Conference terri::cars_uk

    Could not go to Paul Ricard but heard that the race was quite good with
    a high number of entrants. Most likely winner is the Larbre Competition
    Porsche RSR (the one that won the GT class at LeMans 93) driven by
    Jarier, Pareja and Dupuy.
    
    Last weekend was the 2nd race at Jarama, Spain. The field included one
    Ferrari F40 while Chamberlain failed to enter a Lotus. Venturi have
    completed 3 600LM cars in view of LeMans. The F40 got pole position
    over the fastest Venturi 600LM by 1 sec. The race saw a number of
    incidents and failures. The F40 and the top Venturis did not finish
    and the reliable Porsche RSR of Jarier/Pareja/Dupuy got an easy win
    over a horde of Porsches. 

    
    Can anyone post a fixture list for the series?
    
    Thanks,
    Richard.

    .2�    Can anyone post a fixture list for the series?
    
    Could not find anything comprehensive. 2 bits of info though:
    
    - the GT championship is run by an organisation called BPR, BRP, RBP, 
      or whatever combination of those 3 letters. B is initial for J�rgen
      BARTH (son of Edgar) who heads Porsche's race dept, P is for PETER
      who has something to do with Ferrari and R is for St�phane RATEL who is
      responsible for setting the various Venturi race series.
    
    - next races (I think): 1000km of Paris, Dijon and the 24h of Le Mans
    
    - Le Mans 94: 85 teams have sent a registration, 50 cars will start,
      ACO have just published the list. A few cars in the LMP1 and LMP2 (Le
      Mans Prototypes) and a horde of GT's among which:
    
    	- 15 Porsche 911 (LM Turbo, RSR, ...)
    	- 1 Porsche 968 LM
    	- 5 Venturis (600LM, 500LM, 400, ...)
    	- 3 Lotus Esprit 300
    	- 1 Bugatti EB110
    	- 1 Ferrari 348 GTB
    	- 2 Dodge Viper
    	- 1 De Tomaso Pantera
    
    No Ferrari 333SP. It seems that the project has been cancelled. They're
    probably too busy fixing the F1.
    
    On the number of entrants I would not be surprised if a Porsche won ...
    

    Who is racing the EB110 ?
    
    What next a McLaren F1 !
    
    	Rik

    .4�    Who is racing the EB110 ?
    
    The car is entered by Michel Hommell (owner of a large press group).
    I've seen the drivers list (frenchmen) but can't remember.
    
    .4�    What next a McLaren F1 !
    
    ACO (Alain Bertaut) were expecting a couple of McLaren's and they've
    had some talks with Ron Dennis and Gordon Murray. McL seem to be busy
    with something else ...  

Patrick

I'm surprised by the statement re Ferrari 333SP as it is doing so well (rather
too well for IMSA's liking!) in the US.

Are you talking about a factory team?? I thought that the intention was for
those who were running in the US to also run at the Sarthe.

Mike


Also, isn't there a round at Silverstone?? If so I might go and watch a live
race for the first time in many years, like many others I know I really miss the
6 hours/1000k. It drew real enthusiasts and really wasn't that difficult to keep
track of what was going on and you were able to watch battles developing all
over the field. Watching a comback drive from a car/driver combination that had
lost several laps in the pits was often fascinating as they crept inexorably
closer to their counterparts.

The fuel formula killed off much of the excitement, lost time could never be
made up unless you got someone like Bellof in a 962, an hour down with no hope
of winning saying screw the fuel and putting on one of the scariest displays of
absolute flat out driving I have ever seen. Anyone who witnessed that day at
Silverstone will know what I mean. It was in the venacular of our colonial
NASCAR friends, awesome.

    .6�I'm surprised by the statement re Ferrari 333SP as it is doing so well (rather
    .6�too well for IMSA's liking!) in the US.
    
    Mike,
    
    Sorry. This is what I heard until suddenly the car appeared in IMSA and
    won its 1st race. We must have received wrong info. I guess IMSA and GT
    racing won't work together. Also the proposed IMSA class at Le Mans
    does not seem to work (this year).
    
    .6�Are you talking about a factory team?? I thought that the intention was for
    .6�those who were running in the US to also run at the Sarthe.
    
    There won't be any 333SP's at Le Mans. The official reason being (I
    think) that ACO and IMSA could not agree on common rules.

    Patrick,
    
    Is this true did Ferrari finally win a race.  Any details would be
    appreciated. 
    Regards,
    JP Lavigne.
    PS it's a real loss about Senna, I was hoping to see him drive a
    Ferrari some day.

Thanks Patrick, 

I'm still trying to figure out what is going on in "GT" racing. Is there a race
at Silverstone this year or not?? I tried looking back in Autosport where I saw
mention of it but I can't find the reference. The Le Mans entry does look good
even without the IMSA classes, I just hope the FIA doesn't see it as a success
so that they think they can screw around with the rules and destroy it...

Mike

    .9�I'm still trying to figure out what is going on in "GT" racing. Is there a race
    .9�at Silverstone this year or not?? I tried looking back in Autosport where I saw
    
    I'm still trying to find a GT calendar for the BPR races ... as soon as
    I have it I'll post it here.

    
    Is this the same racing where the only entries at somewhere in
    Italy a month ago were 3 F40's that surprisingly won ?
    
    Or that's the way i remember it.  Which, if true, seems a bit of a let
    down considering the expectations.
    
    
    Nigel
    
    

    Last week end was a 4 hour GT race at Dijon. Lotuses (Chamberlain +
    Italian team), Larbre Porsche and a few others did not show up, some
    because of Super Cup series at ... Imola. But the 2nd Ferrari F40 was
    there.
    
    Venturi 600LM driven by Michel Fert� and Michel Neugarten won the race.
    
    1st win for a Venturi !
    
    This week end is the Le Mans testing, so if you want to find by
    yourself about the newly opened channel tunnel .... 

    
    What date is Le Mans this year?
    
    Thanks.

    .13�    What date is Le Mans this year?
    .13�    
    		18-19 June
    
    Did not have time to look at the results of the official practice
    session. In principle, around 30 cars were participating.

    .12�    1st win for a Venturi !
    
    2nd win for a Venturi last week-end at Monthlery. The revived 1000kms
    of Paris saw Henri Pescarolo / Jean-Claude Basso win the 7hour race in
    a Venturi 600LM. This is the 2nd time Henri wins the 1000kms of Paris,
    previous time was at the wheel of a Matra 650 shared with JP Beltoise,
    back in 1969 .... (needless to say, I was there)
    
    The BPR GT championship is getting organised. I'll post the list of
    coming races. Also, some top level drivers are joining the GT series
    after having tried other series with mixed results (Helary, Bouchut,
    Grouillard, Pescarolo, Wollek, ...). That's a very good sign.

OK guys, time to get this note going. 

Update. Ferrari have won a couple of GT races!! The Totip F40 won in Japan and
promptly won in Italy. I finally saw on satellite the Italian race and look
forward to further coverage, especially if the Viper is still running.

Last weeks Autosport (which I don't have in the office) has next years schedule.
I'll try and remember to post it here tomorrow.

At last I get to go to a race meeting I WANT to go to. Silverstone has pencilled
in a 4 hr race May 6/7 or there abouts.

Autosport this week says that McLaren are building 5 F1's for GT racing one of
which is heading for Ray Bellm but it won't be entering a factory team. What it
will be doing is ensuring that their cars are built properly and safely.

Lamborghini is also building cars.

This series is taking off. I just hope that it doesn't get too successful or the
FIA will stick it's venerable oar in and kill it, just like it has done every 10
years or so.

Mike

    
>>>  Lamborghini is also building cars.
    
    ...now I'm interested ! better pencil May 6/7th for next year then ...
    
    Graham

    re -1
    
    ...especially as Silverstone is trying to get back to the days of the
    6hrs when it was always used as the Le Mans test and the Lambos are
    being built specifically for Le Mans....
    
    Mike

    Don't forget the US hardware: the Vipers are doing well and the most
    brilliant results have been scored by the Callaway Corvette.
    
    Bit disappointed by the Lotus Esprits and Honda NSX.
    
    Ferrari have eventually decided to help the Strandell team with engines
    that are BOTH powerful (500+) AND reliable. F40 that is. The 348's are
    boring. I look forward to seing the new F355.
    
    Lamborghini entries ? So Mr Suharto of Jakarta wants to play at Le Mans 
    ... great stuff. Sandro Munari must be happy to hear that. 

Apparently the Callaway entry in Italy was paid for by the local dealer who
wined and dined the whole team. Their result was greatly appreciated by the
dealer and he would do it again. This kind of racing obviously has a direct
impact on car sales. Hmmmmm, if this idea catches on.....

    Saw the Spa race last night on Eurosport. 1st Venturi, 2nd F40, 3rd
    Corvette. Pity a Porsche spoiled the race end bringing the pace cars
    out. Interesting comments from the pits, "It's cheaper than touring
    cars", everyone really enthusiastic about next year with all the new
    cars.
    
    Mike

    
    Anyone know the result of the BRDC GT round at Silverstone on 2nd Oct?
    
    I read that Michel Fert� was entered in a Venturi along with a possible 
    entry for a Ray Mallock built GT40 replica and the TVR Cerbera.
    
    Mark

    Mark
    
    You'llhave to wait till Wed (Motoring News) Thu (Autosport) like
    everyone else! ;-))
    
    Mike

    
    
    
    1. Fert� - Venturi
    2. Hodgetts - Marcos
    3. ???(Not Wallace) - De Tomaso 
    
    I don't know if the RML GT40 and/or the TVR showed, but neither figured
    in the final results.
    
    Thyrring took the championship in a Chamberlain Lotus Esprit and Nigel
    Barrett (Porsche) and one of the Escort drivers won their classes.
    
    Mark