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Written by:
David Phillips
Senior writer, RACER Magazine http://www.racer.com/speedtv
Senior writer, RACER Magazine http://www.racer.com/speedtv
05/20/2008 - 02:45 PM
Monterey, Calif.
DeFerran's ALMS start-up made a spectacular debut at Miller Motorsports Park. (LAT photo) » More Photos
Two of the most successful drivers in American open-wheel racing of the late 20th and early 21st centuries made very different comebacks last weekend. That would be Gil de Ferran, born in Paris and raised in Sao Paulo, and Cristiano da Matta who hails strictly from Belo Horizonte. Each, in his own way, succeeded.
The Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park saw the American Le Mans Series debut of de Ferran Motorports’ LMP2 Acura 0X1b, with 2003 Indy 500 winner and 2000/2001 CART champion de Ferran sharing the driving duties on his eponymous new team with 2006 Champ Car Atlantic champion Simon Pagenaud. Prior to commencing testing for his team’s mid-season debut, the 39-year-old de Ferran hadn’t driven a race car in anger since stepping from his Penske Racing Dallara-Honda at Texas Motor Speedway at the conclusion of the ‘03 season (his victorious Penske Racing Dallara-Honda, I might add).
He subsequently spent a tour of duty as “sporting director” for the underperforming Honda F1 team (not to mention Editor-at-Large for RACER) before announcing his return to competition as a driver/owner at the 12 Hours of Sebring earlier this year. Back then, de Ferran Motorsports had two employees – de Ferran himself and team manager John Anderson. High on de Ferran’s “to-do list,” of course, was selecting a co-driver, one who, in his words “would push me.”
By all appearances, de Ferran found his man in Pagenaud. After edging out Graham Rahal for Atlantic Championship honors in ’06, Pagenaud had a strong rookie Champ Car campaign last year with a Team Australia whose leader – Derrick Walker – recommended the amiable young Frenchman to the man who drove his Reynard-Hondas from 1997-’99.
Da Matta and car owner Bob Stallings quickly formed a strong rapport. (LAT photo) » More Photos
Still, few could have anticipated de Ferran Motorsports would
Even though de Ferran was credited with second-fastest time of the session, the ELS Surround Acura (which bears the #66 in deference to de Ferran’s former employer Jim Hall) was ultimately relegated to the back of the grid when the team opted to start the race with fresh tires. De Ferran’s bobble may, ultimately, have cost the team a storybook debut win, as the team owner carved his way to the LMP2 class lead on Sunday before handing over to his teammate. Pagenaud then set fastest race lap on his way to a brief stay in the overall race lead, dropped back to fifth on his final pit stop, a minute behind the Porsche RS Spyder of eventual winners Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas, then sliced that margin in half over the final laps to finish third.
“It really was a great day for us,” said de Ferran. “To get on the podium and finish so close to the leader is a fantastic result. Simon did a brilliant job at the finish, but for me, sitting on the pit wall, the final 10 minutes seemed to take forever.
“We now have a large break before the next race (at Lime Rock on July 11-12) so we will have plenty of opportunity to regroup, take a breath and put some more testing miles under our belt to be even better prepared for our second race.”
Words that should make the other ALMS LMP2 (and LMP1) competitors, if not quake in their boots, at least take notice.
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