Erdos was instantly on
the pace, and his first flying lap was good enough to stake
an initial claim to the top spot in LMP2. It was a position
he would never relinquish.
Having
set the benchmark, the Brazilian then handed over the MG to
his two co-drivers so that they could complete their requisite
qualifying laps. Andy Wallace enjoyed his first run in anger
in the RML machine, completing two very competitive flying
laps, before handing on to Mike Newton, who also made two
circuits of the track. With conditions nearing their best
as the evening cooled, Erdos was strapped back into the car
and given some softer race tyres and a free rein. He grasped
the opportunity, and set a succession of blisteringly quick
laps, each one faster than the last, to culminate in a best
that would stand proud of the rest of the LMP2 field by more
than two seconds.
That
was how the timing screens stood at the end of the first session,
but there were nervous moments when qualifying resumed at
ten o’clock. Erdos, his job done, had already take off
his race suit, but the first twenty minutes of the later session
have sometimes proved the quickest. While Mike Newton and
Andy Wallace pounded round the circuit, building up their
familiarity with the car and track, Erdos watched the screens.
Initially there were improvements from some of the top LMP1
competitors, but the track had evidently peaked, and as the
session wore on he visibly relaxed. On the stroke of midnight
the chequered flag fell, confirming Erdos as LPM2 polesetter,
with the Audi R10 of Capello, Kristensen and McNish on outright
pole.
“That’s
mission accomplished,” declared Ray Mallock, team owner
at RML. “Not only in terms of pole position, but also
to get all the drivers successfully qualified, and at the
same time establish a race set-up for the car that all three
are comfortable with. Getting pole on top of that is a bonus,
but one we’re all delighted to accept.” Phil Barker
was especially pleased for Thomas Erdos. “That’s
three poles out of three races so far this season, and I’m
delighted for Tommy. He’s worked so hard for this, and
to be top of the tree at a prestigious event like this is
tremendous.”
The
man himself was “just surprised that nobody else went
quicker! I was convinced they would, but I’m so pleased
for the team, and for the lads who worked so hard to build
this car for us. To create the fastest car at an event like
this is a reward they all deserve.” Andy Wallace, who
won the Le Mans 24 Hours with Jaguar in 1988, thoroughly enjoyed
his first experience of the RML MG Lola, and is looking forward
to getting to grips with it in the race on Saturday. “I’m
so impressed with the car,” he enthused. “It’s
lovely to drive, and this is a team with a tremendous amount
of experience. Everything’s under control, and that’s
a nice feeling to take forward into a twenty-four hour race.”
The
team will now spend Friday preparing the car for the race;
a process that will include the fitting of a new race engine,
and a multitude of other ready-prepared components. “It
will be very satisfying if the rest of the weekend goes as
smoothly as qualifying,” said Adam Wiseberg, Motorsport
Director of AD Holdings, the team’s principal sponsor.
We’ll have to wait until five pm on Sunday to discover
if they do.
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