Version Française ICI
The European Le Mans Series competitors started the second part of the season at British race track this weekend and French-Swiss team Cool Racing had to get prepared for a very busy event. In fact, after completing a first podium finish in Barcelona last month, and taking part in the WEC prologue, the team had to work hard to get two Oreca07 LMP2, one for Round 4 of the ELMS season, the second one for the first FIAWEC meeting. Mixed feelings, a lot of great motivation and determination were the keys to the event.
Number #37 Oreca07 of Alexandre Coigny, Antonin Borga and Nicolas Lapierre, unfortunately was forced to withdraw after an accident just 1:20 hour before the end.
ELMS – 4 Hours of Silverstone (GBR) – R4
| Silverstone, 30th August 2019 One could have though that the typical British weather would have been part of the game this weekend, but almost not. All practice sessions took place on a dry track. First FP1 was shortened to 30 minutes (instead of 90) because of an accident that required the marshals to work on the track. Alexandre Coigny had finally the chance to discover the circuit and get the car feeling during FP2. Nicolas Lapierre qualified #37 LMP2 in fourth position which gave Antonin the task to start from second row. Antonin Borga started the race knowing that soon the weather conditions could change, and in fact, only two laps after the green flag, the rain poured on the Silverstone circuit. Obviously all the teams came in to pass WET tires, but Cool Racing team chose to pass Intermediates, which was a perfect move, as Antonin could move up from P7 to P4 at lap 16. His first pitstop was slowed down because of the neighbor team that hindered Antonin to park correctly in front of the box, unfortunately this made him loose some very precious seconds. After 19 laps, #37 Oreca was back on track in P12, and Antonin went hunting for some places back. After 40 laps, he passed on the wheel to Nicolas Lapierre in P10. The French went fighting to catch up and had some great moves such as the one on AlgarvePro Racing passing Olivier Pla in lap 49. After another perfect stint and the entry of the safety car on track due to an accident involving a P3 and a P2, Nico handed the car to Alexandre Coigny. The Swiss driver was P5 when the safety car was over and the competitor pack restarted harshly. Alex had a contact with a P3, which put his car in a very bad position in the middle of the track, were he was badly hit by #30 Duqueine Engineering LMP2. End of the race for Cool Racing after 77 laps. Alexandre Coigny was taken to the Silverstone Circuit Medical Center, whose doctor decided to have him transported to the hospital for further investigation. Alexandre decided to not take part at the WEC 4 Hours of Silverstone. |
| FP1 DRY – 10 Laps – P8 – 1:45.020 (30mn) FP2 DRY – 44 Laps – P9 – 1:44.761 Qualification DRY – P4 – 1:42.557 (Nico) Race- dnf |