Pescarolo Sport and Primat set for final Le Mans Series battle
Geneva-based racing driver Harold Primat is determined to play his part for Pescarolo Sport at the Mil Milhas in Brazil, as the French team attempt one of motorsport’s greatest-ever giant killing acts.
Despite the massive financial resources of Peugeot, and the technical advantage enjoyed by their diesel-powered 908 HDi, Henri Pescarolo’s privateer squad enter the final round of the 2007 Le Mans Series at Interlagos just two points behind the works giants and in with a chance of winning both the drivers’ and teams’ championships.
Having raced the team’s no 17 Pescarolo-Judd this season, Primat has been promoted to the lead 16 car for the eleven-hour, 1000-mile race, where he will partner Emmanuel Collard and the championship-chasing Jean-Christophe Boullion. Buoyed by successive class podiums on his recent sojourn in the American Le Mans Series with Creation Autosportif, Harold returns to the LMS and to Pescarolo Sport, eager to help his team to an historic championship triumph.
“For Pescarolo Sport to beat Peugeot in the overall Le Mans Series championship would be an unbelievable achievement and I am thankful to be part of that challenge,” Primat said. “Although the technical advantage the 908 enjoys by running diesel engines will be undiminished, it’s a long hard race and we’re determined to make them sweat a little bit! The team have been working very hard to make sure they are 100% ready and I honestly don’t think they could be any better prepared for this race. We will all give it our best shot.
“I’m really looking forward to racing alongside Jean-Christophe Boullion and Emmanuel Collard,” Harold continued. “They are both very experienced, highly accomplished drivers and I’m certain that I will learn a lot from them. It will also be a great experience to work more closely with Claude Gallopin, the race engineer on the 16 car, throughout the weekend.
“I’ve never been to Interlagos before, but I’ll do my homework to make sure I’m properly prepared. I know it’s a challenging circuit, particularly due to its anti-clockwise layout, and it will be a very physically demanding race for the drivers because of the heat. However, the two races in the US have given me a good rhythm and I just can’t wait to get to Brazil.”
Henri Pescarolo added: “The team has worked incredibly hard ahead of this race. We’ve prepared for the bumpy surface at Interlagos by spending three days on the seven post rig at Matra and we’ve learned a lot. We know our car is more reliable than the Peugeots and so we must pressurise them as much as we can and capitalise on any slip-ups. Whereas the championship is evenly poised, this season hasn’t really been an equal contest in LMP1 as Peugeot has such a huge technical advantage. To beat them, therefore, would be a very satisfying achievement.”
The Mil Milhas, the final round of the 2007 Le Mans Series, will be screened live on Motors TV. For more details and listing information visit .motorstv.com.
