Racing Box Lucchini Withdrawn

Possible Second Epsilon Euskadi Entry

The news emerged this afternoon that the #30 Racing Box Lucchini Judd has been withdrawn from the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours after eligibility paperwork requested by the ACO during the Test Weekend was not forthcoming.

That has left the entry currently at 54 cars though the ACO have asked the Epsilon Euskadi team whether their second chassis (#21) could be prepared in time to be presented with its three drivers (Jean-Marc Gounon, Stefan Johansson and Shinji Nakano) for scrutineering tomorrow morning at the circuit.

ACO Sporting Director Daniel Poissenot told dsc that he was hopeful that the Spanish team, who had made it clear last weekend that they were ready if necessary to replace any team suffering ‘force majeure’, would complete the final 55 car entry.

Asked whether it would be correct to assume that the race organisers were angry with the Racing Box squad for this last minute let down Mr Poissenot replied “That is very much the case.”

Regular dsc readers will recall that this is the self same Lucchini that was withdrawn at the last minute from the 2005 Le Mans 24 Hours by a factory team, again when there were teams on the reserve list that had been prepared to take its place if the withdrawal had happened earlier.