THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUNLOP MOTORSPORT IN TOUCH [ www.injection.tv ] ISSUE FOUR, MAY 2008

Champion team SERT takes victory at Le Mans 24 hours Rob Bell and got their 2008 Le Mans Series campaign off to a perfect start when they dominated the opening round in Barcelona in their Virgo Motorsport 430 GT. They came back from two incidents with prototype cars, one of which cut a tyre and lost the pair more than 90 seconds to the class leaders. Yet, in the next five hours, they pulled back that lost time, and went on to win by more than a minute from the chasing of and . The Le Mans Series is a five-race championship run to the same regulations as the Le Mans 24 hours. With Barcelona now complete, the series will go to the high Italian circuit of Monza this weekend (April 27), and then on to Belgium for the Spa 1000kms. After that, Virgo Motorsport and Dunlop will look to Le Mans, the greatest of all endurance races, on June 14/15 and already the build up to Le Mans has begun. Testing is on-going through the races, and more is planned at the Portuguese circuit of Estoril. "In the Le Mans Series we still have not Jamie Campbell-Walter leads Porsche, Pescarolo and Oreca in the Dunlop-backed Creation CA-07 had a really hot race, so we still need to work out how the current tyres last in those conditions, what the performance is, and have we got a better one?" says Bell and Bruni open 2008 Le Mans Series Rob Bell. "At Estoril, we will test a night time tyre for Le Mans as well, so there is plenty in Barcelona with GT2 class victory to go through. At Barcelona the tyres did not drop off in performance at all. If you look at the very last stint, the second last lap of the race, Gianmaria popped in the The 2008 Le Mans Series burst into the leading Porsche of Marc Lieb and blue Essex Racing Porsche that was fastest lap. The tyres just stayed constant life at Barcelona at the weekend with Alex Davison, which was then involved the first Dunlop-shod car across the grip levels all the way through. Dunlop recording yet another win in in its own collision and had to pit to line in ninth place overall. "The circuit was quite abrasive, but we the GT2 class with its development repair bodywork damage. That left the In the top LM P1 class, and found that the tyres performed well, partner team, Virgo Motorsport. It way clear for the Ferrari team to take continued the battle they particularly against the Michelins. was a double celebration for the tyre a deserved victory, a minute ahead started in Sebring in March, and Their teams were all on customer tyres, company as the Essex Racing team of the Lieb/Davison car and two laps Peugeot emerged from Barcelona with and whether they stay that way for the rest of the year, or whether there will be scored an LM P2 podium on its Le clear of the third-placed Porsche. victory. The -powered pressure to get them on the proper tyres Mans Series debut with the Porsche Dunlop also had a competitive opening Lola was third while the Dunlop- I don’t know. In some ways, it would be RS Spyder which had an eventful race. race with the Team Essex Racing shod Creation was on course for an nice to have that competition. Dunlop introduced its new GT2 product Porsche RS Spyder. In the LM P2 excellent finish before a slipping clutch "During the Barcelona race, Stefan at the Nurburgring mid-2007, a race category. John Nielsen, the 1990 Le cost them dearly. Mucke pushed me wide, and it was which it won. Second place at Spa Mans winner with Jaguar, brought the The Rollcentre team had a fuel pick debris that cut the left tyre, but our and a victory at Silverstone helped to car home in third position with his up problem which meant that they biggest problem was having to overtake deliver Rob Bell the drivers’ title, and Danish co-driver Casper Elgaard. They were completing shorter and shorter LMP2 cars, which you should never have to do. the British driver opened his 2008 title were four laps behind the winner after race stints with drivers Vanina Ickx, "Apart from that it ran fantastically well, challenge with a perfectly judged race their collision with Lieb which damaged Martin Short and Joao Barbosa. The but it won’t be like that for the rest of the in Barcelona. the rear of the car and cost time in Bruichladdich Radical had a spin mid- season. It will be hard graft for the rest Sharing with Gianmaria Bruni in the the pits with repairs. They were further race which dropped it to seventh place of the season. Marc Lieb will come back, 27 degree Centigrade Spanish heat, delayed with an electrical problem, in the LM P2 category, while the Quifel he is a top man, and Davison is almost Bell recovered from an incident with a which meant that the team was forced ASM team took ninth, and WR tenth. as quick, and I think they will be quick at prototype in the opening hour of the, to change the battery at every pit stop The James Watt Automotive team Monza and at Spa, certainly. 1000km event. That contact meant in the second half of the race. Never finished eighth in the GT2 class with "We are going to have a lot of work to do at Monza, because the Porsche is he had to complete almost an entire the less, with the bad luck that hit its Porsche, driven by Paul Daniels, much quicker than us in a straight line, lap with a puncture. “He dived up the Dunlop’s LM P1 cars, it was the bright Markus Paltalla and Mikael Forsten. but take all the aero off, and it will be inside of me and we touched,” said interesting." Bell, who was forced to watch as Bruni was hit by another prototype later in the race. “That cut the tyre which was going down on the straight, and was Rob Bell and exciting in the braking area as it had Gianmaria Bruni deflated slightly.” celebrate Bell returned to the pits with damage victory in to the front left tyre, and the two made Barcelona up the 90 second deficit to the leaders, setting fastest lap on the way with a 1m48.812s lap, a second clear of its nearest competitor. They closed on The Dunlop-shod Ferrari was in a class of its own in Barcelona 2 sprays the champagne in after Alvaro Bautista and crashed out of the 250cc race on the last lap Scheider leads DTM title hunt Kallio takes surprise win at as Audi scores double victory Jerez as Bautista crashes out

Audi has enjoyed a dream start to the half a second ahead of Tomczyk. Jerez traditionally hosts the first GP in 2008 Cup. This gives 24 teenagers 2008 DTM series with its new A4 model One week later, and in front of 64,000 Europe, and this year’s Spanish GP held from 17 countries the chance to race at 10 scoring two wins from two races, and the spectators at Oschersleben, Audi raced to on March 30th attracted a record 131,550 GPs during the year. Spaniard German manufacturer filled the podium at its second victory in succession as Scheider spectators including King Juan Carlos. won both races in Jerez from ‘Jiggy’ Beach. the opening race in the season opener at dominated the weekend. He set fastest Perfect spring weather, with 22C air and Hockenheim. time in each of the practice sessions, pole 26C track temperatures and Spanish Bautista takes the honours in Estoril There, Mattias Ekstrom headed Timo position, fastest lap of the race, and a riders at the front of the action in all three Changeable weather conditions at Estoril Scheider and over the victory by 1.4s after a late race safety car. classes heightened the fiesta atmosphere. meant that the third round was something line with the Audi beating the Mercedes The result was never in doubt, as he was The MotoGP class was dominated by of a lottery. Friday greeted competitors by an average of half a second each protected to the end by Tomczyk, the two Spanish riders. Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) with strong winds, rain showers, and low lap. Scheider took his first DTM victory pulling out a 3.7s lead over Spengler secured his second pole, while Dani track temperatures. Race day brought early at Oschersleben one week later, ahead at the chequered flag. Pedrosa () dominated the race, morning rain with the track drying just in of , to open out an early “That was a perfect weekend,” said leading throughout to finish three seconds time for the first race. The rain held off for lead in the drivers’ standings and set Audi Scheider. “Days like these are very special, ahead of and Lorenzo. the MotoGP race, and Lorenzo claimed his up in perfect position for the 2008 title particularly since I’ve been waiting for them The 250cc race also looked like providing first MotoGP victory. Pedrosa was second challenges. for so long.” a Spanish winner. Alvaro Bautista () and Rossi 13 seconds behind in third. At Hockenheim, the race was a one- Mercedes knows that it will have a lot of led from until the final The 250 race looked as if it would be a sided affair. Ekstrom beat the pole-sitting work to do to catch up with Audi. “Positions corner. He had been locked in battle with repeat of Jerez, with Bautista and pole- Scheider off the line, and the two A4s three, four and five by Bruno, Paul and Marco Simoncelli (), the pair never sitter Marco Simoncelli making an early lapped nose-to-tail for much of the race, Jamie are not really a great result; however, separated by more than 0.2 seconds for break. Simoncelli came under pressure finishing just 0.8s apart. The victory made it is a better finish in a significantly more 25 laps, but on the final corner Simoncelli from Mika Kallio (KTM) who crossed the line the Swede the most successful Audi DTM interesting race than in Hockenheim a week ran into the back of Bautista and both just 0.02 seconds behind. driver of all time. ago," said Mercedes' . "We crashed out, gifting a surprise victory to The 125cc race had seven different leaders. Kristensen, who will race in the Le Mans wanted to score as many points as possible KTM’s Mika Kallio and podium places for took pole position, but was 24 hours in June for Audi in a bid to add to here, and starting fifth, sixth and seventh Pasini (Aprilia) who just held off Takahashi embroiled in a three rider battle with his his record of seven wins at the endurance we did this quite well. Eight of our nine (Honda) in the run to the flag. team-mate Nicolas Terol and Joan Olive classic, started fifth and made the most cars finished among the first 14 places, Spain’s Nicolas Terol (Aprilia) and his Italian (). Terol dropped back slightly and of an effective pit stop strategy to leap which was an acceptable team performance team-mate Simone Corsi disputed the 23 although Olive was never more than 0.3 ahead of the Mercedes of considering our positions in qualifying. With laps of the125cc race - Terol leading until seconds behind Corsi, he couldn’t find a and to take the final podium his 10th place, showed a lap ten before Corsi forged ahead. Britain’s way past. Corsi leads the championship by position. Spengler took fourth, less than solid performance. Congratulations to Timo Bradley Smith started from pole but did not 17 points from Terol and Olive. Scheider in his Abt-Audi on his first win in match the pace of the leaders, finishing Daijiro Hiura, 13, won the The Red Bull the DTM, he deserved it. We now have to five seconds behind in third place. ‘Rookies’ race, just 0.05s ahead of 'Jiggy' significantly improve further.” Jerez also hosted the first races in the Beach and Sturla Fagerhaug. 3 International GT Open - and Michele Maceratesi took an early lead in the International GT Open series when they won the opening race at Vallelunga in their Ferrari 430 GT, and finished second behind the Advanced Engineering Ferrari of Damien Pasini and Alessandro Bonetti in the GT Open race on Sunday. Two Ferrari dominated the GT Open at Vallelunga lively races entertained the Italian crowd Championship with two fifth place finishes and Montermini was in the thick of the and a second at Rockingham, the second action from start to finish. Contact with race of the 2008 season. The reigning race leader Jose Aicart at the start in champion conceded the race wins to Mat a melee with Xavier Pompidou, Pedro Jackson, and Gordon Sheddon, Couciero and Andrea Belicchi left Aicart the Scottish driver who dedicated his victory with an advantage, though bodywork to David Leslie, who with former Audi team helped FPR move to the head of the teams' points problems led to his retirement. That left owner Richard Lloyd died in an air crash Montermini clear to take victory in the last month. Seat’s scored two first of the weekend's races. Porsche podium finishes, second behind Sheddon’s Tander takes three as V8 factory driver started the in race one, and third behind second race from pole position in his Jackson’s BMW and Giovanardi in race Porsche, shared with Gianluca Roda two. Neal led home the Honda Civic of Tom Supercars debut at Hamilton and he led the opening stages of the Chilton, and the Seat of Adam Jones in the Three dominant performances saw Garth That elevated Richards to second, James race ahead of Maceratesi and the four final race of the day. Having taken a sixth Tander score a perfect 300 points at the Courtney to third and it was these two Advanced Engineering . After in race one and taken a win in the second fourth round of the Australian V8 Supercar drivers who battled away from the line in the pit stops, it was Damien Pasini who race, Jackson was on course to take the lead series at Hamilton, New Zealand. the third of three races. led Montermini, Ferdinando Monfardini of the drivers' title before retiring from race Tander, the reigning champion, was only Courtney got the jump, but exiting the and Pedro Couceiro. Montermini three. "This has not been my strongest day, led in the pit stops all weekend as he pitlane on lap 12, Richards was side-by- passed Pasini for second place as but still I scored some good points and have secured the first round win for side with his Ford rival and won the drag the top three, all Ferraris, ran in close increased my lead," said Giovanardi. this year. race to the first corner. With three podium formation. Montermini then made a Steven Richards started the first race from finishes, the Ford Performance Racing team lunge at Lorenzo Case which resulted pole position in his Ford Falcon, but locked heads the teams’ title chase while Kelly in Case spinning into the gravel, while - Audi scored a wheel and allowed through Tander and continues to lead the drivers' standings. Montermini inherited the lead. However, a double win at St Petersburg in Florida . The Ford driver pressured Kelly “We have seen all weekend cars beng Pasini was in no mood to concede, and and Long Beach in California, heading all the way to the flag, but had to settle for damaged by the chicane and the kerbs so took the lead, and a deserved win. home Porsche and Acura. Dunlop took third, preferring to take the points after a I just wanted to look after the car and tyres an LMP1 podium with Michael Lewis and disastrous start to the season. in case there was any late safety cars,” said Chris McMurry in their Creation CA-07, and In the second race, it was Kelly who Tander. “As it turned out in two of the three British Touring Car Championship - fourth place in the GT2 class with the Corse handed positions away to Richards as the races we had safety cars and I needed that Vauxhall’s maintained Motorsports team of Johnny Mowlem and team dropped a wheel during a pit stop. little bit of a spurt to get away frm Richo.” his lead of the HiQ British Touring Car Gunnar Jeanette in their Ferrari 430 GT. Dunlop dominates Le Mans 24 hours with SERT The triple World Champion team, SERT intermediate and wet tyres were used by the (Suzuki Endurance Racing Team), started 23 Dunlop teams, keeping the 13-strong their 2008 Qtel FIM World Endurance team of Dunlop technicians from busy. Championship campaign in fine style when The next round of the Endurance William Costes, Guillaume Dietrich and Championship is the six hour race in Barry Veneman won the Le Mans 24 hours Albacete, Spain on May 10th, followed by mid-April. The three completed 770 laps the Suzuka 8-hours in Japan on July 27th. to finish 11 laps ahead of their teammates Here, the regular Endurance teams go head who were delayed after hitting a rabbit to head with the factory bikes specially during the night. prepared by Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. The Endurance World Championship has two classes - Formula EWC, which Dunlop wins from Australia to USA allows drastic chassis and some engine April 19/20 is one of the busiest weekends modifications along with the fitting of quick in the motorcycle race calendar. In addition wheel changing devices, and Superstock to Le Mans, Dunlop teams were in whose regulations require machines to stay and Spain for the opening rounds of their very close to the production Superbikes. national championships, in Australia for Dunlop has developed a range of tyres in the second round of a series which is 16.5” for EWC and 17” for Superstock, and dominated by Dunlop riders, and at the Dunlop teams filled the EWC class podium. Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, for the The two SERT teams were joined on the second round of the 2008 AMA series. podium by the Yamaha of Team Acropolis Dunlop filled nine of the 12 podium places Moto Expert, and delivered a 1-2 in the at Barber, winning all four categories Superstock class, the Junior Suzuki Team - Superbike, Superstock, Supersport 600 finishing 5th overall and five laps ahead of and FXtreme. In the Superbike class, the the Qatar Endurance Racing Team’s Suzuki. first five were on Dunlop with Mat Mladin Track temperatures varied from 25C to (Suzuki) winning both races to open up a 12C with half the race run in the dry, and commanding lead in the championship. the rest in conditions varying from full wet Aaron Yates (Suzuki) won the Superstock to damp and drying. More than 1100 slick, race to extend his points lead, whilst in 600c Supersport the two Dunlop Yamahas of Josh Herrin and Ben Bostrom were separated by 0.1 second at the flag. William Costes, Guillaume Dietrich and Barry Veneman celebrate victory at Le Mans 4 DUNLOP MOTORSPORT RESULTS AND POINTS, 2008

Round 1, Hockenheim Round 2, Oschersleben Championship positions

1. Matthias Ekstrom, Audi, 37 laps, 59m17.726s 1. , Audi, 44 laps, 1h06m7.822s 1. Timo Scheider 18 2. Timo Scheider, Audi, +0.824s 2. Martin Tomczyk, Audi, +1.452s 2. Martin Tomczyk 12 3. Tom Kristensen, Audi, +19.604s 3. Bruno Spengler, Mercedes, +3.751s 3. Mattias Ekstrom 11 4. Bruno Spengler, Mercedes, +20.872s 4. Paul di Resta, Mercedes, +4.698s 4. Bruno Spengler 11 5. Martin Tomczyk, Audi, +21.269s 5. , Mercedes, +6.044s 5. Jamie Green 7 6. Jamie Green, Mercedes, +33.019s 6. , Audi, +6.595s 6. Tom Kristensen 6 7. , Mercedes, +33.956s 7. , Audi, +7.663s 7. Paul di Resta 5 8. Bernd Schneider, Mercedes, +34.726s 8. Mattias Ekstrom, Audi, +11.765s 8. Markus Winkelhock 3 9. , Audi, +40.270s 9. Alexandre Premat, Audi, +12.929s 9. Mike Rockenfeller 2 10. Mike Rockenfeller, Audi, +41.798s 10. Ralf Schumacher, Mercedes, +13.656s 10. Gary Paffett 2

Results, Race 1 Results, Race 2 Results, Race 3 Championship positions

1. Gordon Sheddon, Honda Civic 1. Jackson 1. Neal 1. Fabrizio Giovanardi 63 2. Darren Turner, Seat Leon TDI, +3.024s 2. Giovanardi, +1.542s 2. Chilton, +4.914s 2. 56 3. Matt Neal, Vauxhall Vectra, +3.575s 3. Turner, +8.863s 3. Jones, +5.785s 3. Gordon Sheddon 50 4. Adam Jones, Seat Leon, +5.004s 4. Sheddon, +9.462s 4. Sheddon, +7.694s 4. Matt Neal 47 5. Fabrizio Giovanardi, Vauxhall Vectra, +9.078s 5. Onslow-Cole, +10.590s 5. Giovanardi, +8.147s 5. Darren Turner 38 6. Mat Jackson, BMW 320si, +9.779s 6. , BMW 320si, +10.796s 6. Plato, +9.706s 6. 35 7. Tom Onslow-Cole, Vauxhall Vectra, +10.445s 7. Chilton, +11.759s 7. Turkington, +9.718s 7. Colin Turkington 30 8. , Honda Civic, +10.778s 8. Jones, +12.853s 8. , BMW 320si, +11.102s 8. Tom Chilton 25 9. Jason Plato, Seat Leon TDI, +12.255s 9. Plato, +13.183s 9. Mike Jordan, , +17.999s 9. Adam Jones 23 10. , BMW 320si, +15.323s 10. Kane, +18.187s 10. Erkut Kizilirmak, , 19.094s 10. Tom Onslow-Cole 20

Results, 250cc, Round 2, Jerez Results, 250cc, Round 3, Estoril 250cc Championship positions

1. Mika Kallio, (KTM) 1. Alvaro Bautista (Aprilia) 1. Mika Kallio 57 2. (Aprilia) +4.277s 2. Marco Simoncelli (Gilera) +7.050s 2. Mattia Pasini 45 3. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) +4.287s 3. Mika Kallio (KTM) +7.063s 3. Hector Barbera 39 4. (KTM) +4.876s 4. Thomas Luthi (Aprilia) +12.998s 4. Yuki Takahashi 37 5. Hector Barbera (Aprilia), +5.968s 5. Hiroshi Aoyama (KTM) +14.666s 5. Alvaro Bautista 35 6. Alex Debon (Aprilia), +13.633s 6. Yuki Takahashi (Honda) +18.498s 6. Hiroshi Aoyama 24 7. Julian Simon (KTM) +16.372s 7. Julian Simon (KTM) +26.812s 7. Alex Debon 23 8. Aleix Locatelli (Gilera), +22.571s 8. Hector Barbera (Aprilia) +28.012s 8. Julian Simon 23 9. Pol Espargaro (Aprilia), +28.606s 9. Hector Faubel (Aprilia) +28.288s 9. Marco Simoncelli 20 10. Lukas Pasek (Aprilia) +32.726s 10. Lukas Pasek (Aprilia) +36.966s 10. Aleix Espargaro 19

Le Mans Series, Round 1, Barcelona Championship positions LMP1 1. Gene/Minassian 10 1. Gene/Minassian, Peugeot 908 2. Premat/Rockenfeller 8 2. Premat/Rockenfeller, Audi R10 TDI, +1 lap 3. Mucke/Charouz 6 3. Mucke/Charouz, Lola Aston Martin, +3 laps Championship positions LMP2 4. Collard/Boullion, Pescarolo , +5 laps 1. van Merksteijn/Verstappen 10 5. Capello/McNish, Audi R10TDI, +6 laps 2. Belicchi/Zacchia/Pompidou 8 6. van Merksteijn/Verstappen, Porsche RS Spyder, +7 laps 3. Elgaard/Nielsen 6 7. Premat/Tinseau, Pescarolo Judd, +7 laps Championship positions GT2 8. Belicchi/Pompidou/Zacchia, Lola Judd, +8 laps 1. Bell/Bruni 10 9. Elgaard/Nielsen, Porsche RS Spyder, +11 laps 2. Lieb/Davison 8 10. Barbosa/Ickx/Short, Pescarolo Judd, +11 laps 3. Narac/Lietz 6

Round 4 Points, Hamilton, New Zealand Drivers’ points

1. (Holden) 300 1. Rick Kelly 672 2. Steven Richards (Ford) 270 2. Garth Tander 626 3. (Ford) 252 3. 580 4. Rick Kelly (Holden) 240 4. 572 5. Fabien Coulthard (Ford) 192 5. 540 6. Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 190 6. Steven Richards 521 7. Cameron McConville (Holden) 172 7. 477 8. Lee Holdsworth (Holden) 154 8. 440 9. Craig Lowndes (Ford) 138 9. 438 10. (Ford) 138 10. Fabien Coulthard 431

For further information: Dunlop Motorsport Division, Jean-Felix Bazelin, General Manager, Motorsport, EU, [email protected] Dunlop Tyres Ltd, Fort Dunlop, Jeremy Ferguson, International Motorsport Manager, [email protected] Birmingham, B24 9QT Gary Wassell, Manager, Car Motorsport, EU, [email protected] Tel: +44 121 306 6000 Stephen Male, Manager, Motorcycle Motorsport EU, [email protected] fax: +44 121 306 7000 Jason Dee, Sales and Product Manager Motorcycle EU, [email protected] e-mail; [email protected] Paul Bryant, Key Account Manager - Car Motorsport EU, [email protected]

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