Johansson Motorsports - Most Race Report
Sunday 5 August - Race Summary
JOHANSSON MOTORSPORTS - Gulf Audi R8
Result: 1st Fastest Lap: 1min 21.025secs (SJ).
Weather: 24°c, 42% humidity
Stefan Johansson and Patrick Lemarié steered their Gulf Audi to a
dominant start to finish maiden European Le Mans Series victory at Most in
the Czech Republic today (SUN). Their 2000-specification
"customer" Audi R8 completed 117-laps, 300 miles at an average
speed of over 116mph in the 165-minute event with Johansson also setting
the fastest lap around the 2.58-mile track.
The Audi duo's colossal four lap victory in round four of the ELMS series
earned the German manufacturer a 17th win with the R8 sportscar, Johansson
his first endurance sportscar victory for four years (Donington Park, July
1997), Lemarié's and also the Arena-run Johansson Motorsports team's
first-ever victory in the sportscar category.
Lemarié started from pole-position - his first and the British-based
team's second consecutive pole - building a lead of over 18secs before the
second-placed Panoz (Enge/Janis) made its first scheduled pit-stop one lap
before the Gulf Audi pitted for fuel and tyres after 55mins, Patrick
handing over to Stefan without losing the lead.
Johansson immediately set a blistering pace, setting the race's fastest
lap within 15mins of stepping in to the Audi, to extend his lead advantage
to over one minute by 50 laps. But Johansson was then summoned to
make a stop-go penalty by race officials for exceeding the speed limit
exiting the pits which reduced his lead to 53secs at mid-distance.
The Panoz made a lengthy pit-stop after 95mins with a diffuser problem
handing Johansson a three-lap lead over the now second-placed Gene/Pillon
Reynard while Johansson made his final scheduled fuel/tyre stop with 50
mins remaining. Stefan took the chequered flag four laps ahead of
the Reynard with the recovering Panoz a further two laps adrift in third
with just 10 of the 14 starters taking the flag.
Johansson and Audi are now assured the ELMS LMP900 Driver's and
Chassis/Engine Manufacturers' titles - with two point-scoring events to
run (Vallelunga/Atlanta) while Johansson Motorsports has all but won the
LMP900 Teams' championship. The Brocade-supported outfit
misses the final race in Europe (Vallelunga) in preference to contesting
the ALMS Laguna Seca race.
Stefan Johansson (Sw) L39-117 (110mins) Best lap-1.21.025:
"We've suffered some hardships this season. We had the speed
from the start of the year but we were just unlucky and so to win the race
and also secure the Driver's title is fantastic. Audi has built a
fantastic car."
Patrick Lemarié (F) L1-38 (55mins), Best lap-1:21.413secs: "It
was my first start in a race for a long time and I was a little nervous.
I kept losing time to the Panoz in traffic but ultimately I managed to
pull out a sizeable lead."
Mike Earle, Team Director: "Finally achieving our maiden ELMS
win is very satisfying but the fact the Audi ran so fast and reliably from
the moment we arrived on Friday until we took the chequered flag today is
even more gratifying. In many respects we should be celebrating a
back-to-back win after our performance in the last race at Estoril but
that's motor racing and we'll head for California in good spirits."
For further information, contact Martyn Pass on +44 7801 859502 or e-mail motorsport@audi.co.uk
Copyright free images are available from: www.audi-press.co.uk
Martyn Pass
Audi UK Sport Press PR Manager
Tel: 0121 430 3805 / 07801 859502 / 01908 601506
Volkswagen Group United Kingdom Limited
Registered Office: Yeomans Drive, Blakelands, Milton Keynes, MK14 5AN
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