24 Hours of Le Mans

Matmut’s Le Mans test day preview

© Planetlemans – Marcel ten Caat

The Matmut teams, two Saleens (nos 54 and 55) and one Porsche (no 76), and their nine drivers are ready for the big challenge. On Sunday 3rd June the test day on the prestigious 13,629-km circuit is the first step in the build-up to the Le Mans 24 Hours on the June sporting scene climaxing in the race itself on 16th-17th June.

© Planetlemans – Gabriel Portos

The Saleen ORECA-Matmut team’s red, white and blue cars and the IMSA-Matmut team’s no.76 Porsche have done a lot of race preparation for the 24 Hours on circuits like Monza, Valencia as well as Nogaro, Lédenon and Dijon where their efforts have been crowned with success. They are now about to tackle their major 2007 challenge, their own World Cup in fact. Pierre Dieudonné, the team manager of the red, white and blue cars,and Franck Rava the man behind no 76 answer questions in a double-handed interview

- How have the final days of preparation gone?

- Pierre Dieudonné : « In a normal fashion I’d say, meaning without any unexpected surprises. We were a bit worried, though, when we heard about Stéphane Ortelli’s accident on 19th May in Bucharest. It was a reminder that anything can happen up to the last minute. Luckily, he wasn’t injured and a good week’s rest will see him back in tiptopform again. »

- Franck Rava : « Very calmly. We assembled a new car, which had a 2-hour shakedown session on the Abbeville track. Then we finalised the special decoration that we always do for the 24 Hours in the three years we’ve been racing at Le Mans. In fact, the hardest part of the work will be between the test day and the race. »

- Have the drivers undergone a special physical fitness regime?

- P. Dieudonné : « They’ve all had good individual preparation thanks to their healthy life style;
they’re in permanent contact with Vincent Klingelschmit, our coach who’ll look after them during the 24 Hours. Recently, we held a 2-day seminar which brought them all together in a serious but relaxed ambience and we thrashed out all the practical questions. »

- F. Rava : « As works Porsche drivers, Richard Lietz and Patrick Long have had a specific training programme set up by the factory. Raymond, on the other hand, has spent his time between his office in the Porsche centre in Rouen and muscle-building, physiotherapist and cardio logical sessions. »
- Have you got a reserve driver?

- P. Dieudonné : « Of course, with six drivers, there is always the risk that one of them might be
unable to take part for one reason or another. So we’ve short-listed a few names just in case. &ra