Silverstone: Pierre race report

Drop out on Rank two for Pierre Ehret at 1000km of Silverstone

Being placed on second rank Pierre Ehret had to end the fifth round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone on the last weekend (11th to 13th September) ahead of time.

Together with his teammates Dominik Farnbacher and frenchman Anthony Beltoise, Pierre Ehret started for the team of FBR on a Ferrari F430 GTC in the GT2 category.

"Of course we wanted to repeat the podium result of the last race at Nurburgring but unfortunately that wasn't to be this time", Ehret said after the race.

In the free practice sessions one did the last setup adjustments before one started into the qualifying on the the 5,141 kilometres long track which is called "Home of Motorsports". But smaller technical problems made the trio only reach a time of 1:50,062 minutes, which meant the fourth starting row. "Surely we aimed for a better starting position but the 1000km of Silverstone are an endurance race and so we have enough time to catch up to the top", Ehret explained before the start of the last race of the season.

And in fact Ehret should be right. Already after one hour after the start the Ferrari with the number 90 was classified third in the 40 cars comprising grid. With good and constant lap times one was able to keep the pace of the top and the gap to the leader was less than one lap despite of driver changes. "Everyting was possible at that time", teamhead Horst Farnbacher stated.

But then after race halftime the white-blue Ferrari F430 GTC meanwhile in second position dropped out with a broken driveshaft. So all chances faded away and podium was out of reach. In the championship table Pierre Ehret finally took the fourth rank in GT2 category of the Le Mans Series 2009.

"A podium rank was possible this time. It is really a pity not to finish the last race of the year, especially since we were really quick. But it was not meant to be", Ehret resumed.

-credit: motorsport-xl