By Sergey Bednaruk

Photo: Akis Temperidis 

 

Porsche Carrera Cup stage in Le Mans was held as the part of the 24 hour motor marathon: its results weren't taken into account of the French competition, but of course this exactly competition was the main event of the season considering the attention of the public and journalists to Le Mans 24 Hour. More than 60 racers were present at the start, and not only the constant competitors of the French Cup were among them but also the representatives of the British Championship and the specially invited pilots. In a word, there were incredibly strong teams.

 

 

 

Even the famous long Sarthe circuit partially running on the public roads was rather narrow for such a number of cars. That's why the main thing in the qualification was to avoid the traffic to pass the neat lap. Tsunami RT racer Kevin Estre was completely successful in it – the French pilot specially invited by the Ukrainian team for this stage demonstrated the fastest time. He won the pole position with an advantage of about 0.2 second over the nearest pursuer.

 

 

"I managed to demonstrate a good time just on the first fast lap, and then, notwithstanding the numerous yellow flags and traffic, I could even improve the time and win the pole position", Estre shared his impressions.

 

It is already a victory to start first on this legendary track! But there were those very 45 minutes the team had been working for all the last time and on which a huge quantity of power and energy had been spent. To win the race, Kevin needed not only to make an ideal start but also create the gap with his competitors just on first laps to feel more confidently and calmly, and focus not on the repulsing of attacks but on the achievement of the maximum result on the track.

 

 

Estre managed to start perfectly but the competitor's didn't let the leader go because he was showing the ideal trajectory, and they had only to drive following the Porsche of Tsunami RT to get a speed advantage in the aerodynamic "sack" behind the car. The New Zealand sportsman Earl Bamber was the most persistent. He ventured to attack on the long Mulsanne straight – two Porsches came abreast and at that moment Bamber suddenly started to shift towards Estre forcing him out of the track. They couldn't avoid the contact and the front part of Tsunami RT car flew up for almost a meter. Those who were in the boxes of the Ukrainian team held their breast, but Estre continued the race after the hard touchdown as if nothing had happened!

 

 

"I was afraid that the car was damaged, but fortunately it was OK. It started to shift itself to the right on straight lines, but I got used to it and it caused no significant problems", Estre told after the finish. But after the collision Kevin understood well that the damages obtained by the car changed its geometry that would most probably contribute to the wear of the tires.

 

 

The following events were as if in a dream. The team couldn't help its pilot anyway, and it was a miracle that Estre managed to save his leadership. Moreover, he also managed to throw his pursuers off step by step. And when the Porsche with the Ukrainian flag on the roof went on the final lap of the distance, it seemed that the victory was very close. But there are reasons to say that there is nothing to talk about in the races to the moment the car crosses the finishing line. Just three kilometres before the finish the left rear tire exploded on Estre's car! Only three kilometres left to the finishing flag! The French pilot is doing his best to reach the finish actually on three wheels but his attempts were vain. The ruptured tire seriously damaged the rear part of the car, and the pilot had to stop on the road side...

 

 

"It is very offending to lose the victory only three kilometres before the finish", Estre bemoaned after the finish. "The team had made a perfect work, and we spent the weekend very well, having won the pole and leading steadily, with the best lap result... But these are races."

 

In the result of such a dramatic and eventful race the British driver Ben Barker became the winner, and the French drivers Tom Dillmann and Lonni Martins were with him on the podium. It should be noted that one more local racer received a chequered flag, the famous Laurent Aiello who had won the Le Mans 24 Hour in 1998.

 

 

And Tsunami RT team thanks to all who were following the events on the track with us and were worrying about us in such a tough but bright weekend! And it will be followed by even more brighter events. Stay tuned!