Acura Sports Car Challenge
19.07.2008 | Acura Sports Car Challenge
RISI SECURES MORE POINTS AT MID OHIO
Both Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT cars came home in point-scoring positions in today’s sixth round of the American Le Mans Series, with the #62 in 5th and the #61 in 6th. The Houston-based team was, however, left disappointed by the result after a penalty for a pit infringement dropped the #62 Ferrari from what would surely have been a strong podium finishing position.
Team Principal, Giuseppe Risi, commented after the end of the 2 hour 45 minute race: “We entered the race at the head of the field and in the right frame of mind to challenge for a win. Unfortunately, the results did not fulfill the promise of the pole position. We still have lots of work ahead of us. On the positive side, the car ran beautifully, there were no mechanical issues; the new suspension was excellent, the Michelin tires superb and it was quite rewarding to see Patrick Friesacher turn some very competitive laps. As he becomes more comfortable with the car and the series, I am confident he will become more of a force with each race.”
After starting from pole in the ultra-competitive GT2 class, Jaime Melo in the #62 led the field in their grid-starting positions for the first 15 laps before ceding to a competitor. He remained in close touch with the leader, however, having a good, clean track battle and closing the gap to as little as 0.3 seconds, but was unable to find an opportunity to re-pass for the lead. The Mid Ohio Sports Car Course is notoriously difficult for passing, and Melo was determined not to take any undue risks.
Both Risi cars elected to make their first pit stops under the first of the three caution periods, unfortunately going a lap down to the class leader in the process. Mika Salo drove the remainder of the race at a consistently quick pace to maintain contact, and was still in a position to challenge for second when the pit problem occurred at his second pit stop.
Harrison Brix and Patrick Friesacher both showed an assured turn of speed throughout the race in their #61 Ferrari, but had some very fast Porsches and the eventual race-winning Tafel Ferrari in front. They finished sixth, albeit frustrated not to have been able to move further up the field.
Team Principal, Giuseppe Risi, commented after the end of the 2 hour 45 minute race: “We entered the race at the head of the field and in the right frame of mind to challenge for a win. Unfortunately, the results did not fulfill the promise of the pole position. We still have lots of work ahead of us. On the positive side, the car ran beautifully, there were no mechanical issues; the new suspension was excellent, the Michelin tires superb and it was quite rewarding to see Patrick Friesacher turn some very competitive laps. As he becomes more comfortable with the car and the series, I am confident he will become more of a force with each race.”
After starting from pole in the ultra-competitive GT2 class, Jaime Melo in the #62 led the field in their grid-starting positions for the first 15 laps before ceding to a competitor. He remained in close touch with the leader, however, having a good, clean track battle and closing the gap to as little as 0.3 seconds, but was unable to find an opportunity to re-pass for the lead. The Mid Ohio Sports Car Course is notoriously difficult for passing, and Melo was determined not to take any undue risks.
Both Risi cars elected to make their first pit stops under the first of the three caution periods, unfortunately going a lap down to the class leader in the process. Mika Salo drove the remainder of the race at a consistently quick pace to maintain contact, and was still in a position to challenge for second when the pit problem occurred at his second pit stop.
Harrison Brix and Patrick Friesacher both showed an assured turn of speed throughout the race in their #61 Ferrari, but had some very fast Porsches and the eventual race-winning Tafel Ferrari in front. They finished sixth, albeit frustrated not to have been able to move further up the field.
18.07.2008 | Acura Sports Car Challenge
POLE POSITION FOR MELO AT MID OHIO
Risi Competizione’s Brazilian driver, Jaime Melo, was at his brilliant best in a thrilling GT qualifying for tomorrow’s Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid Ohio, claiming GT2 pole position on the last lap of the 20-minute session. His best time of 1:20.025 edged out the competition in what turned out to be an extremely close-fought session.
Patrick Friesacher of Austria, who was qualifying the team’s second Ferrari 430 GT, will start from 6th place on the grid, setting a best time of 1:20.844.
It is Melo’s first official pole position of the season, although not the first time that he has set a pole-winning time. His Sebring time was negated when the prototype qualifying session was abandoned, and at Salt Lake City he set exactly the same lap time as one of his competitors but, as it was later in the qualifying session, he missed out on pole.
In blisteringly hot temperatures, Jaime put his Risi Ferrari, which is carrying a new suspension package from Michelotto, on the front row of the GT2 grid after just four laps and then came into the pits to make a small adjustment to his tire pressures. When he got back on track, he was pushing hard for another hot lap and briefly went off track in Turn 13. Knowing he could still go quicker, but with only four minutes remaining in the session, he returned to the pits for a quick clean up of the car and returned to the action – still with the same tires.
“I love this track!” said a very hot, but very happy Melo afterwards. “We had some problems with the car in the last practice session and I didn’t know if I could do pole. I tried my best…and got it. The team did a very good job and also the Michelin tires. I got the pole on my last lap and the tires were still there.”
Patrick Friesacher, despite being only tenths of a second away from the front of the grid, was slightly disappointed in his sixth place. “It wasn’t a bad session, but on my quickest lap I lot the rear end of the car briefly and lost about three tenths of a second. In front of us are some fast Porsches and two other Ferraris, so I think our position is about where we could hope to be. I always want to be faster though.”
Patrick Friesacher of Austria, who was qualifying the team’s second Ferrari 430 GT, will start from 6th place on the grid, setting a best time of 1:20.844.
It is Melo’s first official pole position of the season, although not the first time that he has set a pole-winning time. His Sebring time was negated when the prototype qualifying session was abandoned, and at Salt Lake City he set exactly the same lap time as one of his competitors but, as it was later in the qualifying session, he missed out on pole.
In blisteringly hot temperatures, Jaime put his Risi Ferrari, which is carrying a new suspension package from Michelotto, on the front row of the GT2 grid after just four laps and then came into the pits to make a small adjustment to his tire pressures. When he got back on track, he was pushing hard for another hot lap and briefly went off track in Turn 13. Knowing he could still go quicker, but with only four minutes remaining in the session, he returned to the pits for a quick clean up of the car and returned to the action – still with the same tires.
“I love this track!” said a very hot, but very happy Melo afterwards. “We had some problems with the car in the last practice session and I didn’t know if I could do pole. I tried my best…and got it. The team did a very good job and also the Michelin tires. I got the pole on my last lap and the tires were still there.”
Patrick Friesacher, despite being only tenths of a second away from the front of the grid, was slightly disappointed in his sixth place. “It wasn’t a bad session, but on my quickest lap I lot the rear end of the car briefly and lost about three tenths of a second. In front of us are some fast Porsches and two other Ferraris, so I think our position is about where we could hope to be. I always want to be faster though.”
17.07.2008 | Acura Sports Car Challenge
THE TIDE HAS TURNED FOR RISI COMPETIZIONE
Boosted by a hard-fought and well-deserved podium finish at Lime Rock Park last weekend, its first of 2008 in the American Le Mans Series, the Risi Competizione team has had little opportunity to savor the moment.
The Le Mans winning GT2 team left Connecticut on Sunday morning to head for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which is set in scenic hills near Lexington some 60 miles north of Columbus, Ohio. Also hosting the Indycar Series next weekend, the 2.25 mile/13-turn permanent road course has been venue to many classic sports car races in the past and, in the eyes of many, is a driver’s track.
Repaved in 2006, the layout is technical with a mixture of medium and low speed corners. The surface is smooth, with big, flat curbs which give a gain if they can be used. “It’s very hard to pass other like-speed cars here,” said Harrison Brix of San Jose, California. “Getting through and off the low speed corners is where the lap time comes from and the only real passing zones are under braking into the Keyhole and into the right hander at the end of the strait. Qualifying will therefore be important. It’s the first time here for Patrick but it’s one of the few tracks on the ALMS schedule that I’ve raced at before so I hope that experience will help us in setting up the car.”
Jaime Melo put the Ferrari 430 GT on pole position in the GT2 class last year, setting a new qualifying lap record of 1:19.951 in the process. After an eventful race, the Brazilian – who also set a new race track record - and his team mate Mika Salo went on to finish in second place, joined on the podium by their team mates Eric Helary and Gianmaria Bruni who finished in third. Current Drivers Champions, Melo and Salo, will be chasing their first win of the season hard, and if both cars finish on the podium, as last year, it will be a more than satisfying result for the whole team.
The Le Mans winning GT2 team left Connecticut on Sunday morning to head for the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, which is set in scenic hills near Lexington some 60 miles north of Columbus, Ohio. Also hosting the Indycar Series next weekend, the 2.25 mile/13-turn permanent road course has been venue to many classic sports car races in the past and, in the eyes of many, is a driver’s track.
Repaved in 2006, the layout is technical with a mixture of medium and low speed corners. The surface is smooth, with big, flat curbs which give a gain if they can be used. “It’s very hard to pass other like-speed cars here,” said Harrison Brix of San Jose, California. “Getting through and off the low speed corners is where the lap time comes from and the only real passing zones are under braking into the Keyhole and into the right hander at the end of the strait. Qualifying will therefore be important. It’s the first time here for Patrick but it’s one of the few tracks on the ALMS schedule that I’ve raced at before so I hope that experience will help us in setting up the car.”
Jaime Melo put the Ferrari 430 GT on pole position in the GT2 class last year, setting a new qualifying lap record of 1:19.951 in the process. After an eventful race, the Brazilian – who also set a new race track record - and his team mate Mika Salo went on to finish in second place, joined on the podium by their team mates Eric Helary and Gianmaria Bruni who finished in third. Current Drivers Champions, Melo and Salo, will be chasing their first win of the season hard, and if both cars finish on the podium, as last year, it will be a more than satisfying result for the whole team.
