All four Lola B05/40 LMP2’s finished a gruelling six hour race at Silverstone on Saturday evening, contending with appalling conditions and multiple safety car periods to score more useful points in the 2005 Le Endurance Series LMP2 standings.

With driving rain and poor visibility on the Grand Prix track the new LMP2 design was by far the fastest LMP2 car on the track and the RML Group’s car was running in an incredible 2nd place overall in the early stages. Brazilian racer Tommy Erdos had claimed a convincing pole position and drove a superb opening to the race, contending with standing water on the 3.190 Northants track.

However, midway through the third hour, the red and white car was forced pitwards and lost the LMP2 lead due to electrical problems caused by the massive amount of water on the track. At this stage Erdos handed over to team mate Mike Newton who drove his usual solid stint, coping brilliantly with an intermittent misfire before handing back over to Erdos for the final hour. By this stage the team was back in contention for a podium position and hunting down fellow Lola runners, Horag Lista.

With just 15 minutes remaining Erdos caught Horag driver Didier Theys and took the final podium position. The six points gained for that position means that RML consolidate their third position in the LMP2 points standings.

“We seem to be ending up as the bridesmaids in the LMES this year,” commented Mike Newton after the race. “We had great pace throughout the weekend but unfortunately we got some water in the electrics, which caused a variety of problems. Tommy drove brilliantly in difficult conditions and we were looking very good in the early running. On the whole the team did fantastically well to get us back out and back in contention for some points.”

Just missing out on a podium position disappointed the Horag Lista team who were competing in just their second race with t Judd powered Lola B05/40. The Lista backed squad lay in second place and were sixth overall at one stage towards the end of the race but had to relinquish third to Erdos.

“ I had a huge problem with my visor misting up,” said Leinhard, who was racing at Silverstone for the first time, “ but I guess that was happening to a lot of people out there. We should maybe have had a podium here but it was not to be. The car was capable and the team were too, but we know the Niurburgring better so we are very much looking forward to that weekend.”

Chamberlain Synergy arrived at Silverstone as LMP2 leaders but they fell back to second place by just a point, after a 5th place class finish. Bob Berridge started the race and made good progress through the field, despite, like many on the streaming track, Bob completed a quick spin. With Peter Owen unable to take part in the meeting due to a back injury, Gareth Evans took over after a mammoth quadruple stint by Berridge in the AER turbo powered car. A clean run to the finish netted the team the 4 points on offer for 5th place in class.

In addition to the latest sportscar model from Lola racing at the weekend, the ex DAMS B98/10 was also out in the hands of Chamberlain Synergy. An all women crew of Amanda Stretton and Balba Camino started from 22nd on the grid with the Spaniard starting her first race at Silverstone in the terrible conditions. Steady progress saw the Judd engined LMP1 car climb the field before, like Hancock earlier, Amanda Stretton spun in to the pitwall, bringing out another Safety Car.

“Although we managed to repair the initial damage and get Balba out in the car again, the driveshaft broke (possibly the result of the accident) and that was the end of the race for us,” said Stretton.”

Binnie Motorsports had their most competitive race to date at Silverstone, lining up a fantastic second on the LMP2 grid after reigning LMP2 champion driver, Sam Hancock powered the Pirelli shod B05/40 to a very creditable 10th overall.

Also starting the race, Hancock stayed out of trouble for the first two hours and drove faultlessly to be 8th overall at one stage and 2nd, behind Erdos in the LMP2 class. But trouble struck just at the end of the first hour when Hancock was stranded on the circuit when his electrics cut out, probably as a consequence of the soaking conditions.

The Nicholson McLaren powered Lola eventually made it back to the pitwards where it was tended to by the American/British team, before re-joining after losing four laps. A spirited recovery drive followed with Hancock racing back to 5th in class before the conditions caught the Londoner out, as they had so many of the fifty-car grid.

“Coming through Woodcote the car just acquaplaned straight off,” said the 25 year old. “I nearly caught it but it went round and I brushed the barrier with the rear wing. To say it was a hairy moment is something of an understatement and to rub salt in to the wound, I ended up straddling an access road which beached the car. Overall though there were plenty of positives to take from this race for the team and myself.”

After coming in for a new rear wing wing, team principal Bill Binnie took over before Allen Timpany completed the race although the car was not classified with a finishing position.

The next round on the Le Mans Endurance Series schedule is at the Nurburgring on September 4th.

RACE RESULTSPos - Cl. - Drivers - Make - Time

1. P1  Ortelli/Mcnish  - Audi R8 - 5:51:09.5272. P1  Minassian/Campbell Walter -   DBA 03S + 6.5693. P1  Barbosa/Short/Ickx - Dallara Judd - LMP900   + 7 Laps4. P2  Gosselin/Ojjeh/Vose -  Courage C65           + 85. GT1 Pergi/Kox/Janis  -  Ferrari 550 Maranello    + 86. P1  Hignett/Stack/Kurosawa - Zytek 04S           + 9 7. GT1 Bouchut/Vasiliev  - Ferrari 550 Maranello    + 98. P2  Bennett/Vergers/Barazi -  Courage C65        + 109. GT2 Pompidou/Lieb  - Porsche 996 GT3 RSR         + 10 10.P2  Newton/Erdos - MG Lola Ex 264               + 10 11.P1  Shimoda/Chilton  - Zytec -4S                 + 1012.GT1 Kaufmann/Tiemann - Porsche 996 Bi-Turbo      + 1013. P2  Lienhard/Theys  - Lola B05/40               + 10 14. P1  Frei/Vann/Cochet - Courage-C60 H            + 1115. GT1 Turner/Fomenko/Goosens -  AstonMartin DBR9  + 1316. GT2 Groppi/Moccia/Rockenfeller - Porsche 996 GT3 RSR +  1317. GT1 Cressoni/Malucelli/Ramos - Ferrari 550 Maranello +  13 18. P1  Keen/Moller - Lister Hybrid                 + 13 19. P2  Berridge/Evans  - Lola                      + 1320. GT2 Erik Nielsen/Thyrring/Ehret  Porsche 996 GT3 RSR +  1421. GT2 Kirkaldy/Kinch - Ferrari 360 Modena GTC     + 14 22. GT2 Lambert/Lefort/Palttala -Porsche 996 GT3 RSR+ 15 23. GT2 Rosa/Drudi/Babini - Ferrari Modena          + 16 24. GT2 Stanton/Johnson/Eagling - TVR Tuscan T400R  + 1625. GT1 Bartyan/Pescatori/Seller - Ferrari 550 Maranello +  1626. P2  Rostan/Peugeot/Bruneau - Pilbeam MP93       + 1827. GT2 Collin/Felbermayr   - Porsche 996 GT3 RSR   + 19 28. P2  Belmondo/Andre/Sharpe  - Courage C65        + 1929. GT2 Petersen/Leutwiller/Lueders  Porsche 996 GT3 RSR +  20 30. P2  Leroch/Greaves/Hahn -  Courage C65          + 2331. GT1 Papolia/Sommereau/Clairy  - Chrysler Viper GTS/R +  2432. GT2 Daniels/Simonsen - Porsche 996 GT3 RSR      + 30 33. GT2 Pearce/Hynes/Tomlinson -  TVR Tuscan T400R  + 3734. P1  Collard/Boullion - Pescarolo-C60            + 38 35 GT1  Cole/Hooker/Lockie - Saleen S7R             + 43