advertise with us l'endurance has an international, dedicated audience who appreciate what we do. If you help us out, they'll appreciate you too. [email protected] advertise with us l'endurance has an international, dedicated audience who appreciate what we do. If you help us out, they'll appreciate you too. [email protected] contents 38 Photo Feature Tour Auto Page 20 Tour Auto is a vintage road rally in France. We figured we’d share some photos by Julien Mahiels. Interview Henri Pescarolo Page 38 Geoffroy Barre talks to Yorath Photo: Jake sportscar racing’s greatest living legend about equiva- lency, emotion and excel- lence. contents l’endurance is: Jake Yorath (editor) Twitter: Alex Roache (deputy editor) @lendurancelive Dan Bathie (sub editor) Sam Tickell (reports editor) Facebook: Brecht Decancq (photographer) James Boone (photographer) facebook.com/lendurance Events Events Feature March World round Aston Martin highlights up In the VLN Page 6 Page 48 Page 28 Check out what’s happening All the latest reports from Aston Martin driver Peter this coming month with our around the world of sport- Cate gives us an exclusive handy events matrix. scar racing. insight into his weekend at the Nordschleife. 28 Photo: Martin Meiners May This month, l’endurance photographers will be at ILMC Spa, GT1 + GT3 Algarve and British GT Snetter- ton. [email protected] events GT Open Magny Cours May 14-15 GT Open is not short of entries and their opening round could well be a corker in France. It features GTE as its top class, a stage the class perhaps deserves! Photo: Jake Yorath Photo: Jake Must LMS + ILMC see 1000kms of spa Round 2 Spa Francorchamps, May 5-7 A 60 car entry makes this one unmissable. If you’re not go- ing, then make sure you catch the action either on TV or with Radio Le Mans. UK Coverage: Motors TV, radio at RadioLeMans.com events GT3 Europe hot Algarve Round 1 Photo: Brecht Decancq Sachsenring, March 26-27 pick There is almost nothing better than GT3 racing. Close ac- tion, spectacular cars and stunning grids have made this a global favourite. UK Coverage: Live on GT3europe.com GT1 World Australian GT British GT Portugal Eastern Creek Snetterton Algarve, May 7-8 May 28-29 May 14-15 The GT1 World Champion- Australian GT continues at The Avon Tyres British GT ship has not failed to thrill Eastern Creek with the sec- Championship continues this season and at the roll- ond half of the Stirling Moss in the east after an action ercoaster track in Portugal, Australian Trophy. More packed opener at Oulton expect nothing less from the fireworks can be guaranteed Park. l’endurance will be big beasts. down under. there to bring you coverage. GT1 World Germany Round 3 Ciruit de Al, March 26-27 GT1 makes it’s first ever visit to the Sachsenring, more fa- mously the host of Germany’s MotoGP. What else is there to say but ‘expect good racing’? UK Coverage: Live on GT1world.com/tv Photo: Jake Yorath Photo: DPPI/ GT1World.com Obituary Martin Bartek Founder of Matech Competition, who passed away aged 44 in April. By GT1World.com Martin Bartek, team princi- strong running throughout pal of the Matech Competi- the season with German driv- tion GT teams, has died at er Thomas Mutsch finishing as the age of 44. vice-champion. The team owner entered his Bartek also represented the Ford GT cars in the FIA GT1 GT1 teams on the GT Com- World Championship and FIA mission at the FIA. GT3 European Championship The Matech Ford GT cars, in recent years and enjoyed which Bartek developed, now success on track. compete under the Marc VDS Matech claimed the GT3 Racing and Belgian Racing Team Champion title in 2008 teams. with the Ford GT3. Bartek Stephane Ratel, CEO and also ran two Ford GTs in the founder of SRO Motorsports inaugural GT1 World Champi- Group, said: “Martin played a onship in 2010, taking victory major role in the FIA GT3 Eu- at the opening race in Abu ropean and GT1 World Cham- Dhabi. pionships. We have lost a The team continued its friend.” In memory, this month's ‘In Focus’ is dedicated to the fantastic creations of Matech Competition. In Jake Yorath FocUS Silverstone 2008 In Jake Yorath FocUS Silverstone 2008 In Jake Yorath FocUS Silverstone 2008 In Brecht Decancq FocUS Brno 2010 In Alex Roache FocUS Silverstone 2010 In Depth Grand touring Meet Le Tour Auto: a French historic road rally. Photos by Julien Mahiels Grand touring Meet Le Tour Auto: a French historic road rally. Photos by Julien Mahiels A beautiful Alpine A110 negotiates a village lane and handily placed period signage. Beautiful scenery and beautiful machinery characterise the Tour. In Depth Team Green Peter Cate gives us an exclusive insight into a weekend with the Aston Martin VLN team. Receiving an ovation having pushed the car over the line to ensure an Aston Martin 1-2 finish. Photo: Martin Meiners Team Green Peter Cate gives us an exclusive insight into a weekend with the Aston Martin VLN team. Receiving an ovation having pushed the car over the line to ensure an Aston Martin 1-2 finish. Photo: Martin Meiners lue skies, sunshine trying the car for comparison, and temperatures a gearbox niggle meant a late in the twenties? It night and a herculean effort doesn’t sound much from team to replace it. Ker- Blike spring in the Eifel moun- mit, meanwhile, was running tains, but that was the scene well, although some modifica- greeting teams arriving at the tions were needed to manage Nürburgring in early April for engine temperatures ahead of the first round of the 2011 qualifying. VLN Endurance Series, which Saturday dawned with clear was to be contested by no less skies, but the track was awash than 165 cars. After a winter with dew that failed to evapo- of partial track resurfacing, rate even after several laps the Nordschleife was finally running in the warm morning back in action. sun. Wolfgang took Woody out Aston Martin Motorsport en- first, waiting as long as possible tered two V12 Vantages: ‘Ker- before leaving the pits to try mit’ (#126), driven by Chris and get some dry running. As Porritt, Richard Meaden and the clock ticked, however, he Oliver Mathai, and ‘Woody’ was forced to take wet tyres, (#122), driven by Wolfgang eventually handing Woody over Schuhbauer and myself. Be- to me with time remaining for tween them, the two cars de- three flying laps. livered an impressive eight The moment I took to the class wins and eight second track it was obvious conditions places during 2010. We all had were borderline. Kermit was a lot to live up to! still on wets but I could see a Woody is effectively the dry line forming, so Wolfgang same benchmark specification and I had agreed to go for as the last race in 2010, albeit slicks. It was a real challenge with the new-spec Yokohama trying to warm them up. The tyres, whilst for 2011 Kermit track was still wet through has been upgraded to a paddle- Hatzenbach, down Fuchsröhre, shift gearbox and completely around Bergwerk and several revised suspension. The race other critical places, so it was weekend was to offer an in- a matter of trying some differ- teresting comparison between ent lines to find grip and main- the two. tain speed, and being sensitive The team took to the track on the throttle – 510bhp on on Friday for a familiarization slicks in the wet can be inter- session to ensure both human esting! and machine were working Still, it was the right decision as they should after the long because the lap times tumbled off-season. With Woody be- in the final minutes, and our ing slightly down on top speed last effort (9:30.541), although along the main straight, ad- far from a dry time, was good justments were made to the enough to put us 30th on the 510bhp on rear wing to reduce drag – al- grid and second in class behind slicks in the ways a compromise with the the Lexus LFA of Gazoo Racing. desire for more downforce Kermit qualified third in class wet can“ be around the 86 twists and turns with a 9:41.761, completing a of the 14-mile Nordschleife. strong grid for the team. The interesting! After a final outing with Chris pit crew identified a problem Peter cate The purposeful V12 Vantage is one of the most popular and distinctive cars in the series. Photo: Martin Meiners Photo: Leap of faith: the Nordschleife represents a unique challenge for car and driver alike. Photo: Martin Meiners Kermit (below) and Woody (bottom) are regular contenders for class victory in the VLN. The marshals at the .. Nurburgring“ are always fantastic, but unfortunately a few drivers just don't seem to have any common sense. Peter cate with Kermit’s rear suspension was mine – the team dropped tyres I was more comfortable and set about affecting a re- the rear wing slightly to aid with the second set of Yokoha- pair before the race start at straight-line speed, fitted a mas, allowing me to push and midday. brand new set of Yokohamas get down to a 9:04.249 on my The four hour race itself be- and brimmed the tank for a second to last lap. gan in perfect conditions, if a further eight laps. As ever at the Nordschleife little hot for engines and driv- Straight away I found that the traffic was problematic, ers.