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RACE FACTS - Having been absent at the Monza 1,00kms, the Corvette entry (two cars) may be considered as a work's entry. Extremely well prepaired the #64 realises the 18th time on the grid as second in GTS, with nearly the same time as the #66 Prodrive Ferrari 550 Maranello just ahead. During the first 30 minutes the car is headed by the two Prodrive Ferraris, but after the first pit stop Jan Magnussen can take the class lead. After six hours of racing the car is already fifth, only headed by four LM1 prototypes. The difference with the first Ferrari (#66 Prodrive) is then up to 1'54". At midnight, after eight hours of racing, the difference is up to 2'16". During the following hour the #66 Ferrari is motoring a bit faster, since the difference between the two cars comes down to 2'10". Drama shortly after 01.20h when Magnussen and Jamie Davies (in the race leading #88 Audi R8R Veloqx) collide at the Ford Chicane; after a driving error of the Brit. The Corvette backs into the wall and needs to be dragged out. Mags has to complete a full lap with some rear damage, losing valuable time to Enge. The accident costs the Corvette six laps, dropping from sixth to tenth.
Shortly after the class leading #66 Ferrari Prodrive will loose three and a half laps in the pits with engine firing problems, the Corvette can come back on two and a half laps from the Ferrari. At mid-race difference is three laps - the car being ninth overall. At 04.48h Beretta comes into the pits where body damage is to be repaired. It costs him 13 minutes, and when he rejoins the race difference with the #66 Ferrari Prodrive is again 6 laps. This gap is unchanged during the following hours and after 18 hours of racing the car is seventh, always six laps down to the #66. At 11.40h: the GTS leading #66 has a puncture, left front, near the start of the lap. Tomas Enge crawls home, but unusually, the punctured tyre (and wheel) don't rotate. Enge grinds his way round to the pit, and the GTS class leader is pulled into the garage, for some fairly lengthy work. A five lap lead suddenly doesn't seem very safe at all. Olivier Beretta immediately cuts his times from 3'57" to 3'56", then 3'55"... as he knocks the laps off one by one. Shortly after noon he passes the #66 Ferrari, being passed on his turn by the recovered #8 Audi R8. The Corvette is now again class leader. Since Tomas Enge needs more than 30 minutes to bring the #66 into the pits, and since repairs cost another six laps, followed by a spin off of Menu, the Corvette is with three hours to go a strong GTS leader. The #63 sister car is now second in the class, eight laps down. Then comes the #65 Ferrari Prodrive five more laps down, and only then the #66 ...twenty laps down! The Corvette-Ferrari gruelling combat is over. Eventually the car will finish as sixth and GTS winner, 34 laps down to the winner, but nine laps ahead over the sister car finishing ninth overall and second in GTS. |
