Datum: 08.05.2012 · 24h Le Mans

Questionable decision denies Ehret a Spa-Podium

Luxury-Ferrari #58 (Picture by Jan Hettler)
Luxury-Ferrari #58 (Picture by Jan Hettler)
Ehrets Ferrari in Spa (Picture by Jan Hettler)
Ehrets Ferrari in Spa (Picture by Jan Hettler)
Luxury-Racing Pilot Pierre Ehret and his new american Co-Pilots Gunnar Jeanette and Frank Montecalvo were denied a safe podium-spot in their GTE-Am Luxury-Racing Ferrari F458 at the 6 hours of Spa. The stewards imposed the team a stop & go penalty after a contact between the Ferrari and the race winning Audi R18 TDI ultra of Dumas/Duval/Gene. At the finish of the 2nd round of the FIA-WEC the team crossed the line as 5th in the GTE-Am class, just 25s behind the 3rd in class, the AF-Corse-Ferrari of Parazzini/Cioci/Griffin.     
 
Ehret was after the race more than dissatisfied with the decision of the racestewards: „A totally wrong decision! I was 3rd in class and turned into Les Combes when I first saw the blue flags. In the next corner – Malmedy - I was hit from behind and went into the gravel. My teammate Fred Markowiecki was in the GTE-Pro-Car of Luxury-Racing behind me and saw the Audi hitting me in the side. In the drivers-briefing before the race it was made clear that the slow cars would have to stay on their line while the faster prototypes would have to find a way around. Thats what I did, but  nevertheless we were given the penalty which costed us in the end the podium!“
 
Ehrets Luxury Racing F458 finished the race as 5th in class behind the Larbre Corvette #50 (4th) and the AF-Corse F458 #81 (3rd) which battled thoughout the race for the 3rd place in class. The top-2 spots were taken by the Porsches of IMSA-Performance (1st) and the #88 Proton-Felbermayr (2nd). As next race the 24hours of Le Mans are on the schedule of the FIA-WEC at the 16th June 2012.