Corvette Racing Team has something to prove at LeMans

June 11, 10:00 AMCorvette ExaminerMark Leevan

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Corvette Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

   Corvette has dominated the GT1 class at the 24 Hours of LeMans

Corvette Racing wants to finish strong to finish a great run at LeMans.

The performance team has established Corvette as a racing icon internationally by finishing first five times in the GT1 class.

Corvette Racing will be concentrating on winning the sixth title before move to GT2 class for the 24 Hours of LeMans.

This is the final race for the Corvette Racing C6.R.


"From Corvette Racing's inception, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has always been our objective,"

said program manager Doug Fehan.

"GM leadership shared that vision, and Le Mans became the cornerstone of our program for two important reasons.
"First, Corvette is the tip of GM's technological spear, so racing production-based Corvettes was the most expedient way to accelerate the transfer of technology from racing to production," "Second, we knew that Corvette was going to become a global brand. If Corvette was going to compete successfully in the marketplace with Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, and other prestigious marques, then we had to transform the image of Corvette in the eyes of the world. Corvette's performance credentials were already well established in North America, but we had to nurture a new respect for Corvette in the rest of the world. Le Mans provided the arena to accomplish that, and the results have far exceeded our expectations."

Le Mans: The Driver's View
The magic of Le Mans still captivates veteran drivers like Corvette Racing's Olivier Beretta, a five-time winner at the Circuit de La Sarthe.

"Le Mans is a very special event, and everyone who has been there can understand what I mean," said the Monegasque driver. "It's difficult to put into words, the feeling that you have when you go to Le Mans – the track, the atmosphere, the history, the race itself.

"Driving in the last race of the GT1 Corvette is something very special," Beretta said. "Why? Because these cars have raced since 1999, and they have been very successful. I have been part of the Corvette Racing team since 2004, and had the opportunity to win Le Mans three times with Ollie (Gavin) and Jan (Magnussen), so I really hope to win the last race."


"Not only are you battling against the other cars in your class and against all of the other cars in the race, but you are battling against the track itself, the weather conditions, and the clock," Gavin explained. "It's a huge, huge event, and something you can never underestimate. Going back for the last time in GT1, we are very focused on getting that final victory and putting Corvette Racing in the history books as the last GT1 winner of this era."

Related:

Corvette Racing Team will storm LeMans

The Story Behind Corvette Racing Team's Skull Logo