Datum: 22.03.2011 · 24h Le Mans

12h of Sebring - Stopped with podium in sight

The CRS-Ferrari of Pierre Ehret, Roger Willis & Shaun Lynn was cruising towards a podium finish in the new GTE-Am-class at the 12h of Sebring 2011. But unfortunately in lap 226 Willis ran out of fuel after approximately 8hours. Without further opportunity of taking the flag the team was classified as retirement and gained no points at their first Intercontinental Le Mans Cup-Outing.

Pierre Ehert did the Qualifying and ended up with a laptime of 2:05,993. „I took the start from pitlane due to some late repairs. So we started cosistently going into the race with a finish as goal. My 1st stint was ok. The car was fine and well prepared. I improved from 56th to 39th in my stint. My teamcolleagues did also well adopt on the car in their first race on this level. Unfortunately we had some small issues like a loose cooling box, a cracked fuel cell and a Stop&Go, which left us loosing contact to the remaining 2 cars in the front of our class, the Proton-Porsche and the Krohn Racing Ferrari.

But our main issue turned out to be the missing communication between pit & drivers during our stints which led to Roger running out of fuel on lap 226. We had hopes of being towed back to the pits during the next caution, but while we had 9 cautions before our stop there was none during the last 4 hours. So we got no flag and therefore no points although we had sufficiant distance to be classified. That was a pity because our strategy would have elevated us on 2nd in our class because Proton got in late clutch-troubles before the end of the race." The class-win in GTE-Am was archieved by the trio Krohn/Jonsson/Rugolo in the Krohn Racing F430.

„All in the team worked really hard, but it did not pay off. On the positive side we saw that we are competetive in the class with our lineup. Also my new helmet with the integrated cooling worked well. Now I know why all the professional drivers using it look so fit when they step out their hot cars even after triple stints"

The next ILMC-race for the CRS-Crew of Ehret, Willis and Lynn will take place on saturday the 7th of may in Spa-Francorchamps.