[15-07-2016]
RAGUES READY TO RACE AT THE RING AS WEC HEADS TO GERMANY
 The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) returns to action next weekend for the fourth round of the season at the historic Nürburgring in the Eifel region of Germany.
Just a month after the conclusion of a thrilling Le Mans 24 Hours, 33 WEC entries will take to the ‘Ring to resume battle in one of the world’s most hotly contested series.
Pierre Ragues will resume his charge for the podium with Larbre Competition, returning to the cockpit of his #50 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R. Pierre put in an impressive performance at Le Mans, but the team ultimately finished in eighth place after a series of issues hampered progress. The result secured a top-three finish on the WEC classification with double points on offer.
The race allowed Pierre to demonstrate the sort of pace that helped the team secure two consecutive GTE-Am podiums in the opening rounds of the 2016 FIA WEC season at Silverstone and Spa.
The podium will once again be the target for the team around the Nürburgring. Pierre has plenty of experience on the challenging German circuit, and picked up a fourth place finish in LMP2 just twelve months ago – as Nürburgring joined the competitive WEC calendar.
Larbre will be hoping for a trouble-free six-hour race next weekend as they seek more valuable championship points. The team currently holds third place in the GTE-Am classification, just a point behind their second-placed rivals.
QUICK Q+A WITH PIERRE RAGUES
Pierre, it’s a quick return to action after Le Mans, how do you feel looking back at the last race?
“From a personal point of view, there were lots of positives to take away from Le Mans. I felt that I drove a good race, put in some competitive stints and helped the team as best I could. Unfortunately some things didn’t quite go our way as a team but that’s Le Mans – it’s a bit of rollercoaster. The performance of the Corvette C7.R was awesome and Michelin did an excellent job on the tyres. Our team-work was first-rate and I am looking forward to showing what we can do when we get to Nürburgring next week.”
Is Nürburgring a track you enjoy?
“It’s one of those classic circuits that we’ve all seen from other motor racing series – and of course the association with the legendary Nordschleife. The circuit layout we run on is enjoyable and I think it will suit our package. At least, I hope it will! I had a good race there last year in LMP2, finishing fourth and I am definitely aiming for the GTE-Am podium this year.”
Do you think podiums are realistic for the remainder of the WEC season?
“That’s our aim, for sure. We have already seen we can finish on the podium on a variety of circuits, from Silverstone to Spa, and I think our performance at Le Mans showed podium potential. We’re targeting the top-three in all remaining races but you never know what can happen. Whatever happens, I know we will work well as a team, and I have the support of my personal partners at GroupAuto, Sparco and Ellip6, which I always appreciate. I’m ready to get racing at the Ring!”
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