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BRISCOE TOPS WEBBER IN WORLD DRIVER “RANKINGS”

14. January 2010

Indy Racing League driver Ryan Briscoe has topped Formula One star Mark Webber and 2009 Le Mans and ALMS winner David Brabham to be the top ranked Australian driver in a new world driver ranking system. The Castrol Driver Ranking System claims to fairly compare drivers across a number of different race series and styles. The rankings analyse performances over 50 major National and International racing series, points are awarded based on a bewildering formula based on results from qualifying, racing and fastest laps. Events and series are also given a rating based on the number of rounds and the "importance" of the event or series. The rankings were revealed at the Autosport International Show in Great Britain by former F1 driver David Coulthard.

PEUGEOT FOCUS ON NEW PROTOTYPE

2. January 2010

Reigning Le Mans 24 hour winners Peugeot will focus their attention on building a new prototype for 2011 and are unlikely to compete in the new ACO Intercontinental Cup. The Cup which will combine the Sebring 1000 race, The Petite Le Mans at Road Atlanta and the Asian Le Mans series race has already attracted the interest of Peugeot's great rival Audi, but the French manufacturer has more pressing commitments. Speaking to the British publication "Autosport" Peugeot Sport boss Olivier Quesnel said that Peugeot was unlikely to have any factory presence in 2010 after the Le Mans 24 Hours. "The Intercontinental Cup is a good idea, but we can't do everything." he said. Mr Quesnel said that Peugeot had two main objectives for 2010 "to do our best with the current car at Le Mans and to build a new car for 2011,"

NO THREAT TO SYDNEY GT RACE

22. December 2009

The Australian GT Championship have denied rumours that they would not be on the grid for the Sydney street race in 2010. A post on an Internet forum had claimed that the GTs had been replaced for Sydney, a story denied by Australian GT Director Rachael Wagg. "I don't know where they'd get that one from." she said. "Our calendar for next year is almost set and at this stage the only date not confirmed is a planned race at Phillip Island." Ms. Wagg said that it was possible that the GT series could run it's own meeting at the Island if nothing suitable could be found.

WIN TICKETS TO HISTORIC SANDOWN

4. November 2009

With a record 420 competitors taking part, this weekend’s 18th Nationallube Historic Sandown (November 6-8) can claim the largest entry ever seen at the popular Melbourne circuit since it opened in 1962. As well as capacity fields in most categories, some 100 V8-engined historic touring, sports and open wheeler racing cars will compete in 16 races over the weekend. A highlight of this year’s meeting is the final and deciding round of the 2009 Biante Touring Car Masters series, with former Bathurst winners Jim Richards and John Bowe again locking horns in their Falcon Sprint and Chevrolet Camaro respectively. Three generations of the Brabham family will also be on track for a unique Speed Comparison, with Victorian Historic Racing Register Patron Sir Jack dropping the flag on his Le Mans 25-Hour race winning son Geoff in a BMW M3, his grandson and rising Formula Ford star Matthew aged 15 and four times Australian champion John Bowe in a racing GT40 replica.

SORA SOARS TO ASIAN LE MANS WIN. SIMMONSEN WINS GT2

2. November 2009

It would have to be one of the shortest race series in the world. One weekend, two races, but with a guaranteed start in the Le Mans 24 hour classic as one of the prizes, it was little wonder that Sora racing were delighted to win the first Asian Le mans series at Okayama. The Sora Racing Pescarolo of Christophe Tinseau and Shinji Nakano won Saturday's first race with the Gulf Aston Martin of Stefan Mücke and Harold Primat winning the second race. A second place to Tinseau and Nakano in race two was enough to give the team the overall victory. In LMP2 the team of Mathieu Lathaye, Jacques Nicolet and Richard Hein in the Pescarolo-Mazda came out on top, while Lamborghini won in GT1 thanks to the all Japanese team of Atsuhi Yogo and Hyroyuki Iiri. Australian based Danish driver Alan Simonsen had a great weekend as he helped co-driver Dominick Farnbacher to a win in GT2. Driving their Ferrari 430 GT, Simmonsen and Farnbacher turned the tables on race one winners, the BMW M3 of Dirk Muller and Tom Milner to take the overall win and an invite to the 78th running of the World's greatest motorsport spectacle the 24 hours of Le Mans on the 12th and 13th of June.

De FERRAN BOWS OUT ON TOP IN ALMS: BRABHAM/SHARP TAKE THE TITLE

12. October 2009

Gil de Ferran brought his stellar career to a close with a closely fought win at Laguna Seca to close the 2009 American Le Mans Series. De Ferran and co-driver Simon Pagenaud won the Monterey Sports Car Championship after a thrilling duel with Adrian Fernandez in the final 30 minutes of the four-hour classic. De Ferran beat his long-time open-wheel rival by just 0.662 seconds earning the Brazilian his fifth win of the season. “It certainly wasn’t easy. There wasn’t much time to think about anything else,” an emotional de Ferran said after the race. “Coming into the weekend, there were a lot of different thoughts going through my head. But I had a job to do as a driver. It was a tough weekend from that standpoint. In a way, the race was so intense that I never had time to think of anything else.” The Patrón Highcroft Acura finished second in class and third overall, to secure the LMP1 driver championship for Australia's David Brabham and US co-driver Scott Sharp.

PEUGEOT ENTERS PETIT LE MANS. AUDI TO FOLLOW ?

29. July 2009

Peugeot have confirmed that the team will compete in this year's Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in late September. Pedro Lamy, Nic Minassian, Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin will make up the driving lineup for the team in it's second attempt at the race. Last year’s Petit Le Mans saw the team of Stephane Sarrazin, Nic Minassian and Christian Klien came up 4.512 seconds shy of race-winner Audi in an epic battle. American Le Mans Series organisers are thrilled at the news in a year when the series has struggled following the departure of the dominant Audi team. “It would be hard for us to imagine a stronger end to 2009 than with Peugeot sending not one but two clean diesel-powered prototypes for an event that truly has become a spectacle on the landscape of global motorsport,” said Series President and CEO Scott Atherton. “With the Le Mans trophy already in hand, the potential of adding yet another significant honour to close out the year would wrap up a season for the ages…especially if the rumour mill is indeed accurate and other world-class teams and manufacturers who are no strangers to Road Atlanta, Petit Le Mans powered by MAZDA6 and Peugeot confirm their entries in the near future." This is clearly a hint to the strong rumours that Audi will return to the race in it's Sebring winning R15. Audi were hurting after it's Le Mans loss and the team will be looking for more testing opportunities in preparation for next year's classic. Should Audi enter the race, the prospect of a clash between the German marque, Peugeot and the all conquering Acuras will be one that will excite Sportscar fans the World over. with ALMS Media

VALE: STUART HUMPHREYS

22. June 2009

The cast and crew of In Pit Lane would like to pass on their condolences to the Friends and Family of Stuart Humphreys. Stuart was a partner in Picture Framing of Bay Road who sponsored In Pit Lane late in 2008. Stuart was a passionate supporter of the sport and a former manager of racing at both Winton and later with the Light Car Club of Australia at Sandown. Stuart raced and rallied in an Escort and most recently had built a wicked 68-69 Mustang which ran a complete Falcon XR8 running gear. He had also recently purchased a Lotus 7 which was run by his great friend and business partner Haas. Stuart was a regular viewer of In Pit Lane and came on board as it's main sponsor in late 2008 thus keeping the show on the air. He also donated several pieces of Grand Prix memorabilia which were auctioned on the show to assist the Flag marshals and Fire marshals. Despite his long battle with cancer and other health issues he was never one to let it slow him down and as recently as two weeks ago he was still planning various motorsport related projects. I saw Stuart early last Thursday to give him some DVDs after he'd rung me asking for stuff to watch while he was in Hospital. It was obvious then that he was fading fast but he still managed a smile as I gave him the discs. Sadly he never got to see them. Stuart was a wonderful raconteur regaling me with many wonderful and usually libellous stories about the sports greats. He was a large but gentle man and the affection he held for his beloved Cockatoo Rex was most touching. When we featured Rex in our TV ad for the Framing business he was delighted. On behalf of all of us on In Pit Lane and the Victorian motorsport community we say farewell Stuart and thank you for everything.

PEUGEOT WINS LE MANS: BRABHAM BREAKS THROUGH

14. June 2009

French manufacturer Peugeot has broken through to take it's first Le Mans 24 hour race since 1993 and for the second time the name Brabham has gone into the record books. The team of Marc Gene, Alex Wurz and Australia's David Brabham led from early in the race holding on to win from the popular local team of Sebastian Bourdais, Stephane Sarrazin and Frank Montagny Audi who had dominated the race for the last decade had a tough weekend despite a finishing third. Alan McNish, Dindo Cappello, and Tom Kristenson survived a number of mechanical problems to make it to the finish six laps down on the leader. A number of incidents studded the race, the biggest being early in the morning involving Pescarollo Peugeot driver Benoit Treluyer. Treluyer crashed after taking over the car from Simon Pagenaud who pitted with smoke coming out of the car. The Peugeot returned to the race after repair but Trulyer made it only as far as just after the Dunlop Bridge when his Peugeot left the road and struck the barrier at high-speed. The car was totally destroyed in the accident. The driver was taken to hospital, shaken but without major injury. Japanese driver Seiji Ara was also lucky to escape injury after his LMP2 Porsche Spyder had a big crash late in the rate heading into the playstation chicane on the fast Mulsanne straight. LMP2 was won by the Team Essex Porsche Spyder of Casper Elgaard, Emmanuele Collard and Kristian Poulsen. The small GT1 field was dominated by the Corvette team in their final ever GT1 appearence, Johnny O'Conell, Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia taking the win from the privately entered Luc Alphand Adventures Corvette of Xavier Maassen, Julien Jousse & Yann Clairay. O'Connell's team-mate Sacha Massen led late in the race but mechanical failure cost him any chance. GT2 was a Ferrari benefit with the Risi Competizioni car of Jamie Melo, Mika Salo and Pierre Kaffer taking the win.

SENSATIONAL SARRAZIN AS PEUGEOT TAKES LE MANS POLE

12. June 2009

Peugeot will start the 2009 Le Mans 24 hour race from pole following a sensational last gasp qualifying lap by Stephane Sarrazin. Audi looked set to take pole after dominating free practice Wednesday evening with Allan McNish setting the fastest time. But as the clock headed to the midnight close of session Sarrazin reeled off a spectacular 3m22.888s just seven tenths quicker than McNish to give the French Automaker it's third straight pole position. The McNish Audi breaks up a Peugeot dominated front grid. The car of Nicolas Minassion. Pedro Lamy and Christian Klein will start from their ahead of the “borrowed” Peugeot of the Pescarollo team led by Jean-Christophe Boullion. Australia's David Brabham will start from fifth place thanks to a fast lap from Marc Gene, they'll start alongside the second Audi led by Marco Werner. The third Audi of Bernhard, Dumas and Premat will start out of position number seven with the Lola/Aston-Martin of Charouz, Enge and Mucke the fastest of the petrol powered cars in eighth place. Aston Martin rounds out the top ten with the Davidson, Turner and Verstappen car just in front of Jarni, Belichi and Prost. Danish driver Casper Elgaard won pole in LM P2 with the Essex Porsche RS Spyder just ahead of the other RS Spyder, of the Japanese Navi team Goh. Third in LM P2 is the Speedy Racing/Team Sebah Lola Judd. As expected Corvette dominated the dwindling GT1 field with Jan Magnussen leading the category at the wheel of the #63 Corvette. The two GM works cars easily lead the class, outpacing the #66 Jet Alliance Aston Martin by over two seconds. Porsche won the first battle with Ferrari in GT2 as the American based Flying Lizard team took their first pole at Le Mans. The famous red and silver Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Jorg Bergmeister won pole with a best lap at 4.03.202. The 2008 champions the Risi Competizione Ferrari team is third, after being overtaken by another Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, the #77 car of the Felbermayr Proton racing team. Australian based Danish driver Alan Simonsen will start out of position number 47 in his Ferrari 430 GT2. The Le Mans 24 begins Saturday at 3.00 p.m. local time, Australian viewers can watch the start live on ONE HD from 10.30 p.m. Radio Le Mans is broadcasting live at www.radiolemans.com . Macintosh users having trouble accessing this feed should install VLC player and go direct to mms://mercury.radica.com/radioshowltd or mms://venus.radica.com/radioshowltd .