Filed under: Motorsports, Chevrolet
Corvette C6-R still the machine to beat in ALMS GT1
Just as the Audi R10 is dominating the LMP1 class, the Corvette C6-R has again captured the top two spots in qualifying for the GT1 class for the 12 Hours of Sebring that runs tomorrow. Jan Magnussen, who will be driving the number 3 Vette for the full season this year, ran .419 seconds faster than the number 4 car in the hands of Oliver Gavin. On Saturday, Magnussen will be sharing his car with Ron Fellows and Johnny O'Connell while Gavin will be trading off with Max Papis and Olivier Beretta. Chances are the real racing will be going on the Corvette's GT1 class, as well as the very competitive LMP2 class. The LMP1 class, meanwhile, is again expected be wrapped up from the start by the pair of R10s from Audi. The green flag for the 12 Hours of Sebring drops at 10AM eastern on Saturday.
[Source: General Motors]
Magnussen Takes Sebring GT1 Pole for Corvette Racing
Gavin Posts Second Quickest Qualifying Time for Season-Opening ALMS Event
SEBRING, Fla., March 15, 2007 – Jan Magnussen didn't need much time to get comfortable in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R. The Danish driver, who has moved from an endurance-racing role in the No. 4 Corvette to a full-season drive in the No. 3 Corvette, put his new ride on the GT1 pole for Saturday's Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Magnussen edged his Corvette Racing teammate Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R by .419 seconds. It was Magnussen's third career pole in ALMS competition, but his first with Corvette Racing.
"I had a good run," said Magnussen after completing a lap of the historic 3.7-mile, 17-turn Sebring airport circuit in 1:57.061 (113.787 mph). "I had to pass a Porsche on my quick lap, and although I didn't lose too much time, I did have to take an odd line going into Turn 13."
Magnussen set the quickest time on his first timed lap, while Gavin posted his best time on his second lap at 1:57.480 (113.381 mph).
"We planned to do as few laps as possible and try to get it on lap one," Magnussen reported. "The car was great from the start, but the track surface was tricky after the support race that ran just before GT1 qualifying. On the first lap with fresh tires the grip was good, but on the second and third laps the track got slicker and slicker."
Gavin encountered traffic on his flying lap that cost the Englishman precious time.
"Catching traffic is always frustrating, but that's just the way it is," Gavin conceded. "We'd made a setup change before the start of the session, but our car didn't respond to the change as we'd hoped, and I had more oversteer. I ended up calling time on the session a lap early because a GT2 car forced me to go wide in the hairpin and I picked up a lot of rubbish on the tires, so that was it.
"I'm disappointed we didn't get pole, but I say, 'Well done!' to Jan," Gavin added. "We've got a good race car, but the track will continue to change as it collects more rubber before the long race on Saturday."
The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the first round of the 12-race 2007 American Le Mans Series, is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, 2007. Portions of the 12-hour race will be televised live on SPEED Channel from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. ET.
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring GT1 Qualifying:
Pos./Drivers/Car/Time/Speed
1. Fellows/O'Connell/Magnussen, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 1:57.854, 113.787 mph
2. Gavin/Beretta/Papis, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 1:57.480, 113.381 mph
Gavin Posts Second Quickest Qualifying Time for Season-Opening ALMS Event
SEBRING, Fla., March 15, 2007 – Jan Magnussen didn't need much time to get comfortable in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R. The Danish driver, who has moved from an endurance-racing role in the No. 4 Corvette to a full-season drive in the No. 3 Corvette, put his new ride on the GT1 pole for Saturday's Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Magnussen edged his Corvette Racing teammate Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R by .419 seconds. It was Magnussen's third career pole in ALMS competition, but his first with Corvette Racing.
"I had a good run," said Magnussen after completing a lap of the historic 3.7-mile, 17-turn Sebring airport circuit in 1:57.061 (113.787 mph). "I had to pass a Porsche on my quick lap, and although I didn't lose too much time, I did have to take an odd line going into Turn 13."
Magnussen set the quickest time on his first timed lap, while Gavin posted his best time on his second lap at 1:57.480 (113.381 mph).
"We planned to do as few laps as possible and try to get it on lap one," Magnussen reported. "The car was great from the start, but the track surface was tricky after the support race that ran just before GT1 qualifying. On the first lap with fresh tires the grip was good, but on the second and third laps the track got slicker and slicker."
Gavin encountered traffic on his flying lap that cost the Englishman precious time.
"Catching traffic is always frustrating, but that's just the way it is," Gavin conceded. "We'd made a setup change before the start of the session, but our car didn't respond to the change as we'd hoped, and I had more oversteer. I ended up calling time on the session a lap early because a GT2 car forced me to go wide in the hairpin and I picked up a lot of rubbish on the tires, so that was it.
"I'm disappointed we didn't get pole, but I say, 'Well done!' to Jan," Gavin added. "We've got a good race car, but the track will continue to change as it collects more rubber before the long race on Saturday."
The Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the first round of the 12-race 2007 American Le Mans Series, is scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, 2007. Portions of the 12-hour race will be televised live on SPEED Channel from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. ET.
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring GT1 Qualifying:
Pos./Drivers/Car/Time/Speed
1. Fellows/O'Connell/Magnussen, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 1:57.854, 113.787 mph
2. Gavin/Beretta/Papis, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R, 1:57.480, 113.381 mph
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MSH 2:39PM (3/16/2007)
I'd have to agree that they're the machine to beat, they're the only ones in GT1 now that Aston is gone. Not that they're unimpressive cars, but it's not much of an achievement to sweep the field when you are the whole field.
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Drew 2:44PM (3/16/2007)
The Corvettes have no competition. There is one other car run in GT1 at this race and it is not a factory backed car. Don't get me wrong I like the Corvettes , but I don't see this as being a big headline.
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whofan 2:48PM (3/16/2007)
When shopping for a sportscar over all the Corvette has been the car to beat.
This is one car taken for granted.
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blitzkrieg79 2:56PM (3/16/2007)
Winning LeMans when all they compete against are other Corvettes is really an astonishing feat :P Anyway, those types of races are cute but what I wanna see a Corvette do is win a rally race :D Yup, thats what I thought...
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porker 3:05PM (3/16/2007)
And why did all the others quit? In spite of all the weight penalties and other penalties lobbed at the 'Vettes, they just kept on winning. Leave it to the import fanboys to make this into something less than the unqualified success it is. Where is the almighty toyota? The all-conquering germans? Can't compete with GM and the Corvette.
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Dr. Greenthumb 3:46PM (3/16/2007)
You're a bunch of haters and whiners.
Hey dude: Those grapes sure are sour aren't they? The 'Vettes and the Vipers before them, has mashed the European competition into the ground. Guess they all got tired of the whippings and ran away.
When Porsche dominated GT1, It was because the Germans are great engineers. The 'Vettes ran Porsche out of GT1.
I find it amusing that you europeans think the 'Vette is such a piece of crap, yet still your "Great" engineers can't seem to build a car that can beat it.
I admire Aston for trying. Ferrari, Porsche, BMW and Lambo all run and hide when the big bad 'Vettes are around.
Now repeat after me: The corvettes are better us. They beat us soundly, and left us crying in our beer.
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mike F 3:57PM (3/16/2007)
Hey uh Porker,
I believe the Germans are concentrating on whooping arse in LMP1 and LMP2.
I like the Vettes personally and am happy with their success but if they're the only ones competing with any factory support, how's it news if they're on the pole for their class.
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blitzkrieg79 3:59PM (3/16/2007)
Corvettes are nice little cars but you really don't think that the ones in Le Mans are the same that you or me can buy at our local dealerships. Those are heavily modified cars that look like Corvettes, and the amount of money GM pumps up into these races it would really be a big failure for them not to really win it. Europeans backed away because they didn't think it made sense to invest into something that doesn't result in any financial gain. So don't flatter yourself with the great Corvette as where money is no objects Europeans still reign supreme (Bugatti or Koenigsegg just to name a few).
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Drew 4:03PM (3/16/2007)
The Corvettes have no competition. There is one other car run in GT1 at this race and it is not a factory backed car. Don't get me wrong I like the Corvettes , but I don't see this as being a big headline.
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whofan 4:04PM (3/16/2007)
"I find it amusing that you europeans think the 'Vette is such a piece of crap, yet still your "Great" engineers can't seem to build a car that can beat it."
It`s not the Europeans talking crap about the Corvette. It`s our own country men.
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porker 4:34PM (3/16/2007)
You can purchase a racing block from GMPP- Part No. 12480030 (C5R racing block), then build your own, if that's what yanks your chain. Still doesn't answer why the all powerful germans and japanese cut and run from the 'Vettes, does it? They could build a production-based and bodied car for GT1 just as easily as GM can, now couldn't they?
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porker 4:34PM (3/16/2007)
You can purchase a racing block from GMPP- Part No. 12480030 (C5R racing block), then build your own, if that's what yanks your chain. Still doesn't answer why the all powerful germans and japanese cut and run from the 'Vettes, does it? They could build a production-based and bodied car for GT1 just as easily as GM can, now couldn't they?
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naggs 5:21PM (3/16/2007)
noone else is competing because NOONE CAN COMPETE WITH THE VETTE. THEY ALL LEFT BECAUSE THEY GOT SICK OF VETTE 1-2.
i guess it wasnt really fair to bring a 7 liter engine to lemans. wonder why noone tried it before? every once in a while the europeans loose track of what actually makes a car fast. it takes americans showing up with 7-liter pushrod v8s to show the way again.
i love how when a japanesse car dominates and then kills off a racing series, it becomes ledegendary...
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Proud Japanese 6:00PM (3/16/2007)
Don't flatter yourself Corvette guys.
The non-factory Aston team is faster per lap in Le Mans. In various interviews the Corvette drivers have mentioned how hard it was to keep up with the Astons. It's just their reliability problems that messes them up. In terms of pure speed the Astons are way faster than the Vette.
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Proud Japanese 6:01PM (3/16/2007)
Hey porker, a better question to ask would be why doesnt GM bring the vette to LMP1. Too scared to get your ass kicked by the germans?
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Billy 6:18PM (3/16/2007)
# 6. & #10. Greenthumb's chip on his shoulder is so big that he can't really see straight, or think much, for that matter.
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Dr. Greenthumb 6:23PM (3/16/2007)
Hey Billy, That's not a chip on by shoulder, it's a block.
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Dr. Greenthumb 6:27PM (3/16/2007)
Proud J..... The Astons only able keep pace with the 'Vettes after the 'Vettes were reigned in by sanctioning body.
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Proud Japanese 6:37PM (3/16/2007)
Dr. Greenthumb
They weren't reigned in, they were just punished, after all they don't use the standard chassis frame nor the standard engine block.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/12175/aston-martin-dbr9.html
"and despite justifiable complaints from Aston that the Corvettes use neither standard engine blocks nor a standard chassis frame"
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Proud Japanese 6:39PM (3/16/2007)
The astons were always faster in Le Mans with or without the sanctioning bodies intervention. It's just that they have a problem with reliability which lets them down.
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