 [26-06-2011]
PREMATURE END TO FRANCK MAILLEUX’S NURBURGRING 24 HOURS AFTER CAR #35 RETIRES WITH TECHNICAL TROUBLE
[Full Article]
 [25-06-2011]
FRANCK MAILLEUX TO START NURBURGRING 24 HOURS FROM STRONG TOP 30 POSITION ON GRID AFTER SUCCESSFUL QUALIFYING FOR VOLKSWAGEN MOTORSPORT
[Full Article]
 [21-06-2011]
FRANCK MAILLEUX AIMS FOR MORE 24 HOUR GLORY AT THE NURBURGRING
[Full Article]
 [20-06-2011]
PIERRE CAMPANA WILL NOT TAKE PART IN YPRES RALLY
[Full Article]
 [17-06-2011]
PIERRE RAGUES DRAWS POSITIVES FROM DISAPPOINTING LE MANS ADVENTURE
[Full Article]
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[17-06-2011]
PIERRE RAGUES DRAWS POSITIVES FROM DISAPPOINTING LE MANS ADVENTURE
 Pierre Ragues was unable to show his true potential during last weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans after repeated problems with the power steering on his OAK Pescarolo hampered progress and ultimately forced OAK Racing to retire the #15 car less than halfway into the race.
Pierre had made a solid start to the legendary event, having taken centre stage in the time-honoured starting procedure, but the technical problems prevented the team from showcasing its potential to fight for top petrol car status.
In his fifth appearance at Le Mans, Pierre was naturally disappointed with the result after weeks of hard work, but he is already looking to bounce back at the next round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, which takes place at Imola in two weeks’ time.
Quick Q+A with Pierre Ragues
Have you recovered from the disappointment of last weekend?
“It is always frustrating and disappointing to retire from a race with technical problems but it hurts much more at Le Mans, because of the stature of the event. It is without doubt the highlight of the year and the build-up and atmosphere is so special that emotions are always heightened. After a very good performance in the practice and qualifying sessions, we were expecting the put up a fight to be top petrol car but unfortunately we were unable to show our capabilities. The OAK team worked with absolute determination to fix the problem, so it was a shame that we couldn’t achieve the result we wanted.”
Talk us through the weekend from your perspective?
“Le Mans is so much more than a race; it is a complete lifestyle for the week we are there. The atmosphere was electric, as it always is, at the Place des Jacobins scrutineering where we had the team photo. The practice sessions went well and we were able to confirm the performance potential of the OAK-Pescarolo and the Dunlop tyres. Qualifying was quite trouble-free and I was given the honour of starting the race which was an incredible feeling in front of so many passionate fans. My two stints were good and I was able to chase down a top ten position, even if we encountered some communication problems during the long safety car period. When I handed over to Guillaume, I was reasonably happy but that is when the problems began; the start of the end of our race.”
What positives can you take away from the event?
“There are always positives to take away from disappointment. Endurance races are tough but Le Mans puts the car and team under immense pressure. The fact that we were so determined to find a cure to the problem showed just how much we wanted to finish the race. All three drivers were able to complete runs but the power steering problem proved too much. We have not had much luck so far this season but I am hopeful we will see a reversal of fortune in Imola for the next ILMC race. I’d like to say a big thanks to my personal backers Group Auto Union for the support in Le Mans; it was a very enjoyable week with them and their guests, I’m just sorry we couldn’t enjoy a more positive result. As always, I’ll be giving 100% at the next race in Imola.”
For more information about Pierre Ragues, please visit www.pierreragues.com or www.quadrasports.com
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