It's dressed differently from when it won GT1 in 2007, but the unmistakable Golf colors on the factory Aston Martin DBR9's are the only aspect that's changed. The 009 started where it left off last year, going fastest in GT1 (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
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Larbre Competition, swapping their Astons of ‘07 for Saleens this year, was a surprising second fastest in GT1 in the hands of lead driver Christophe Bouchut. The French team hovered near the top of the class all day, affirming their ability to extract speed from the American supercar in changing conditions.
The yellow Corvette C6.R’s finished third and fourth fastest, with the #64 of Gavin/Beretta/Papis .357 ahead of the #63 of Fellows/O’Connell/Magnussen.
Outside of the Aston Martins, Corvettes, and the lone Saleen, IPB Spartak Racing’s Lamborghini Murcielago is the only other marque competing at Le Mans this year. Ex-Aston pilot Peter Kox set the ninth fastest time of the ten cars entered, almost ten seconds adrift from the 009 DBR9.
The battle for GT2 honors could likely provide the most intense fight during the 24 hour race. Risi Ferrari’s 2007 ALMS champions Jaime Melo and Mika Salo just clawed ahead of rival ALMS team Flying Lizard, setting a time of, only .029 seconds faster than the Californian team’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR was
capable of. GT2 appears to be a classic fight between Porsche and Ferrari once again, with interlopers Spyker adding to the mix in their beautifully presented but not overly competitive C8 Laviolette’s that held up the bottom of the day’s time sheets.
American Le Mans GT2 points leader Flying Lizard Motorsports set the 2nd fastest time on Sunday, just a few hundredths behind 2007 ALMS GT2 champs Risi Competitzione. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
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2007 Le Mans GT2 champions IMSA Performance, using the same driver lineup in 2008, was a surprising 5.3 seconds off Melo’s best time. Of the major shunts, Tracy Krohn, destroyed the right rear corner of his Risi Ferrari at the mid-point of the test day, and was sent to the hospital for further inspection.
The most spectacular crash of the day came as Marc Gene Peugeot’s swapped ends in the fast and sweeping Porsche Curves, flipping his 908 after contacting the guardrail in mid-air, ultimately coming to rest on its wheels. The 908’s chassis was destroyed in the impact, and Gene, while complaining of pain in a toe and his right elbow, is expected to race in the 24 hour event.
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