Le Mans Series
Karim Ojjeh: Champion retires at the Top
© DPPI
Saturday 24th September 2011 proved a day of mixed emotions for Greaves Motorsport driver, Karim Ojjeh. The team headed the field during Qualifying to take pole position. The point scored for this achievement meant that Karim and his co-driver for the season, Tom Kimber-Smith, were 2011 Le Mans Series LMP 2 Drivers’ Champions. Greaves Motorsport also took the honours in the LMP 2 Team’s Classification.
However, at the same time Karim Ojjeh decided to announce his retirement from prototype racing, so it was a bittersweet moment during the celebration of this fantastic achievement.
Karim reflected on his decision.
“2011 has been the highlight of my motorsport career, with a class win at Le Mans, LMS victories at Le Castellet, Imola and Silverstone and now the driver’s title in the 2011 Le Mans Series.”
“I have had good years in 2005 and 2007 with a pair of wins in each season but nothing matches 2011.”
“I would like to thank the team as I could not win as an individual, only as part of a team. The guys (Jamie, Ian, Andy, Steve, Tony, Cheeky, Mark, Martin, Gavin, Sell, Mick, Alan, Erick and especially Phil) have done a fantastic job and the whole team has really developed during the season into a top line outfit that would stand comparison with anyone.”
“A big thank you also is due to my co-drivers, Tom Kimber-Smith and Olivier Lombard, who have not put a foot wrong during the whole year. Obviously I also owe a huge debt to Tim, Jacob and Wendy and, of course, last, but not least, my Mother, Renate.”
“I foresee Greaves Motorsport really taking their performance to the next level in 2012 and am proud to have been part of that story.”
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I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not. He brings so much sponsorship, and the chassis is his.
This used to be the hapless bruichladich team running the radical SR9. Now they’re championship winners. Money (and passion) can works wonders.
The Barazi-Epsilon team was championship contenders as well when he was with them. When he left they went completely south.
But it wasn’t just the financial sponsorship, he was always seemed very excited about lemans type racing. So that’s going to be missed. He might become a fixture in mclaren F1 paddocks, since his dad is a part owner of that team
This is kind of sad. Karim was the “backbone” of LMP2 racing, and I remember the days when he supported all those tiny, privateer teams and made them huge. He will be missed.