Le Mans Series

JMW Motorsport on the podium again…but which step?!

© Planetlemans - Marcel ten Caat

The second round of the Le Mans Series from Spa-Francorchamps was truly like an action movie! From Prototypes going off on the warm up lap to punctures to, well, more prototypes going off - it was all drama.

The weekend started inauspiciously, with poor weather making Friday’s practice session all but redundant; if Friday had been a movie it would have been ‘Rain Man’! It was a great shame given the team had been looking forward to working on several elements, especially ahead of Le Mans in June.

Saturday was at least dry but chilly and LMGT2 qualifying was to become another session blighted by a red flag. Once on track, Rob put the car in third place on the grid with the honour of being top Ferrari but there was more drama with the Team Modena Ferrari being sent to the back of the grid for a technical infringement.

Sunday morning, and if it had been a movie it would have been ‘The Fog’! Warm up was cancelled due to such poor visibility but by the the time the race came the skies were blue. Gimmi took the wheel for the start but you must be seeing the pattern now that nothing was to go smoothly at Spa 2009!

On the warm up lap a prototype car went off and though the race went to green within moments the safety car was out for its first of many starring roles that day! In LMGT2 Gimmi was putting in impressive lap times and hopes were high in the JMW camp as it became apparent the Porsches, which Spa suits, could be kept in check. Rob kept that pace going for his first stint and JMW were soon up to 2nd. With Gimmi back in the car for his second stint yet again the field was to bunched up by the safety car which kept making appearances as prototypes fell off the track, leaving a trail of debris. But, once the safety car was in Gimmi was driving like his life depended on it! With the leading Porsche (Team Felbermayr #77) suffering a puncture and damage, JMW were in the lead and Gimmi was soon lapping his LMGT2 rivals as the halfway mark approached!

For Rob’s second stint, he too was ‘treated’ to laps behind the safety car which all but ate away the JMW lead but the average lap times remained enviable. The #77 Porsche was back on track and charging hard in 2nd place. But at the hand over to Gimmi for the final hour it was time for JMW Motorsport to provide some drama.

With Gimmi ready for the final stint of the race, and everyone holding their breath as the Porsches continued to battle hard to regain their advantage, a tyre/wheel problem on the final handover put pay to JMW’s lead. Gimmi battled back to the pit and with the problem resolved was back out in 4th and on a charge.

With one hour left it was obvious the team would settle for no less than a podium. Soon up into 3rd, the last moments of the race were to be interrupted by the safety car after a huge crash for an LMP1 car. With just a handful final race laps under green Gimmi came to the chequered flag in 3rd for 4 vital points.

But then like every good action film there was a further surprise twist!

The winning car of Team Felbermayr was excluded from the result due to technical non-compliance. As such the JMW Motorsport was promoted to 2nd.

However, Team Felbermayr have appealed the decision and as such the results for the LMGT2 class will not be confirmed until after the decision of the Court.