Le Mans Series

PSI Experience Corvette C6.R in the Top 10 overall

© Planetlemans

Having realised the 3rd best time in the GT1 category during qualifying for the 1000 Km of Donington, the PSI Experience team was expecting great results from this 4th leg of the 2006 Le Mans Series. Up against the Aston Martin, Saleen, Ferrari and other Corvette C5-R, the C6-R straight out of the Belgian workshops in Thimister-Clermont, had every intention of claiming a podium place in its category at the end of this 6 hours race.

On English soil, it was the turn of the Finnish driver Pertti Kuismanen to take the start at the wheel of the PSI Experience Corvette. A job that this experienced driver took on without any problems…until a small mistake obliged him to make an unplanned call in the pits. Due to this adventure 4 laps were lost, enough to make life difficult for Kuismanen and his team-mates Palttala and Menten for the rest of the race.

An event that was to become synonymous with minor recurrent problems for the American beast, as explained by the team’s spokesperson, Markus Palttala. "The car’s potential was there, but this time around we were unable to take full advantage of it ", the young Finn explained. "During my stint I found myself facing up against two cars that had just collided. I had to avoid the obstacle, which cost me some 10 seconds. A bit later on it was Jos Menten’s turn to make a few minor mistakes which stopped us from getting back into the race proper. A great pity, because when one looks at the final result of Luc Alphand’s Corvette C5-R we realise that we could have been in with a good chance."

However race facts were to play in the favour of the PSI Experience Corvette, allowing it to climb up the hierarchy, as the result of a broken engine for the Oreca Saleen and brake problems for the Larbre Aston Martin, the C6-R took the chequered flag in 4th spot in GT1, but over and above all an excellent 10th place overall. Quite a performance when one takes into consideration the quality of the field at Donington. "It was mainly the track incidents which lost us time ", Markus continued, "because for the rest the car ran perfectly. The Michelin rubbers proved to be consistent, to such an extent that during my double stint I managed to clock up my best race lap after 1h40’ at the wheel! I think that this proves the level of performance of these tyres."

Having enjoyed numerous podium places, PSI Experience is longing for its first GT1 victory in the 2006 Le Mans Series and this at the end of September during the final at Jarama. "It would be great to finish off on a high note, that’s for sure …Especially seeing that here at Donington at the end of the race we were able to appreciate the Corvette’s top speed. However to get ahead of our opponents we’ll need to avoid all minor errors. Success always comes at a price."