24th entry at La Sarthe for the French GT expertsLe Mans week under way with Pesage and team building seminarFollowing weeks of intense preparations, Larbre Competition is fired up to take part in the 84th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 18/19) with the LMGTE Am-entered #50 Corvette C7.R.
The Vigeant-based outfit’s 24th appearance in La Sarthe got under way last Sunday (June 12), with the traditional Scrutineering taking place in downtown Le Mans. Despite rainy weather conditions, the Larbre trio of Pierre Ragues, Jean-Philippe Belloc, and Yutaka Yamagishi received a very warm welcome at Place de la République, a testament to the popularity of Jack Leconte’s team.
For its second Le Mans 24 Hours bow, the #50 Corvette C7.R successfully went through the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s mandatory technical scrutineering before its crew passed the administrative checking.
Following this first warm encounter with the Le Mans fans, the entire Larbre team got together at the 'Miramar La Cigale' resort in the town of Arzon, Brittany for a team-building seminar. On site, the Team Manager and medical staff gave the drivers their final advice and recommendations before the event.
The three crew-mates were able to further bond through exercises and evaluations, with team chemistry even more paramount in the wake of Paolo Ruberti’s forfeit due to injury. Team stalwart Jean-Philippe took the opportunity to further find his feet and get acclimated with Pierre and Yutaka.
Despite Paolo’s absence, Larbre heads to this year’s French endurance classic having set the pace in the LMGTE Am class on Test Day (June 5), which bodes well for the five-time Le Mans winners (1993, 1994, 2010, 2011, and 2012).
Having come back to Circuit de la Sarthe, Pierre, Yutaka, and Jean-Philippe yesterday attended (Tuesday 14 June) Race Control’s mandatory Briefing, before taking part in the official drivers’ picture and autograph session.
On-track action will start on Wednesday (15 June) with free practice and the first qualifying session scheduled at the daunting 13.629km venue.
Pierre Ragues: “Scrutineering always means extraordinary moments to kick start the magical Le Mans race week, my 10th at La Sarthe. Despite the poor weather conditions, the fans once again turned up in big numbers and it felt great to exchange with them!
“We then had a great sojourn at the Miramar in Port du Crouesty, Brittany. The prep seminar gave us an opportunity to strengthen team cohesion and keep fine-tuning the chemistry with Jean-Philippe who recently joined us. Now, I just can’t wait for the action to get under way.”
Yutaka Yamagishi: “This might be my fifth 24 Hours of Le Mans but when I attended Pesage on Sunday it felt just as powerful as my first time at La Sarthe. Since my last entry in 2010, the level and intensity have gone up a lot and I am really impressed.
“I am happy to team up with Jean-Philippe Belloc and look forward to relying on his great experience. Alongside Pierre and him, I’ll be able to learn a great deal. I’ll make sure to heed their and Jack Leconte’s advice, while giving my best to help finish the race in good position.
“Finally, I’d like to dedicate this race to Paolo, whom I am sure will be following our progress closely from his home.”
Jean-Philippe Belloc: “Scrutineering at the 24 Hours of Le Mans never fails to impress, as it remains a unique gathering in the world of motorsports.
“Besides the usual administrative and technical formalities, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to meet the fans, and there were again a lot of them on Sunday despite the rain. You also bump into other drivers, friends and family.
“As Larbre is the only French team competing in the GT categories, hopefully we can enjoy a lot of popular support. You can already feel the buzz and excitement going up. Now, we just look forward to getting started!”
Jack Leconte, Team Manager: “Larbre Competition has launched its 24 Hours of Le Mans week with Pesage, which saw our #50 Corvette C7.R feature amongst the first cars on Sunday afternoon.
“The rainy weather actually reminded me of our first entry at La Sarthe. In 24 years, I had never seen such a downpour, but that did not dampen the fans’ enthusiasm as a healthy crowd showed up to support our three drivers.
“Having two French racers certainly makes our team endearing to the local supporters, who are very knowledgeable about Pierre and Jean-Philippe’s racing achievements.
“Following Paolo’s injury and the adjustments we had to make to the team afterwards, we could not take part in our annual training camp after the Le Mans Test Day. However, we did manage to escape to Brittany in order to fine-tune our preparations all together.
“There, in a quiet and high-quality environment, the drivers were able to integrate the advice passed on by the team, while also showing a genuine hunger to secure another class podium at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. We are really excited to get going and confirm our potential on track!”
On top of being one of the world’s most iconic sporting events, the 24 Hours of Le Mans also count towards the FIA World Endurance Championship. Given the prestige and challenge of the race, double points are awarded at La Sarthe. This is then a great opportunity for Larbre Competition to further cement or even improve its current third place in the LMGTE Am standings.
Le Mans 24 Hours calendar of events
Wednesday 15th June: Free practice from 16:00 to 20:00, qualifying practice from 22:00 to 00:00Thursday 16th June: Qualifying practice from 19:00 to 21:00, and from 22:00 to 00:00Friday 17th June: Drivers’ Parade from 17:30 to 19:00Saturday 18th June: Warm up at 09:00, start of 84th Le Mans 24 Hours at 15:00, local timeSunday 19th June: Finish of 84th Le Mans 24 Hours, podium celebrations
