Beechdean AMR looking for better in Road to Le Mans Race 2 tomorrow
Friday, June 14, 2019
What had started as something rather special for Beechdean AMR in the first race of the Michelin Le Mans Cup ‘Road to Le Mans’ double header this weekend disappeared on the final lap with race ending damage whilst in a podium position for drivers Andrew Howard and Ross Gunn.
Having qualified in P11 ( GT3 pole position) and ahead of many of the ‘faster’ LMP3 runners, the silver rated Aston Martin Racing reserve driver of Gunn started the 55 minute race aboard the #99 AMR V8 Vantage GT3 ands had a 'few' skirmishes with the bigger prototype cars on opening laps around the 8.5 mile circuit that we are sure he will be proud of!
More than able to hold on to his start position from the grid, Gunn was soon able to elevate his cars positions as opportunity arose around the circuit as the overall speed differential between the GT3 and LMP3 cars was not massive although the smaller more aero dependant prototypes were quicker through the twisty elements of the lap.
Their race pace was however thwarted by the introduction of a Safety Car to assist with the recover of a damaged LPM3 as well as debris on circuit and that would allow their competitors to zero in onto the rear of the red, white and blue car up until the point most cars pitted (still during the Safety Car period) for their second driver.
Taking over the car form Gunn, Andrew Howard would have just over twenty minutes to maintain and hold on to their top step of the podium position although some of their competitors still had either their Pro or 'bandit' bronze driver in the second stint. The #71 Luzich Racing was one such predator and it didn't take their Pro driver Mickel Mac to pass the #99 although there was some questions of when the pass was made due to a near-by slow zone at the time.
The SPS Automotive Mercedes AMG was next to pass Howard for position but he still had track position over the #8 Kessel Racing Ferrari going into the final lap. Unseen by the track cameras but clearly obvious to those trackside was that this gaggle of cars went into the Indianapolis/Arnage complex almost nose to tail but not all would come out the other side.
What had transpired (and confirmed by the team) was that the #8 car had indeed been rear ended the #99 car, taking Howard out of the race and what was still a P3 podium paying position.
Later Thursday evening and subsequent to post race scrutineering, the #99 car was however found to have exceeded the four event maximum allowance in terms of turbo charger over-boost for which the car was disqualified from the results. Spending some time with the team today, whilst the contact on the final lap did take them out of a possible podium finish at the home of endurance racing, the thought of then having that accolade (and especially at Le Mans) then removed by this technical transgression kind of lightened their disappointment with what did actually happen.
To be clear, these instances of over boost where tiny - we understand that the longest instance out of the five incurred by the car was just over 1/10th of a second long with most just hundredths of a second long but rules and rules..............!!
With the car now thankfully fully repaired, the team will obviously be hoping for better fortune tomorrow morning in race 2 when the #99 again starts from pole position in GT3.
Photo credits - Beechdean AMR (final two)
