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The fifth and final round of the 2009 Le Mans Series takes place at Silverstone on September 13th where the Magny-Cours-based team will be hoping to finish the season on a high with another strong performance.

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Asian Le Mans Series
Okayama, Japan

OAK Racing seals Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 title

Despite OAK Racing’s excellent 2009 campaign, which had included four podiums from five Le Mans Series rounds and the blue riband Le Mans 24 Hours, the team had yet to conquer the top step of the podium. But that all changed at Okayama last weekend after securing both LMP2 victories at the inaugural Asian Le Mans Series in Japan.

OAK Racing entered their #24 Pescarolo-Mazda, the same car that finished third at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last June. Richard Hein and Jacques Nicolet, the prototype’s regular gentlemen driver pairing, were joined at the wheel for the weekend by Matthieu Lahaye who has campaigned the squad’s sister #35 entry throughout the season. Indeed, it was the first time that the trio, part of the OAK fold since 2008, would drive together.

Split into two, three-hour races, the new Asian Le Mans Series took place over two days (October 31 and November 1) at the Okayama circuit. 23 cars took the start each looking to secure a guaranteed and highly coveted place on next year’s Le Mans grid, while OAK were also keen to impress on engine-supplier Mazda’s home soil.

Despite ending the weekend with both class wins to their name, the nature of each victory couldn’t have been more different. The opening encounter saw several incidents which forced the drivers and team to raise their game in order to maintain a comfortable gap over LMP2 rivals IRS. A loss of fuel pressure forced Lahaye, who’d started seventh overall and on class pole position, to pit early, having spent the entire previous lap coasting in an effort to avoid further damage. Hein then took over and was able to maintain a fast, fluid rhythm despite the tight nature of the circuit and inevitable traffic build-up, while also looking after his tyres. Nicolet was then installed for the final hour and looked set for victory until pitting with just seven minutes remaining to replace a louvre damaged by tyre debris. The rules state that cars must finish the race with all original bodywork intact so the team produced a flawless performance to replace the front nose in record time. Nicolet rejoined with time to spare and duly took the chequered flag first in class and seventh overall.

“Races are never won until you cross the finish line,” said Team Manager François Sicard, at the end of race 1. “We were perhaps a bit complacent about the size of the grid and that the race wouldn’t be that difficult thanks to the strength of our chassis, tyre and engine combination which has been competitive all season. But it wasn’t a walk in the park, neither for the team or drivers despite their very good stints. It was ‘hot’, to borrow an expression often used by Matthieu!”

Race 2 would play out in a more relaxed fashion the following day. Lahaye remained in contact with the LMP1 runners during much of his opening stint while building a comfortable gap back to the IRS Courage and managing the GT traffic well, before handing over to Nicolet. With a two lap lead at his disposal, Jacques continued the excellent work, lapping less than a second shy of his pro co-driver thanks to pace and consistency. Hein completed the trio’s impeccable day with a faultless performance of his own and although delayed briefly in the pits with just minutes remaining thanks to a spark plug issue, he would not be denied, taking the chequered flag to wrap up the race and inaugural Asian Le Mans Series spoils.

Matthieu Lahaye: “I am delighted to have taken part in this adventure with the team. I really wanted to reward everyone for their efforts during the season. It was an important race for me and a first chance to team up with Jacques and Richard. They have proven throughout the year just how far they have progressed and were amazing team mates all weekend!”

Richard Hein: “We are winners in the Asian Le Mans Series! Some might think that the Series was easier to win as there were fewer competitors but the first race proved that that’s not the case. In this type of race, you have to be cautious as much with your rivals as yourself. We approached it the same way we have all year; professionalism, determination and concentration. Matthieu was great, priceless in fact and a real reference point for us. Over the season with Matthieu and Jacques, we did not make a single mistake. For me, it was a perfect year.”

François Sicard, Team Manager: “The overall review of the season is very positive. We have competed in eight races and finished six times on the podium, including two wins which is a reward for all the team’s hard work. OAK Racing is a team which is progressing all the time and we will work this winter to build a strong programme for 2010 with the objective of fighting for wins on a regular basis in the Le Mans Series, as well as at the Le Mans 24 Hours and other races. We hope to start the 2010 season as we have finished the 2009 campaign!”

Jacques Nicolet, driver and President of OAK Racing: “The Asian Le Mans Series marks the end of the season and could not have finished better than with two wins. I’m as happy as a driver as I am the team owner! Coming to Japan has given us an opportunity to add to Mazda’s successful endurance racing heritage by winning in their home country. We are delighted to conclude the season like this after a successful first year partnership with Mazda and Dunlop, as well as the constructive partnership with AER.”

Thierry Guillemot, President of Mazda France Automobiles and active partner of the team, attended the event with some directors of the Mazda Corporation, including its Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mr Masa Moro:

“What a pleasure to win in the Land of the Rising Sun in front of the Mazda Corporation and several of its enthusiastic directors! I would like to congratulate the entire team which provided us with an end-of-season full of emotion and whose results are looking good for the coming season. I’m looking forward to next year and the continued partnership with OAK Racing!”
 
LMP2 classification:

Race 1
1) #24 OAK Racing – Lahaye / Nicolet / Hein – Pescarolo Mazda, 116 laps, 10 points
2) #28 Ibanez Racing Service – Ibanez / Toullemonde / Da Rocha – Courage AER, 116 laps, 8 points

Race 2 
1) #24 OAK Racing – Lahaye / Nicolet / Hein – Pescarolo Mazda, 118 laps, 10 points
2) #28 Ibanez Racing Service – Ibanez / Toullemonde / Da Rocha – Courage AER, 92 laps, 8 points

Le Mans Series

Silverstone - Autosport 1000kms

OAK Racing Team Mazda France on the podium again 

OAK Racing Team Mazda France made it four podium finishes from the last five races in 2009 as Jacques Nicolet and Richard Hein took a fine third place in the LMP2 class during the final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone. 

Once again the French team’s pair of gentlemen drivers drove faultlessly throughout the 1000km race, putting in a succession of consistent stints, while the squad’s Pescarolo-Mazda ran trouble-free for the entire five and a half hours. 

Starting from fifth on the class grid, Nicolet and Hein held their position during the first half of the race and climbed into the top three during the last two hours to ensure the team ended their European season in style. The result follows Nicolet’s and Hein’s superb class podium from this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours and added to those achieved by team-mates Matthieu Lahaye and Karim Ajlani at the Nurburgring and Spa 1000kms. 

Lahaye and Ajlani didn’t fare as well as they retired late in the race after a small fire. Despite showing strong pace early on and running in third with Lahaye at the wheel, a spin by Ajlani which resulted in a lengthy pit stop dropped them well down the order before retirement came with 138 laps completed. 

François Sicard: “We’re really happy with a podium. The drivers in the #24 car made no mistakes, had good pace and were reliable. The engine worked well and the Dunlop tyres were excellent allowing us to double stint them. With new engine and tyre partners, 2009 was a transitional season for OAK Racing, so it has been a good year. We must now work hard over the winter because next year we want to be challenging for class wins and the title and to improve on our third place finishes at Le Mans in ’08 and ‘09.” 

Jacques Nicolet: “The race was fantastic for us, we had some good fights throughout the field and the car was fantastic to drive. It worked well without any problems and the new compound tyres from Dunlop were superb and very easy to double stint. I’m very proud of this result to conclude the season as it rewards the dedication and motivation of the entire team.” 

Richard Hein: “This is my first podium in the Le Mans Series so I’m really happy. If someone had told me before the start of the season that I would have finished on the podium at Le Mans and in the LMS I wouldn’t have believed them. We’ve made it this far by working step by step and the result is deserved by all the team as well as the guys from Dunlop and Mazda.” 

Matthieu Lahaye: “I made a good start and was fighting with the leaders in that opening stint. The car was really good and even when we rejoined after the long stop I was the fastest LMP2 car on track. It’s a shame we didn’t finish, but the team has done a great job and really exploited our technical package to the maximum.” 

Karim Ajlani: “We were running third when I was touched through Copse on the right rear corner. It then felt a bit strange going into Stowe and later in the lap it spun. As I tried to rejoin I went in the gravel and lost a lot of time and our race was effectively over.”     

While OAK Racing’s European season may be at an end, they will be back on track later in the year as the team travels to the Far East to take part in the inaugural Asian Le Mans Series. The French team will fly the flag for Mazda at the double-headed race meeting at Okayama, Japan on Saturday 31 October – Sunday 1 November.

LMP2 Classification:

1) #33 Speedy Racing Team Sabeh – Kane / Leuenberger / Pompidou – Lola Mazda, 190 laps, 10pts

2) #25 RML – Erdos / Newton – Lola Mazda, 186 laps, 4pts

3) #24 OAK Racing – Nicolet / Hein – Pescarolo Mazda, 184 laps, 6pts

4) #45 Team WFR – Hughes / Firth / Manning – WF01 Zytek, 179 laps, 4pts

5) #41 G.A.C. Racing Team – Ojjeh / Gosselin / Peter – Zytek 07S, 179 laps, 6pts

6) #26 Bruichladdich Radical – Bruneau / Sini / Greaves – Radical SR9 AER, 179 laps, 3pts

7) #28 Ibanez Racing Service – Ibanez / Cavailhes / Da Rocha – Courage AER, 175 laps, 2pts

8) #38 Pegasus Racing – Schell / Thirion / Metz – Courage-Oreca AER, 175 laps, 1pt

DNF #35 OAK Racing – Lahaye / Ajlani - Pescarolo Mazda, 138 laps

Le Mans Series, 4th round
Nürburgring, Germany
23rd August 2009

Third podium of the season for OAK Racing Team Mazda France

The fourth round of this season's Le Mans Series proved a superb one for OAK Racing Team Mazda France after their #35 entry of Matthieu Lahaye and Karim Ajlani claimed third position in LMP2. It was the pair's second podium of the campaign after achieving a similar result at Spa-Francorchamps in May whilst the #24 car also finished third in Le Mans in June. Indeed, that same entry of gentlemen drivers Richard Hein and Jacques Nicolet capped an excellent weekend by finishing fourth. The two crews produced a faultless display during the 1000 kilometre race at the famous German venue, confirming the excellent performance of its technical package for 2009 which unites Pescarolo chassis with Mazda-AER engine and Dunlop tyres. It was a result that also confirms the return of reliability.

Francois Sicard, OAK Racing Team Manager, was delighted with a result which rewards the hard work and commitment of the entire team and its technical partners: "Our objective this weekend was to score a podium finish with the #35 and to place the #24 in the top five. To that end it's mission accomplished so I am delighted."

"Matthieu and Karim had a fantastic race, Matthieu climbing up to third after the opening few laps. Karim meanwhile had a few technical problems during his first stint which cost us several places. Despite those, they climbed back up to third place, which confirms the level of performance and reliability of the car. Richard and Jacques completed a faultless race and confirmed their progression since Le Mans. A big thank you to AER and Mazda who worked very well and who are starting to be rewarded for their efforts. Congratulations also to Dunlop who supplied us with fantastic tyres which allowed the guys to run double stints. I'm looking forward to Silverstone in three weeks."

Matthieu Lahaye: "We have shown our potential during the past few races so it's nice to get a podium. We were fast in the race and I hope that this will continue at Silverstone. I also think that I have found something for the starts! As in Portimão, I had a superb opening stint and was soon running in the top three. I pushed hard throughout and did not have any problems. From the middle of the race, we were able to double stint the tyres which allowed us to climb back up the order. I am delighted for the entire team who deserve this result."

Karim Ajlani: "My first stint was going well until the moment the engine bip, when changing down the gears, stopped working and I had to switch the mapping to 'safe'. That meant I did not have any antilag and was slower exiting the corners which cost me some time until the end of the first stint. We decided to continue, waiting until the driver change for the mechanics to fix the problem. This paid off as we only lost six minutes in the pits. I finished the race with a double stint, bringing the car home to score this fabulous podium. We had high hopes for this race and it has paid off. I must say a big thank you to the entire team."

Jacques Nicolet: "This is an excellent result for the team, with a podium for the #35 and Richard and I just behind with an excellent fourth place. Both of us have made a step forward in performance since our podium at Le Mans, and that's been confirmed by the result here. We raced with a good, consistent rhythm and drove faster than normal which has helped us to finish just off of the podium. I cannot wait to be at Silverstone."

Richard Hein: "We have achieved the objectives that we set ourselves and I am proud to finish in the top four. OAK Racing is a fabulous team, a big family and united which has worked hard to achieve such results. I was prudent at the start when the fight is often quite intense, before attacking at the maximum which enabled us to maintain the same level of performance as our rivals. Jacques and I will continue to work hard. We are not far from the leading drivers and we want to get even closer."

LMP2 Final Classification:

1) #40 Quifel ASM Team – Amaral / Pla – Ginetta Zytek, 189 laps, 11 points
2) #29 Racing Box – Ceccato / Francioni / Piccini – Lola Judd, 187 laps, 8 points
3) #35 OAK Racing - Lahaye, Ajlani - Pescarolo Mazda, 185 laps, 2 points
4) #24 OAK Racing – Nicolet, Hein – Pescarolo Mazda, 184 laps, 3 points

Le Mans Series, Round 3
Algarve Circuit, Portugal
1-2 August 2009

OAK Racing take a pair of top-eight finishes in Algarve night race

OAK Racing Team Mazda France secured a pair of top-eight LMP2 class finishes as the Le Mans Series visited the new Algarve circuit in Portugal for the first time.

The Algarve 1000kms marked the first true night race in the prestigious endurance championship’s history and the team’s pair of Pescarolo-Mazdas finished sixth and eighth in class in what proved to be a challenging event.

“We are a little disappointed with the results,” admitted Team Manager François Sicard who has seen the team secure podiums in the last two races, the Le Mans 24 Hours and Spa 1000kms. “We were expecting a bit more from this weekend and another podium was definitely within our reach. The performance was there, particular from Matthieu who was absolutely fantastic today, but not the reliability, although the #35 car still finished as the best-placed Mazda-powered machine. We were also hoping for a good result from the #24 car, but unfortunately a starter motor problem cost us 30 minutes in the pits and destroyed our race.”

Matthieu Lahaye: “I am very happy with the way I started the race. We were well down on the grid due to the penalty we received for changing the engine but after a few laps I was up to third place. Unfortunately we quickly encountered various problems, two slow punctures in a row, a lack of fuel pressure and a broken spark plug. We only finished 12th overall and sixth in class despite being one of the fastest LMP2 cars and having second place was within our reach. It is really frustrating.”

Karim Ajlani: “It was a hard race both physically and mentally and there was no time to relax. The car was capable of running at the front and Matthieu did a great job at the start to get us into the top three. Thanks to the cohesion in this team, we can remain positive and continue to improve through the rest of the season.”

Jacques Nicolet: “My first stint was tough as we lost tyre temperature while waiting on the grid. My team-mate Richard was excellent but unfortunately I had a small spin after being tapped by an Aston Martin and then we had the starter motor issue. I feel very sorry for Matthieu and Karim in the #35 car. Their stunning performances today were sadly not reflected on the result sheet. Matthieu was exceptional on the track and has shown his qualities and those of the car.”

Richard Hein: “We gave everything we could but had a few mechanical problems which cost us a strong result. The track is very difficult to learn, with a lot a blind corners and the only place you can relax is on the main straight. Even then it is so bumpy you can’t breathe! This weekend though I think Matthieu has moved the whole team up a level and we’re ready to mix it with the best.”

LMP2 classification:

1) #40 Quifel ASM Team – Amaral / Pla – Ginetta Zytek, 207 laps, 11 points
2) #29 Racing Box – Ceccato / Francioni / Piccini – Lola Judd, 205 laps, 8 points
3) #41 G.A.C. Racing Team – Ojjeh / Gosselin / Peter – Zytek 07S Zytek, 205 laps, 6 points
4) #30 Racing Box – Piccini / Bobbi / Biagi – Lola Judd, 203 laps, 5 points
5) #33 Speedy Racing - Pompidou, Kane, Leuenberger - Lola Judd, 198 laps, 4 points
6) #35 OAK Racing - Lahaye, Ajlani - Pescarolo Mazda, 195 laps, -1 point
7) #25 RML – Erdos, Newton – Lola B08/80 Coupé Mazda, 195 laps, 0 points
8) #24 OAK Racing – Nicolet, Hein – Pescarolo Mazda, 179 laps, 1 point

Le Mans 24 Hours - The Race

14 June 2009

OAK Racing finish on the LMP2 podium for a second successive year

For the second year in a row OAK Racing scored an LMP2 podium at the Le Mans 24 Hours as Jacques Nicolet, Richard Hein and Jean-François Yvon guided their #24 Pescarolo-Mazda to third in class, the three gentlemen-racers driving a solid, intelligent, error-free race. The result is a huge reward for the team, who have worked non-stop since the beginning of the year, as well as the French squad’s partners Mazda USA, Mazda France and Dunlop.

“I am very pleased for all of the team,” said Team Manager François Sicard after stepping off the podium. “We’ve had a very busy winter as our partnerships with Mazda and Dunlop were confirmed quite late. We had to adapt the chassis to the Mazda engine and then to the new Pescarolo aero package, all of which represented a significant programme. To be on the podium at Le Mans, following our top three finish in the Spa 1000kms in May, is exceptional and shows the quality of OAK Racing, its staff and partners.

“Pre-race we may have thought that the younger crew in the #35 car were more likely to reach the podium, but unfortunately they had several technical issues during the race and were forced to retire at 8.30 this morning. Nevertheless it is absolutely fantastic that our trio of gentlemen drivers have sampled the podium as they made no mistakes during the race and followed the strategy they were given perfectly. This year’s race is the third participation at Le Mans by the team, so to finish on the podium twice in a row just confirms how professional we are. The result is very promising for the rest of the season.”

Car #24

Jacques Nicolet: “This is a childhood dream come true. I am extremely proud for the whole team and it is a just reward for the huge amount of work that we have undertaken alongside Pescarolo Sport, Mazda and Dunlop this winter. We are a privateer team and the 2009 programme has handed a lot of responsibility to our drivers and partners. I am delighted our team was able to put a Pescarolo, with a Mazda engine, Dunlop tyres and three very passionate drivers on the podium.”

Richard Hein: “Our objective was always to finish the race. We came here full of ambition but we were determined to enjoy ourselves at the same time. OAK Racing, Mazda and Dunlop gave us a reliable car which allowed us to finish the race without any problems.”

Jean-François Yvon: “It is great to score a third place finish. OAK Racing is a fantastic team and everybody worked hard to achieve this result.  The chassis was perfect during the race and even in the morning the car felt good to drive. It’s a pleasure to drive for this team, which possess a real human spirit and terrific work ethic.”

Thierry Guillemot, General Manager of Mazda France: “To finish on the podium of the Le Mans 24 Hours is a massive achievement for Mazda France and Mazda USA. OAK Racing prepared for this event with great maturity and their race management was very intelligent, so a big thank you to the entire team. I would like to dedicate this result to the memory of Neil Warrior, Director of Public Relations for Mazda Europe, who was amongst the passengers lost onboard flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro.”

John Doonan, Competitions Manager of Mazda North America: “We have just lived a very special moment full of emotion for Mazda. We are not a massive car manufacturer and our resources are limited, so to score a podium with our partners Mazda France and OAK Racing in our first Le Mans 24 Hours together is simply exceptional. Robert Davis and all the management of Mazda North America are keen supporters of our race programme and to score such a result at Le Mans means a lot for the group.”

Car #35

The #35 Pescarolo Mazda couldn’t repeat its exploits of 2008 and had to retire just over 17 hours into the race due to an engine problem.

Matthieu Lahaye: “The race started well for us. We were competitive and the chassis was exceptional in all the fast corners. Unfortunately, in the early hours of the morning we started to have some concerns with the engine. We had the potential to make the podium again, and that makes me confident for the rest of the season, and I am also delighted for my team-mates in the #24 car.”

Karim Ajlani: “Our mechanics did an exceptional job to try and help us finish the race and I am very thankful to them. Le Mans is a real challenge of both man and machine and I learned a lot this week. We have done a lot of kilometres this week and this will be beneficial to us for the remainder of the season.”

Guillaume Moreau: “We were competitive and the car was simply fantastic to drive, with lots of downforce. The team has been first class all week and I am delighted to have been able to play my part in this adventure with OAK Racing. It is a superb, friendly team that is also very professional.”

LMP2  Final Classification:

1) #31 Team Essex – Elgaard, Collard, Poulsen – Porsche RS Spyder – 357 laps
2) #33 Speedy Racing – Kane, Leuenberger, Pompidou – Lola Judd – 343 laps
3) #24 OAK Racing – Nicolet, Hein, Yvon – Pescarolo Mazda – 325 laps
4) #32 Team Barazi Epsilon – Barazi, Moseley, Bennett – Zytek 07S – 306 laps

DNF #35 OAK Racing – Lahaye, Ajlani, Moreau – Pescarolo Mazda – 208 laps

OAK Racing promoted to the podium after Spa disqualifications

The news not only gives OAK Racing their first podium finish of the season, but also the team’s first with new partners Mazda, for whom John Doonan, competitions manager for North America, was present at Spa supporting the team. It also represents a maiden Le Mans Series podium finish for Syrian driver Karim Ajlani, who joined the French team this season.

OAK Racing, Team Mazda France has now moved into fifth in the teams’ standings with eight points, just three behind championship leaders Team Essex.
 

Top five finish in Spa for OAK Racing’s Lahaye and Ajlani 

Matthieu Lahaye and Karim Ajlani drove a mistake-free race for the entire Spa 1000kms to finish fifth in the LMP2 class despite overheating problems, which slowed their progress from the mid-point of the race.  

The second round of the Le Mans Series, set on the famous circuit in the Belgian Ardennes mountains, was a race full of potential pitfalls, but the two youngsters didn’t make any errors despite various incidents, a dirty track and several lengthy Safety Car periods. 

Frenchman Matthieu Lahaye, who has now finished every single race since his Le Mans Series debut in 2008, said: “The car was running well during my first double stint and the new 2009 aero package has allowed us to progress well. The car is more efficient and we have the potential to fight with the Lolas and Zyteks, even though this didn’t happen today.” 

Syrian racer Karim Ajlani took the start of a race in the Le Mans Series for the first time: “The first laps were quite chaotic with several drivers being quite aggressive. Everything went well during my first hour in the race and the car had a good balance. After that I followed the team’s instructions to look after the car and finish the race, ensuring we secured our fifth place finish and scored some championship points.” 

Team Manager François Sicard said: “The team worked really hard to make sure that the 35 car ran this weekend with the new 2009 Pescarolo aero package.  We are happy with our level of performance and the new evolutions have moved us closer to the competition. We have managed to secure another fifth place and now we’ll do everything we can to get ready for the Le Mans 24 Hours. A big thank you to Karim and Matthieu for driving such an intelligent race. They have secured this result despite the technical issues we had. Karim is less experienced than Matthieu and didn’t run much during testing, so his performance is very encouraging for the rest of the season as he drove a very solid race.” 

François also explained the retirement of the 24 car: “I feel very sorry for Jacques Nicolet and Richard Hein. Unfortunately Jacques had a small fire, which could have been quite serious, during the formation lap and had to retire. Our thanks go to the marshals who reacted very quickly and limited the damage.” 

John Doonen, competition manager for Mazda North America said: “I am delighted to have been able to attend the Spa race to support the four Mazda teams. I was impressed by the presentation and professionalism of OAK Racing and I am delighted that Mazda France joined with us to allow this project to happen. We’re disappointed that the 24 car had a problem during the formation lap, but satisfied that the 35 car finished the race in the top five. We have a lot of work ahead of us to prepare for Le Mans and I’m thrilled that so many cars with a Mazda engine will compete in this mythical race.”

LMP2 classification: 

1) #31 Team Essex - Elgaard, Poulsen, Collard - Porsche RS Spyder, 139 laps – 11 pts

2) #33 Speedy Racing - Pompidou, Kane, Leuenberger - Lola Judd, +19.629sec – 8 pts

3) #29 Racing Box – Ceccato, Francioni, Piccini G - Lola Judd, 137 laps – 6 pts   *

4) #32 Barazi Epsilon – Barazi, Rees - 134 laps – 5 pts *

5) #35 OAK Racing - Lahaye, Ajlani - Pescarolo Mazda - 132 laps – 4 pts

6) #26 Bruneau - Bruneau, Greaves, Coleman – Radical AER - 129 laps – 3 pts *

7) #38 Pegasus Racing - Schell, Thirion - Courage-Oreca AER - 127 laps – 2 pts

8) #39 KSM - Noda, Sini, Marsh – Lola Mazda - 115 laps – 1 pt