FFSA, Val de Vienne – Race One Report
Last Lap Drama
 
There was an eventful start to the first FFSA race of the weekend at Val de Vienne, with poleman Laurent Cazeanave spinning his #3 DKR Corvette C5-R at a chaotic Turn 1 and delaying Bruno Hernandez (#9 SRT C6.R), Eric Debard (#4 Tarrès Sallen S7R) and Wilfried Merafina (#8  Larbre Saleen S7R); all top-six qualifiers.

Patrick Bornhauser thus took the lead, ahead of Yvan Lebon’s #6 DKR C6.R and wasted no time in widening the gap. Surprisingly, two GT2 cars were behind Lebon - David Loger, in the #35 Nourry Compétition Porsche 996 RSR, in third place and Michel Lecourt’s #39 IMSA Performance Porsche 997 RSR in fourth place.     

However, the GT1s quickly caught up to the front of the race after the pit stops - not including Cazeanave, who had to retire on lap 13 with a broken engine - when Soheil Ayari (who had taken over from Hernandez), Frédéric Makowiecki (#8 Larbre Saleen S7R) and Olivier Thévenin (Debard's partner) narrowed the gap.

With fifteen minutes of the race remaining, there was a full course yellow and the safety car came out on track, bringing the GT1s right back together. At the restart, Dayraut (#2 DKR Engineering C6.R) passed Christophe Bouchut (#7 Larbre Saleen S7R) for the lead, but was then given a drive through penalty. This effectively put Bouchut back in the lead, but he was coming under pressure from Ayari. Before he could take his penalty, though, Dayraut suddenly slowed and stopped his Corvette on the track; out of fuel.

 Ayari, who had just overtaken Bouchut, succeeded in avoiding the stricken C6.R on the left but Bouchut then hit Ayari's C6.R on the rear. The Corvette was out, but Bouchut managed to continue with a badly damaged front axle. His team mate, Makowiecki, was now quickly catching him up and, under pressure, Bouchut, had an off at the last corner and went through the gravel. Makowiecki thus claimed the win at the last minute, ahead of Bouchut/Lebon, Debard/Thévenin, Cormarèche/Porta (#6 Tarrès Saleen S7R), Dayraut/Lebonand and Ayari/Hernande; four Saleens in the first four positions.

In the GT2 category, Loger led for some time before being passed by Lecourt; but eventually Narac/Poilette (IMSA Performance Porsche 997 RSR) took the win.

In GT3, Arnaud Peyroles and his partner James Ruffier were in the lead from start to finish, in the #42 Ruffier Racing Lamborghini Gallardo. The gap to their challengers was narrowed only in the late stages during the safety car period, but they were never directly threatened. Behind them, the fight was rife between Tuchbant/Leclerc's Lamborghini and Campbell/Jakubowski (#55 AS Events Ferrari 430) who succeeded in passing on lap eight and finishing in second place. Eric Hélary again had a great race, moving up to fourth place at the wheel of the #61 Ruffier Racing Lamborghini Gallardo.

Full results here.

Claude Foubert (and thanks to FFSA.org)