Nicolas De Crem - A further podium at 1000km Algarve 18.07.2010: NICOLAS DE CREM ALGARVE - ROUND 3 LMS A FURTHER PODIUM IN FORMULA LE MANS – LE MANS SERIES For the third round of the Le Mans Series competitors travelled on down to the Portuguese

NICOLAS DE CREM ALGARVE - ROUND 3 LMS
A FURTHER PODIUM IN FORMULA LE MANS – LE MANS SERIES


For the third round of the Le Mans Series competitors travelled on down to the Portuguese Algarve. Once again Thiery Boutsen Energy Racing was at the start with the Formula Le Mans for Nicolas De Crem, Bernard Delhez and Dominik Kraihamer. In the Algarve the team scored a second consecutive podium, after their excellent second place in Spa, at the beginning of May.


Qualifying/free practice sessions

The practice and qualifying sessions for the six hour long evening race were of major importance for Nicolas De Crem’s team, with a view to getting prepared for the race.

Nicolas De Crem: “Neither Bernard nor I have driven here before and it isn’t an easy track. This is why we want to gain as much experience as possible before the race. I enjoy the track; technical, fast with challenging and often blind bends. Parameters we need to take into account are the wind and the sand lying here and there on the track. Dominik does know the track and will therefore be taking on the qualifying session. On top of that part of the race will be held during the night, which in itself is rather special.”

Bernard Delhez also admitted that he needed time to acquaint himself with the circuit. “Definitely not an easy track and I reckon I will need at least one hour to get to know this circuit, but it is fun.”

In the Formula Le Mans Dominik Kraihamer finally achieved a fourth time in the class. Following the qualifying session the team received some annoying news.

Nicolas De Crem: “At the start we will be given a Stop & Go of no less than three minutes which for us is an enormous handicap for the race. We’ll obviously need to review our strategy in order to climb back up through the pack. This has really put a damper on the weekend.”


Race

The race was a lengthy chase during which Olivier Lainé’s team was able to demonstrate how to tackle a race even in difficult conditions.  Once the penalty time was over Nicolas De Crem took off for his two hour long stint climbing up to third place in the class, and a place on the podium.

Nicolas De Crem: “I didn’t immediately look upon it as a real challenge to have to start with such a backlog, but that’s how it is. The aim was to faultlessly climb up towards the front, but I did miss the battles with the other drivers. After my stint Bernard and Dominik also drove faultless stints, whereby we finally finished third in our class, even though we might have been able to achieve more. But all in all considering the rather special start we had to go through this podium place makes everything feel better.

This is the second consecutive podium and after a second and third place on the podium the challenge for us is now to go for a top podium place at the Hungaroring, on 21st August. As the result of the retirement of teams ahead of us in the championship we can now still hope for a podium in the championship, something which is pretty important also.” 

The fourth race of the Le Mans Series / Formula Le Mans is being held on 20th and 21st August in Hungary. This race is also being run on the Saturday evening.


- De Crem press  also photo -