2007 24 Hours of Le Mans Approaches

By Lauren Woods

The most famous endurance race is just around the corner and teams are busy preparing for the 75th Grand Prix of Endurance - the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans. Twelve teams have been announced that will compete at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The number of drivers participating this year numbers 35 and they all share the same thoughts as former Formula One driver Mika Salo. Salo said: “There is no point in going there and being happy with second place.”

This competitiveness is one of the most notable features of this endurance race. According to experts, the American contingent for this year will have an immediate impact on the outcome of the race. Salo has this to say about what the delegation needs to do to get the victory at Le Mans: “It’s nice to be able to say that we have had so much success in America but Le Mans is a much bigger deal. There is no point in going there and being happy with second place. To succeed at Le Mans you have to stay out of trouble, spend as little time as possible in the pits, and maintain a consistent pace throughout and that’s what we will be aiming to do.”

Andy Wallace, the driver which set the fastest speed for a production car which has stood for more than 11 years, is also to compete at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. He will be driving for Dyson Racing. Wallace has this to say about his car and his chance at winning the race: “The car has already been fast this year at Monza and Valencia. The team has performed well so far and is tremendously experienced. It’s always a huge advantage if you have informational data at the track plus a reliable car. We have both.”

Another former Formula One driver in Allan McNish will be competing at this year’s installment of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He has won the prestigious race in 1998 and he has this to say about what he is doing to prepare for the race: “The motivation is the same as every year. Le Mans is the most important sports car race and very difficult to win. I’m looking for my second victory and my first with Audi after so many podiums. I’m preparing exactly the same way as I’ve done before. The team is well prepared. We’ve had a very strong endurance test. Dindo (Capello) and I have great successes in America. At the moment we are just hoping that Tom (Kristensen) will be able to race.”

Last year’s winner Audi will be coming back with a car with more power than an A8 with the Audi cold air intake system. Rinaldo Capello of the Audi Sport North America has this to say about what they need in order to win the race. “Le Mans is Le Mans. It is difficult to make a forecast because it is such a long race. It happens only once a year and everything should run perfectly that day. If it doesn’t, you have to wait 12 months to try again. After 12 months, you still have to hope that everything has to run perfectly. We know we have the best car. We have the best team and the best people in the pits. We just need some luck.”