Ken
Gone but not forgotten
From Crash.net:
Corvette trio keen to defend Le Mans title
TUESDAY 14TH JUNE 2005
The #64 Corvette in action at Le Mans [Pic credit: Regis Lefebure]
They may have a new car for the 73rd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, but Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen will be keen to give the new Corvette C6-R a winning debut in the GT1 class of the famous event.
Gavin and Beretta are both multiple champions at Le Mans and Gavin was quick to point out that the event is the pinnacle of sportscar racing.
"This is endurance racing at its finest," he said. "Le Mans is the signature event in our sport. The length of the race is such that it is the teams with the most dependable machinery (who) will be left standing at the end.
"Winning here last year was a major accomplishment, and if we were to take the C6-R and come away with another victory it would be immense. We expect a tough fight from both Aston Martin and Ferrari. Le Mans is the one event we at Corvette Racing focus on. Every driver relishes going to Le Mans because it is such a challenge.
"Our competition seems to be going fast, and we have to see how that plays out on race week. This race is a lot more than going fast; it's about finishing."
Corvette go into the weekend looking to resume battle with Aston Martin, who took victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring at the start of the season and were also fastest during the pre event test at the start of the month.
However programme manager Doug Fehan said he wasn't concerned by that fact as, like Gavin, he felt it is reliability that will be key to who wins the famous race this time around.
"Corvette Racing has never been on the pole at Le Mans, that's not our objective," he said. "Our objective is to win the race, and we know how to do that."
Gavin and Beretta will spend almost every waking hour leading up to Saturday's green flag studying the data accumulated from three ALMS races plus the Le Mans test earlier this month. However former F1 racer Beretta said that there is no substitute for taking to the actual track and putting laps on the car.
"We have a lot of information," he said, "but this [the C6-R] is like the baby that takes its first steps at Le Mans. The testing and simulations never give you the same results as when you put four wheels on the track."
Corvette trio keen to defend Le Mans title
TUESDAY 14TH JUNE 2005
The #64 Corvette in action at Le Mans [Pic credit: Regis Lefebure]
They may have a new car for the 73rd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, but Oliver Gavin, Olivier Beretta and Jan Magnussen will be keen to give the new Corvette C6-R a winning debut in the GT1 class of the famous event.
Gavin and Beretta are both multiple champions at Le Mans and Gavin was quick to point out that the event is the pinnacle of sportscar racing.
"This is endurance racing at its finest," he said. "Le Mans is the signature event in our sport. The length of the race is such that it is the teams with the most dependable machinery (who) will be left standing at the end.
"Winning here last year was a major accomplishment, and if we were to take the C6-R and come away with another victory it would be immense. We expect a tough fight from both Aston Martin and Ferrari. Le Mans is the one event we at Corvette Racing focus on. Every driver relishes going to Le Mans because it is such a challenge.
"Our competition seems to be going fast, and we have to see how that plays out on race week. This race is a lot more than going fast; it's about finishing."
Corvette go into the weekend looking to resume battle with Aston Martin, who took victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring at the start of the season and were also fastest during the pre event test at the start of the month.
However programme manager Doug Fehan said he wasn't concerned by that fact as, like Gavin, he felt it is reliability that will be key to who wins the famous race this time around.
"Corvette Racing has never been on the pole at Le Mans, that's not our objective," he said. "Our objective is to win the race, and we know how to do that."
Gavin and Beretta will spend almost every waking hour leading up to Saturday's green flag studying the data accumulated from three ALMS races plus the Le Mans test earlier this month. However former F1 racer Beretta said that there is no substitute for taking to the actual track and putting laps on the car.
"We have a lot of information," he said, "but this [the C6-R] is like the baby that takes its first steps at Le Mans. The testing and simulations never give you the same results as when you put four wheels on the track."
