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LE MANS PROTOTYPE DEBUT GIVES SIMONSEN TASTE OF
THE FUTURE
21st June 2008
 It
was a last minute thing for Allan Simonsen. Originally
the Aussie Dane was to pilot the Tafel Racing Ferrari
430 GT2 that he raced so successfully at Sebring earlier
this year, teaming with hotshots Dominik Farnbacher
and Dirk Müller. Without warning, Tafel pulled the
pin, citing economic reasons. With only 55 cars allowed
to start (all must be invited by the ACO other than
those who are 1st and 2nd in each class in 2007 plus
various LMS champions) that means 165 drivers are
needed and everyone wants a shot at the world's greatest
race.
A whole bunch of options were looked at but ended
up as dead ends.
Then, a few weeks away, a fresh possibility appeared
with the German based Kruse Schiller Motorsport Team.
They were looking for a top line driver to add to
their regular Le Mans Series lineup.
As the official Le Mans 24 Hour test day came and
went, Simonsen was still without a drive. On Tuesday
after the test day, the call came from KSM boss Kai
Kruse. Could Allan join for the Le Mans 24 Hour? You
bet!
So, Allan set off for France on the Monday morning
of race week to drive a Lola Mazda prototype in the
ever expanding LMP2 class, at the world greatest car
race. He'd not even the chance to test the car. Joining
Japanese driver, Hideki Noda and Frenchman Jean de
Portales - both have significant F3000 experience
- Allan would be on the back foot.
Tuesday was technical inspection day in the ancient
town of Le Mans and a great opportunity for the public
to meet the drivers up close.
Qualifying is then spread across two days - Wednesday
and Thursday, from 7pm to 9pm and then again from
10pm until midnight. It gets dark about 10.45pm here,
in France, at this time of year.
Session one was used to give the drivers a chance
to become familiar with the track however various
mechanical issues cut the time signifcantly. Allan
was only able to put in three laps.
It was towards of the final Wed session that things
went seriously pear-shaped. Noda had just completed
his fast lap and had just gone by the pits on his
in lap. Heading up toward the Dunlop bridge, Noda
put a wheel off line and suddenly the car was airborne.
Flying at 90 degrees vertical to the track, the back
left dug into the gravel trap, initiating a roll.
Eight times over. The car was virtually destroyed.
Noda was ok, but a bit sore. As the remains came back
on the truck most thought it was all over, but not
Allan, who instantly reflected on his up and down
ride last year, that culminated in a podium.
It looked very bad indeed, but the team did have
spares of everything. The Lola chassis however had
been breached - the force of the crash had sliced
through the floor at the front bulkhead and penetrated
the tub around the front suspension pick up points.
Lola engineers evaluated the tub and it was sent
of to a group of composite engineers who worked night
and day, returning the chassis mid Friday afternoon.
In the background, the entire KSM team was pulling
together. Every corner was rebuilt and assembled ready
to be bolted onto the refreshed chassis.
It was a mammoth task for the fledgling team, who
had suffered a practice crash at Monza and had their
entire car and transporter wiped out by fire the year
before.
The car was rebuilt in time, made the Saturday morning
warm up and started the race. After 11hours and 40
minutes, with Jean de Portales at the wheel, a transmission
component failed coming out of Mulsanne Corner. The
car was parked despite the extra effort de Portales
put in trying to get the car back to the pits. Allan
had completed a double and triple stint, without error,
recording the fastest time of the three drivers.
Huge thanks must go to Gigawave Digital and Maurice
Lacroix, for without their support, Allan would not
have enjoyed this Le Mans 24 Hour opportunity.
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