 [07-10-2011]
NEW CAREER HIGHLIGHT FOR FRANCK MAILLEUX WITH ILMC CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
[Full Article]
 [07-10-2011]
PIERRE RAGUES CONTINUES POSITIVE MOMENTUM FOR OAK RACING WITH ATLANTA POINTS
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 [02-10-2011]
FFSA RALLY TEAM FRANCE – RALLYE DE FRANCE-ALSACE REVIEW - PIERRE CAMPANA REGISTERS DEBUT WRC POINTS
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 [02-10-2011]
PIERRE RAGUES FIGHTS TO THE END TO CLAIM SOLID POINTS FINISH AT TOUGH PETIT LE MANS
[Full Article]
 [02-10-2011]
FRANCK MAILLEUX AND SIGNATECH-NISSAN CLINCH ILMC TITLE WITH LMP2 PODIUM AFTER THRILLING PETIT LE MANS
[Full Article]
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[02-10-2011]
FRANCK MAILLEUX AND SIGNATECH-NISSAN CLINCH ILMC TITLE WITH LMP2 PODIUM AFTER THRILLING PETIT LE MANS
 Franck Mailleux is celebrating today after claiming the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Team Championship title with Signatech-Nissan at the tough 1000-mile Petit Le Mans race in Atlanta overnight.
It is Franck and Signatech’s first ever title in endurance racing in their debut season with Nissan-powered Oreca 03 and comes after a competitive season for the team in which they have firmly cemented themselves as the quickest package in LMP2.
A third place finish at Petit Le Mans was enough to secure the title even if the team and Franck had challenged for the LMP2 victory for the first half of the race before power steering problems dropped them back to third just over four hours in.
With Jean-Karl Vernay at the helm of the Signatech-Nissan #26 car and leading the LMP2 battle, the power steering gave way, necessitating a lengthy 32 minute pit stop that ended any hopes of winning the race for LMP2 glory. However, the team’s sights were set on a much bigger picture in the knowledge that even over 20 laps back in third place, they could still clinch the title a class podium and 11 vital points.
With Franck at the wheel of the car, he embarked on a tremendous fightback in order to guarantee the final podium spot, posting the quickest LMP2 lap of the entire race and ensuring the team earned the all-important points.
Petit Le Mans marked the fourth class podium of the year for the Signatech-Nissan crew with one race remaining in China which the team will approach in a style befitting of the newly crowned champions.
Franck Mailleux said: “We are the champions! What an amazing feeling to have taken the 2011 ILMC title with one race still to go and after an eventful Petit Le Mans race with lots of traffic and safety car interventions. Things started well and we were comfortably in the hunt for the overall LMP2 win against our closest rivals for the title, but unfortunately the power steering problems ended that hope. We were stuck in the pits for a long 32 minute stop as the team did an absolutely incredible job to fix the power steering and get us back out on track still in third place in LMP2, but many laps down. It was a championship performance from them and we owe this result to their hard work and never-give-up attitude. I was able to put in a good performance to begin something of a fight back and I could set the quickest lap of LMP2, which was extremely pleasing for my first race at this track and against more experienced teams. The car felt good, so although it was slightly disappointing not to continue the victory challenge until the end of the race, we worked hard to keep third place which was enough to take the championship title, which was of course our bigger goal. It’s a fantastic feeling to know that we have achieved this result, and thanks to the entire Signatech team, Nissan, Dunlop, all my team-mates and management, as well as my personal backers Sojasun for whom this result means a great amount. We can now look to the next race, the final event of the year in China, with a more relaxed outlook and fight hard to take the victory and end the year in a true championship style.”
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