24 Hours of Le Mans

Planetlemans talks to Frans Verschuur

© Maixe Concept and Design // This is the potential look of van Merksteijn’s RS Spyder

Typical Dutch weather reigns on our way to Oosterhout, close to Nijmegen. Arriving to the back of an otherwise standard industrial zone a trailer with a chequered flag signals the spot. Before the rain starts we are entering the headquarters of Equipe Verschuur where a spotless garage hosts an impeccable Porsche RS Spyder awaiting the last updates from Weissach.

In the office next door we are received by Frans Verschuur a multiple winner as driver and team owner in almost every class he has participated. And it shows…

PLM- We had expected to see the car ready…

FV- As a matter of fact we had expected the same but we got hold of the latest and greatest updates and I wanted them on the car immediately.

PLM- You are not taking any chances.

FV- Every time I get engaged in a racing category I want to be champion. We are going for the top and in order to do that we have the best possible car with all the options offered by the factory as well as a top team. I have people focussed on all areas: telemetry, data management, indeed we are taking no chances.

PLM- Do you also get support from Porsche?

FV- Absolutely, we will have 4 people detached for us for engine matters and eventual issues. Porsche offers top notch support and we will make good use of it. We are still intending to do the 24 hour test as well but the details are still not defined. I have total trust in Porsche and the way they develop their cars and components.

PLM- What about the tyres?

FV- We have an excellent partner in Michelin, their experience at Le Mans in unrivaled and we think they are the best option for the “Big One” and the LMS.

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos // The Spyder awaiting the last updates

PLM- How did the deal with Verstappen come about?

FV- I know Jos for a long time and we have a very open relationship. We can discuss with each other in a way maybe other team managers can’t and this is a big advantage when you are working as a team. He knows he will need to adapt to this kind of racing so he needs hours in the car and so does Peter (van Merksteijn). Before Le Mans therefore we will race with just both of them, Jeroen (Bleekemolen) has some conflicting dates as well so he will join us from Le Mans on.

PLM- So it will be just two drivers for the first part of the season but Verstappen must be attracting lots of attention already, correct?

FV- It’s unbelievable. Jos is extremely popular and attention has been soaring in the Netherlands since he has joined the team. The Dutch mainstream press (newspapers, etc.) will be very much present at Barcelona and this can be a big push for the series in this country.

PLM- So, how are the new rules influencing the LMP2 preparation?

FV- We know we will not be able to reach the LMP1 performance because of the new weight and smaller fuel tanks, however we are developing a new software in order to optimize our fuel usage. Working with telemetry and based on the engine revving we monitor the fuel usage even during Safety Car situations to take tactical decisions.

PLM- You already told us you want to be champion, what comes next?

FV- If we get the right visibility and results we’d like to target a 2-car team for 2009. We have a 2-year deal with Peter and we’d like to see it go on.

© Planetlemans - Gabriel Portos // The entrails of the beast…

PLM- So how did you start this project?

FV- It was really funny. Peter and I know each other well and we were talking about Le Mans. So he says to me “I want to do Le Mans again” and my answer was “well, the car to do Le Mans with is a Porsche!”. Little did I know that he meant an RS Spyder prototype and I was thinking of a GT effort. So we keep talking until one day he says “did you see how Porsche won again in the ALMS?” and again I thought he was referring to GTs until he said “they won from Audi with the yellow prototypes!”. Only then I realized what I was up against!

PLM- So what happened when you got the message?

FV- Well, I worked hard putting together the project. Peter was very committed to it and I got financial room to set it up the right way. After getting the car deal we negotiated with top drivers in the Netherlands to achieve what we have today: a team ready to win.

And indeed they have all elements to do that: people, organization, motivation and a top machine ready to start showing its teeth on this side of the Atlantic. After testing in Spain in a few weeks and later at Paul Ricard, the RS Spyder from van Merksteijn Motorsport run by Equipe Verschuur will take the start at Barcelona. “Veel succes!”