Last weekend, the competitors of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo took part to the third round of the 2016 European Championship on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit, in south of France.
It is under very hot conditions that Sarah Bovy and Ben Gersekowski started their race weekend on Friday with one main objective: finally define the right set-up for their car after the Silverstone race where they struggled hard to find a good balance.
"The Huracán Super Trofeo is an amazing car but also a jewel of technology", Sarah said. "The influence of the set-up is therefore determining on our overall performance. As we have no opportunity to test between the races ─ contrary to a lot of our competitors ─, we have to learn during the race weekends and try to find the good set-up, ideally during the free practices, on Fridays. If you add to that the fact that we don't have new tyres to work on the set-up during those free sessions, you will understand how easy it is to take the wrong direction".
"After the end of the first day and the two first sessions, we actually were nowhere. When we finally used new tyres to start the qualifications, the progresses compared to Silverstone were not significant. With Ben and our (new) engineer, we thus decided to start again almost from a blank page between quali 2 and race 1. That was clearly the right decision. The team and mechanics of Leipert Motorsport did a great job to completely modify the set-up and make the car ready for the race".
It is thus with a high motivation and big hopes that Sarah presented her green and orange car on the grid of race 1, starting from 19th position (out of 47 cars). After a great start, Sarah was already in 15th position at the end of the first lap and was fighting to join the top 10 when a gearbox issue obliged her to slow down the pace.
"The car was really good and I was over-motivated to give the wheel back to Ben in P 10 or better. However, with the very hot temperatures, something broke in the gearbox, making it very difficult to use the 6th and then 3nd and 4th gears. I therefore tried to do my best to bring the car back at the end of my stint without loosing positions. Ben then did a great job and managed to keep an excellent pace, notwithstanding our gearbox issues, to finally claim the 8th place in category".
Taking the start of race 2, Ben Gersekowski took a brilliant start, catching no less than nine positions in only one lap. With a car having now a great set-up (and the gearbox issue completely fixed thanks to the mechanic's hard work during the evening), Ben made an excellent stint to bring the car back and pass the wheel to Sarah in 15th position. Notwithstanding a penalty for having left the pitlane a few tents before the end of the minimum required time for driver change, Sarah finally crossed the line within the top 10 of the category, scoring again for the championship.
"All in all, it’s a good week-end, even if we know that with the new set-up we found for the car, together with Leipert Motorsport and our new engineer, we could have claimed a podium in the two races! Anyway, we now know that the car ─ and drivers ─ are able to do it and we have definitely made huge progresses in our understanding of the car. I cannot wait for the next race in Francorchamps. I really thing we will be able to fight for a podium there, at least! This would be the best manner to thank the team, our mechanics, and of course our partners and supporters during my home race.
Come and join us on 29 and 30 July in Spa Francorchamps, during the 24h of Spa weekend, to live with us a great event!”.
It is under very hot conditions that Sarah Bovy and Ben Gersekowski started their race weekend on Friday with one main objective: finally define the right set-up for their car after the Silverstone race where they struggled hard to find a good balance.
"The Huracán Super Trofeo is an amazing car but also a jewel of technology", Sarah said. "The influence of the set-up is therefore determining on our overall performance. As we have no opportunity to test between the races ─ contrary to a lot of our competitors ─, we have to learn during the race weekends and try to find the good set-up, ideally during the free practices, on Fridays. If you add to that the fact that we don't have new tyres to work on the set-up during those free sessions, you will understand how easy it is to take the wrong direction".
"After the end of the first day and the two first sessions, we actually were nowhere. When we finally used new tyres to start the qualifications, the progresses compared to Silverstone were not significant. With Ben and our (new) engineer, we thus decided to start again almost from a blank page between quali 2 and race 1. That was clearly the right decision. The team and mechanics of Leipert Motorsport did a great job to completely modify the set-up and make the car ready for the race".
It is thus with a high motivation and big hopes that Sarah presented her green and orange car on the grid of race 1, starting from 19th position (out of 47 cars). After a great start, Sarah was already in 15th position at the end of the first lap and was fighting to join the top 10 when a gearbox issue obliged her to slow down the pace.
"The car was really good and I was over-motivated to give the wheel back to Ben in P 10 or better. However, with the very hot temperatures, something broke in the gearbox, making it very difficult to use the 6th and then 3nd and 4th gears. I therefore tried to do my best to bring the car back at the end of my stint without loosing positions. Ben then did a great job and managed to keep an excellent pace, notwithstanding our gearbox issues, to finally claim the 8th place in category".
Taking the start of race 2, Ben Gersekowski took a brilliant start, catching no less than nine positions in only one lap. With a car having now a great set-up (and the gearbox issue completely fixed thanks to the mechanic's hard work during the evening), Ben made an excellent stint to bring the car back and pass the wheel to Sarah in 15th position. Notwithstanding a penalty for having left the pitlane a few tents before the end of the minimum required time for driver change, Sarah finally crossed the line within the top 10 of the category, scoring again for the championship.
"All in all, it’s a good week-end, even if we know that with the new set-up we found for the car, together with Leipert Motorsport and our new engineer, we could have claimed a podium in the two races! Anyway, we now know that the car ─ and drivers ─ are able to do it and we have definitely made huge progresses in our understanding of the car. I cannot wait for the next race in Francorchamps. I really thing we will be able to fight for a podium there, at least! This would be the best manner to thank the team, our mechanics, and of course our partners and supporters during my home race.
Come and join us on 29 and 30 July in Spa Francorchamps, during the 24h of Spa weekend, to live with us a great event!”.
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