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TVR Press Reports from Le
Mans 24 Hour Race 2003
if you have any news or details that we could add
to keep TVRCC members updated, please contact
us.
| SUNDAY
15 MAY 2003 3.33pm |
Goodbye
from Le Mans
This will be our final note from The Sarthe. The team is packing
up and making ready for the long journey back to Blackpool (out of
this sunshine and back to some proper weather).
It’s been a busy, and long night. Since our last note you’ll
probably have heard that we sadly lost the second, number 92 car
shortly before 3 o’clock this morning. The car lost drive after
the Mulsanne Straight with Michael Caine at the wheel.
Gallingly for us, having lost the other T400R after being hit by
another racer, this time the fault lay in a specialised, bought-in
racing part common to many of the cars in the pit lane.
The propshaft failed on Michael and, despite spending a brave two
hours trying to fix it, we all had to finally accept that there was
nothing to be done.
At the time we were all desperately disappointed,
but a few hours sleep has lent a new perspective
to the situation. So many people,
not least the drivers of the 1,300 plus TVRs down here, have taken
the trouble to come and thank us for a fabulous weekend. It really
has made us all realise that’s it’s been more than worth
it.
It’s still a little difficult to swallow though, not least because
both cars were so quick, and were running solidly before suffering
really bad luck, even in motor racing terms.
We were well up in class, up to fifth at one point,
and were outstripping the Porsches and Ferraris
regularly. We also know that the package
we have is excellent and, for a first try at the modern race, with
it’s incredible pace, we can be honestly pleased to have shown
such potential.
Everyone here has been overwhelmed by the support
we’ve had,
whether at the circuit or through calls and emails. It has really
made the weekend worthwhile, and it fills us with a real determination
to realise the potential of the cars in future.
It’s too early to talk about next year, but
we certainly hope to be back.
TVR is about more than great sports cars, and it’s
all the people who drive, race and support the
marque who make us stand out from
so many of the corporate leviathans that were once motor companies
here at Le Mans.
So you will be the first to know what we decide about Le Mans 2004.
All of us, from Peter, to the TVR team, the people at DeWalt Racesport
Salisbury and the drivers want to offer our sincere thanks for all
your support.
| SATURDAY
14 MAY 2003 6.20pm |
 Our
apologies for not getting this message out earlier.
As you can imagine, it’s been a busy day here
because………….TVR is racing at
Le Mans again!
Both T400R cars set off at exactly 4 o’clock
this afternoon as the famous clock at the Sarthe
began to count down from 24 hours.
Cars 91 and 92 set off at a good pace and were comfortably mid-field
in class proving that, as expected, there was more speed in them
than had been shown in qualifying.
As all race fans know, though, Le Mans is notoriously cruel and sure
enough bad luck struck after an hour.
Richard Stanton, team principal and one of the three drivers of car
91, was on his first lap after taking over from Rob Barff when he
was was struck from the rear by a prototype car near the Porsche
Curves.
The impact itself did not take Richard off but it did significant
damage to the rear end, which then forced him into a spin, striking
the wall backwards.
Luckily Richard himself was unhurt, but a second
piece of bad luck made matters far worse when one
of the ACO’s fork-lift drivers,
in trying to move the car, did even more damage, this time to the
front end.
As we speak, 91 has been out on the roadside for more than a hour.
Richard can start the car, but has no drive. Some of his TVR DeWalt
Race Sport Salisbury crew are out near him, and Richard has been
working incredibly hard in the baking temperatures here to try to
get running long enough to get to the pit. ACO rules dictate that
he must do all the work on the car himself. Richard is even telling
us that he is willing to push the T400R back to us, despite it having
a wheel bent out of alignment by the crash. Everyone is keeping their
fingers crossed, not least for poor Richard Hay who would have been
next to drive, and who has not yet had the chance to drive the car
in the race.
 However,
it is certainly not all bad news. One car may be
stranded, but the other is running very well and
is 6th in class. The 92 car of Tim Sugden, Michael
Caine and Mike Jordan is lapping consistently fast,
and is looking good. Tim is at the wheel at the
moment and is looking strong, lapping regularly
quicker than the Porsches around him and slowly
climbing up the leader board.
We always thought that the cars would be really
competitive and, despite Richard Stanton’s
bad luck, the pace of the number 92 car is keeping
spirits in the TVR camp high.
And we haven’t given up on number 91 either!
For more pictures of TVR's campaign at Le Mans, go to www.dailysportscar.com/free/tvr/tvrgallery.htm.
| FRIDAY
13 MAY 2003 4.29pm |
 Good
news from Le Mans! After a difficult Wednesday
both cars are now qualified, running well and we’re
going faster than ever. After a run of rotten luck
including punctures and a time-consuming, although
not serious, mechanical problem, there were a few
long faces on Wednesday night, but the pit was
all smiles by this morning after the two qualifying
sessions yesterday. Both T400R cars are proving
much faster than they had been in all previous
tests. The DeWalt Racesport Salisbury TVR team
knocked a massive 16 seconds off their best testing
times after the two sessions.
Good times by all six drivers were exactly what
we all needed after a difficult previous day trying
to establish the best set up, and
both team principal Richard Stanton and TVR chairman Peter Wheeler
were pleased with a good night’s work. Tim Sugden put his No92
car (co-driven with Michael Caine and Mike Jordan) well up the grid
with a time of 4m 16.8s. Early speedtrap information shows the car
travelling almost 20mph faster than it did in testing last month
on the famous Mulsanne Straight. The
exact top speed on the Mulsanne is a closely-guarded secret, but
it could certainly be described as ‘seriously quick’.
The 91 car of Richard Stanton, Richard Hay and
Rob Barff also posted strong times and will start
a few places behind its sister car when
the flag drops at 4pm on Saturday. The result leaves the 92 car eighth
in its class, an outstanding achievement for us as a new team at
what is unquestionably the toughest of races, but we’re all
quietly confident there’s plenty more in the cars. We really
think neither has shown it’s full potential yet.
Today is a less frenetic day, with the traditional drivers’ parade
in the town. It’s a chance for the drivers and the whole team
to get together with our many supporters here and the race-mad locals
who always turn out in force and put on a great show. A few of us
may even manage a (petite) beer!
Nonetheless, it’ll be early to bed for all
of us in preparation for the real business tomorrow.
There’s still a lot of work to be done down in the pit lane,
and we need to be certain that we’ve all done everything we
possibly can to give ourselves the best chance.
Another bulletin from The Sarthe tomorrow. Fingers crossed for more
good news! |
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