Le Mans Series

LMS Donington qualifying update by Gulf

© Planetlemans

Donington Park has done its best to supply the Le Mans Series teams with almost every imaginable weather condition – barring snow. The morning practice session was held on a wet track, the lunchtime session on a drying circuit and qualifying, in the afternoon, took place mostly in sunshine.
The number 36 Paul Belmondo Racing Gulf-Courage is usually piloted by Pierre Ragues during the short qualifying session. On this occasion, however, Karim Ojjeh was behind the wheel, as he has much more experience of the tricky Donington circuit, due to his years of racing in the UK, previous to joining the LMS series.

Karim put the Powder Blue and Orange number 36 machine 10th in the LMP2 category. The new AER-Ford engine set-up has come through all of the sessions without problems and the team is happy that, with the consistency all three of its drivers offer, the car will run much closer towards the front of the category in the race.

The Gulf-sponsored number 32 Barazi-Epsilon Courage, driven in qualifying by Michael Vergers, ended up 7th in LMP2, but, on past form, should again be a contender for podium honours come the race itself.