 [17-06-2011]
FRANCK MAILLEUX STILL BUZZING AFTER LMP2 PODIUM IN LE MANS
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 [12-06-2011]
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 [12-06-2011]
LE MANS SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: FRANCK MAILLEUX AND SIGNATECH-NISSAN BATTLE BACK TO PODIUM CONTENTION IN LMP2
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 [12-06-2011]
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 [12-06-2011]
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[17-06-2011]
FRANCK MAILLEUX STILL BUZZING AFTER LMP2 PODIUM IN LE MANS
 Franck Mailleux is still in jubilant mood following his and Signatech-Nissan’s sensational LMP2 podium at last weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. For Franck, it was one of the highlights of his career to date and marks a continued run of positive results for the Frenchman after taking a podium at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.
Franck was given the prestigious task of starting the 24 Hours of Le Mans race for Signatech-Nissan after his team-mate Soheil Ayari had put the Oreca 03 on LMP2 pole position on Thursday. The team’s result in the race capped a generally positive weekend at the La Sarthe circuit, even if a number of punctures during the race had threatened to put the team out of podium contention.
Quick Q+A with Franck Mailleux
How long did it take for the result to sink in after the race?
“I think we started celebrating quite soon after the race was over but with everything that had happened during the 24 hours, it was difficult to appreciate the result fully. Certainly being on the podium helped but it was all a bit of a dream really. Even with the early puncture, I was confident we could fight our way back to the leading LMP2 cars, and it was very much a team effort to get there, both from the drivers, the team members, and all of Signatech-Nissan. It’s certainly a race I’ll never forget!”
Is there ever such a thing as a trouble-free Le Mans 24 Hours?
“Absolutely not. The early puncture lost us a lot of time and places at the beginning of the long race, but we also had to battle with various other issues along the way, all of which are actually normal during Le Mans. It is the maximum test of man and machine so the important thing is to make the finish which we did. The final hours always feel like an eternity because the finish is in sight but as a team, I think we performed extremely well and can be incredibly proud of ourselves. We started the week with a podium as our target and we achieved that.”
How was the week in general?
“This was my third Le Mans and it keeps getting better. It is such an honour to take part and the support we receive from the passionate crowds all week is unbelievable. Scrutineering and drivers’ parade are truly amazing from a driver’s point of view. The practice and qualifying went well and we were able to take LMP2 pole on Thursday, which meant a lot of attention was on us at the start but I had a good start to regain the lead. After the first puncture, I was able to make back some lost places, before the safety car came out. On my second run, we had the second long safety car period, but we still made good progress heading into the night. In the second half of the race, we fought with everything we had to secure the podium. I had another puncture on my final run in the morning and because I had to slow down too much, the engine started to overheat so the team told me to stop on track to remove the radiator cover before coming back to the pits. We were very fortunate that the problem didn’t end our race and were able to continue in second place.”
What did the result mean for the ILMC championship?
“We were the first ILMC car in class which meant we got double points for the ILMC championship, which we now lead outright. Thanks to all at Signatech and Nissan, as well as Dunlop and my own sponsors Sojasun for their support in Le Mans, I am already looking forward to continuing in this way at the next ILMC race at Imola in July. Before that, I am taking part in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race with Volkswagen Motorsport, so I’ll be able to put this Le Mans experience to good use.”
For more information about Franck Mailleux, please visit www.franckmailleux.com or www.quadrasports.com
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