The
historic race, which is expected to be affected by rain, starts
at 3pm (BST).
The grid at Le Mans
1. Aiello/Capello/Pescatori (Infineon Audi R8) 3m 32.429s
2. Biela/Kristensen/Pirro (Infineon Audi R8) 3m 32.458s
3. Herbert/Kelleners/Theys (Audi R8) 3m 34.349s
4. Lammers/Hillebrand/Crevels (Dome-Judd) 3m 34.838s
5. Coronel/Johansson/Lemarie (Audi R8) 3m 35.128s
6. Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy (Chrysler) 3m 36.155s
7. Brundle/Ortelli/Smith (Bentley) 3m 36.535s
8. Collard/Goossens/Bernard (Cadillac) 3m 37.402s
9. Wallace/Leitzinger/van de Poele (Bentley) 3m 37.408s
10. Gache/Beltoise/Policand (Courage-Judd) 3m 38.746s
Wednesday
Qualifying
Audi
Sport Press Release, 14th June: The Audi of Brentwood's
Johnny Herbert claimed a provisional second row grid position
after the opening qualifying session for the Le Mans 24 Hours
last night (WED).
1991
Le Mans winner Herbert (36), partnered by Ralf Kelleners (D)
and Didier Theys (Bel) stopped the clock at 3min 34.349secs
in the four hour time trial that concluded at midnight.
"Ralf
did a fine job setting up the car," commented Herbert. "I
only drove just before midnight in the dark but it was very
good and I'm confident that tonight, earlier in the evening,
it will be even better and we can go faster."
Frank
Biela (D), Tom Kristensen (Den) and Emanuele Pirro (It), last
year's winners of the gruelling French marathon, netted provisional
pole-position with a 3mins 32.458secs, an average speed of over
143mph - almost four second under last year's pole time set
by Allan McNish.
Top
10 lap times (from Autosport):
1
1 (900) T Kristensen, E Pirro, F Biela, Audi R8, Joest Audi
Sport, 3m32.458s
2 2 (900) R Capello/L Aiello/C Pescatori, Audi R8, Joest Audi
Sport, 3m33.514s
3 3 (900) Johnny Herbert/R Kelleners/D Theys, Audi R8,
Champion Racing, 3m34.349s
4 9 (900) J lammers/V Hillebrand/D Crevels, Dome-Judd S101,
Racing For Holland, 3m36.031s
5 16 (900) O Beretta/K Wendlinger/P Lamy, Chrysler-Mopar LMP,
ORECA Chrysler, 3m36.155s
6 7 (GTP) M Brundle/S Ortelli/G Smith, Bentley EXP Speed 8,
Team Bentley, 3m36.535s*
7 8 (GTP) E van der Poele/A Wallace/B Leitzinger, Bentley EXP
Speed 8, Team Bentley, 3m37.408s
8 4 (900) T Coronel/S Johansson/P Lemarie, Audi R8, Johanssen
Racing (Arena), 3m37.451s
9 19 (900) Ph Gache/A Beltoise/J Policano, Courage-Judd C60,
SMG Racing, 3m38.746s
10 (900) Y Dalmas/F Montagny/S Sarrazin, Chrysler-Mopar LMP,
ORECA Chrysler, 3m38.814s
Other
details from Autosport:
LMP
675 class
MG's
excellent speed in the first session came to a juddering halt
in the second, with Anthony Reid stopping out on the circuit
with suspected fuel pressure problems and seeing the car slip
to 14th in the order. There was better news for the second of
the Chamberlain-run machines, which managed to put in enough
of a run to grab 17th.
33
A Reid/W Hughes/Jonny Kane, MG-Lola EX257, MG Sport (Chamberlain),
3m42.065s (Time set in first session)
GTS
class
Oliver
Gavin took the provisional GTS Class pole in the Saleen-Allen
Speedlab-entered S7R, a full 1.362s faster than the Corvette
C5R of Ron Fellows, which was badly damaged in an accident at
the second chicane, but should be back in full working order
for Thursday.
60
F Konrad/Oliver Gavin/T Borcheller, Saleen-Ford S7R,
Saleen-Allen Speedlab, 3m54.190s
Interviews
Pre-race
Autosport
interview...
May
test: Radio Le Mans
interview (RealAudio
file).
Race
Preview
Essex
driver out to celebrate in style 10 years on
Brentwood's
Johnny Herbert will be closely monitoring what he eats in between
driving a 220mph Audi in the Le Mans 24 Hours motor race next
weekend (16-17 June).
The
former Grand Prix driver missed out on taking his place on the
winners' rostrum there 10 years ago when a dodgy Spaghetti Bolognaise
deprived the victorious Briton his moment of glory. The
Essex ace, who celebrates his 37th birthday eight days after
this year's round-the-clock race, collapsed after clambering
out of his race car at the end of the 1991 race. He was dehydrated
and exhausted after driving the final two hours in hot weather
conditions while a plate of spaghetti was blamed for a stomach
upset.
"A
few of the team got food poisoning during the night from spaghetti,"
remembers Johnny. "Driving was not a problem but I'd been
feeling a little bit funny in the stomach which made me dehydrate
much quicker. It was just when I got out of the car that I
felt bad."
Herbert's
father, Bob, who lives in Margaretting, will be present at Le
Mans this weekend to watch Johnny team-up with Germany's Ralf
Kelleners and Didier Theys, of Belgium, in a "privateer" Audi
R8 entered by the American Champion Racing team. Bob recalls:
"Johnny
had driven for over two hours at the end of that race in '91.
The temperature was rising and he did not have a drinks bottle
in the car. I arrived at parc fermé to congratulate him. He
was sitting on the back of the car, I gave him a hug and went
to give him a drink and he just passed out!"
Herbert's
"Montezuma's Revenge" attack forced him to miss the champagne
celebrations on the podium - an element the Audi ace is determined
to experience should the opportunity arise on this occasion.
A second Le Mans victory would make Johnny only the fourth Englishman
to win the classic motor race on more than one occasion (Derek
Bell x 5; Ivor Bueb and Henry Birkin x 2).
"Not
only did I miss out on the rostrum celebrations, I didn't
even get the satisfaction of taking the chequered flag due
to a crowd invasion on the start/finish line.
"When
you've scored a victory in such a long and famous race, these
things mean a lot so should I get the opportunity this time
around, I'll be out to enjoy it. Hopefully I'll be able to
sleep better too. I just didn't get five minutes in '91 because
of the noisy, high-pitched whine from our car's Mazda engine.
I could hear it screaming around most of the circuit. Thankfully
the Audi is super quiet."
Herbert's
Audi is one of four R8s to line-up for the 69th running of the
world famous Le Mans race on the 48-car grid - split into four
classes - a race the German manufacturer dominated with a 1-2-3
finish last year. Four qualifying sessions around the 8.45-mile
road circuit are staged on Wednesday and Thursday evenings to
determine grid positions with the race starting at 3pm BST (4pm
local time) on Saturday afternoon.
Herbert
bids for second Le Mans victory
Audi
Sport Press Release, 4th June: Britain's Johnny Herbert
bids to score his second Le Mans 24 Hour race victory on 16-17
June knowing his Audi must clock up the equivalent mileage of
a whistle-stop tour of Europe to repeat his 1991 success.
The
36-year-old former Grand Prix ace drives an Audi R8 sportscar
in the annual "round-the-clock" marathon, a car that dominated
last year's event on only the German manufacturer's second Le
Mans appearance. But the experienced Herbert is only too aware
of the mammoth task he faces having suffered heartache through
plain bad luck many times during a Formula One career spanning
12 years but that netted just three wins from 160 starts.
Last
year, the winning Audi R8 recorded 3,111.13 miles in 24 hours
around the 8.45-mile road circuit - a total distance more than
all of the races in an entire Formula One World Championship
season put together - at an average speed of almost 130mph.
That kind of mileage is the equivalent of Johnny driving from
his native Brentwood through 11 countries, visiting eight European
capital cities en route, before returning "home" to Essex.
The
corresponding distance of Herbert's "whistle-stop" tour would
take him through the Netherlands, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria,
Hungary, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece, Italy, Switzerland and France.
He could stop off in London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Athens,
Rome, Bern, Paris and Brussels.
"Bearing
in mind the bad luck that often came my way in F1 races lasting
90 minutes, I must be mad attempting Le Mans again," joked
Johnny. "But in all seriousness, the mileage that needs to
be clocked up at Le Mans to give us any chance of victory
is colossal when you think about it. The test day at Le Mans
last month saw us set the second fastest time and so we should
be in contention for honours."
The Audi R8 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre V8 engine
developing 610-bhp and weighs some 900kgs. It's 4650mm long,
2000mm wide and 1080mm high - dimensions similar to an Audi
A6 and the weight comparable to an Audi A2. Herbert drives an
Audi R8 entered by the American Champion Racing team who have
recruited another ex-Grand Prix driver, Thierry Boutsen, as
Project Manager for the team's first race in Europe. Ralf Kelleners,
of Germany, and Belgium's Didier Theys are Herbert's team-mates.
May
test
Johnny's car ends up second quickest overall
Audi
UK Sport Press Release, 6th May: The Audi of Britain's Johnny
Herbert finished second fastest in warm-up trails today (SUN)
in preparation for this year's Le Mans 24 Hour race.
Defending
champions Audi clocked the fastest two times at the eight hour
test in France which saw the "privateer" Audi R8 of 36-year-old
former Grand Prix ace average almost 140mph around the 8.45-mile
circuit on his maiden drive for the German manufacturer. 1991
Le Mans winner Herbert had consistently set top-five times before
his Champion Racing co-driver Ralf Kelleners marginally went
quicker near the end.
"I'm
very happy," confirmed Johnny. "The car is very easy to drive
and is consistent which will be a huge bonus in a race lasting
24 hours. I literally had a seat fitting for the car on Saturday
morning and drove it for the very first time today and to
be so competitive after such a limited amount of mileage is
very satisfying."
Tom
Kristensen clocked the fastest time of 3min 32.742secs (145.37mph)
in the latest specification Infineon Audi R8 - over 4.5 secs
under the lap record set by "Flying Scotsman" Allan McNish for
Audi 12 months ago. Kristensen, of Denmark, scored Audi's maiden
Le Mans victory last June along with Frank Biela and Emanuele
Pirro to head an impressive Audi 1-2-3 result. Both
"factory" entered Infineon Audi R8s featured revised bodywork
to improve aerodynamics for the first time today.
Johnny
added: "I had been told how good the Audi was but I didn't
expect it to be quite that good - it's a truly amazing sportscar."
Around
50 cars - including two Bentleys which recorded the third and
seventh fastest times - took advantage of this one-off opportunity
to practice for this year's 24 hour marathon which is staged
on 16-17 June.
1
Tom Kristensen (Den) / Rinaldo Capello (I) Infineon Audi R8
3mins 32.742secs
2 Johnny Herbert (GB) / Ralf Kelleners (D) / Didier Theys
(Bel) Audi R8 3:33.205
3 Martin Brundle (GB) / Stephane Ortelli (F) / Guy Smith (GB)
Bentley 3:34.050
4 Jan Lammers (NL) / V Hillebrand (Bel) / D Crevels (NL) Dome
3:34.883
5 Frank Biela (D) / Emanuele Pirro (I) Infineon Audi R8 3:34.915
6 Stefan Johansson (Sw) Audi R8 3:35.124
Herbert
makes Audi debut at Le Mans test
Audi
UK Sport Press Release, 4th May: Johnny Herbert gets his
first opportunity on Sunday (6 May) to drive the Audi sportscar
the British ex-Grand Prix driver hopes will earn him a coveted
second Le Mans 24 Hours race victory. The 36-year-old Monaco
domiciled Essex ace takes the wheel of a "privateer" Audi R8
in the one-day test that comprises of two, four hour sessions.
Around
50 cars and over 100 drivers from almost 20 different countries
will take advantage of this one-off opportunity to practice
for this year's 24 hour marathon held on 16-17 June. 1991 Le
Mans winner Herbert drives one of four Audi R8s bidding to repeat
the German manufacturer's 1-2-3 "clean-sweep" in the gruelling
French marathon last June. Audi has since scored 11 consecutive
wins in the endurance sportscar racing category.
"I'm
looking forward to the test," confirmed the former Grand Prix
winner who drives a 2000-spec Audi. "I haven't been back to
Le Mans since I last raced there in '92 but I don't see that
as a major handicap. Rain is predicted on Sunday which I could
do without as I want to accumulate some miles although I'll
be getting enough time in the car during the race in June
I imagine!"
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