#69 FERRARI 550 MARANELLO LABRE COMPETI0N

Christophe Bouchut (F)

Patrice Goueslard (F)

Olivier Dupard (F)

Ludovic Louis (F)

Guillaume Chantreuil (F)

Emmanuel Bougeard (F)

RACE FACTS - Having finished 9th overall at the Monza 1,000-kms (driven by Christophe Bouchut/Pedro Lamy and Steve Zacchia) and having won its class, the Larbre Competition Maranello disappointed at the qualificatiions, where it was preceeded by the two Corvettes and the two Prodrive Maranellos. It started frm 24th position and was unable to follow the pace set by the #64 Corvette and the two Prodrive Ferraris during the five first hours. Nevertheless the Larvre Competition Maranello was found in rank 10 after five hours, two laps down to the class-leading Corvette. Shortly before quarter race the car seems to be in engine trouble and looses considerably speed. A quick check lets find a deficient throttle cable needing to be replaced. When the throttle goes stuck a second time, shortly before midnight, the car looses 8 places to come back as 19th.  During the four following hours the #69 wins four places. At mid-race the car is 15th, eleven laps behind the new class leader, the #66 Prodrive Maranello 550, but ahead of the second Corvette.
At 03.56h Patrice Goueslard comes into the pits without brakes. Repair costs more than 33 minutes, dropping the car into rank 24. After 18 hours - the five last ran troublefree - the car is back into 16th position, now definitively passed by the two Prodrive Ferraris and the two Corvettes. Difference with the #66 Ferrari is 21 laps, with the #64 Corvette 16 laps, with the #63 Corvette 10 laps and with the #65 Ferrari 2 laps. Shortly after noon Christophe Bouchut misses the curb at Tertre Rouge and hits the wall. The car looses more than 30 minutes on repairs and rejoins the race in 18th position. During the remaining hours, with Bouchut, Goueslard and Dupard doing each one hour stints, the car can win four places to finish 14th as fifth GTS, 28 laps down to the class winning #64 Courvette.