Le Mans Series drivers at the GT Tour...

Mathias Bèche, who won the 6 Hours of Spa and is author of two poles this year with the TDS Racing ORECA 03, is associated with Lionel Comoli aboard a Ferrari 430. He defends the colours of the Arthritis Foundation, which supports research against joint diseases and arthritis. His teammate is affected with ankylosing spondylitis. "He fights against this disease to race in motor sports. He goes beyond his illness and I think it's remarkable. We share the same values ​​and we drive together to see the race in another way." Also in LMP2, with Norma Team Extreme Limit, Fabien Rosier shares the Viper of the Franche / Pouchelon Racing Team with Erwin France. The two men try to play “trouble makers”, as at Dijon, where the recent winner of the Jean Rondeau 24 Hours of Le Mans Prize was outstanding.

The Le Mans Series delegation is completed by Olivier Pla, the LMS LMP2 2009Champion. The Toulouse driver, usually with the Quifel-ASM Team, raced with Gabriel Balthazard in the Sofrev-ASP team. With his Ferrari F458, he signed a pole and landing himself a podium, allowing him to be fifth in the French FFSA GT Championship.

After a first day of both rain and sun, the competitors finally took to the track under the sun.

Placed seventh at the end of Race 1, Olivier Pla left from fifth position on the grid. Unfortunately after a thunderous start, he will be forced to retire from the first turn after a collision at the start. As for Mathias Bèche, in his first GT Tour, he finished in ninth place in race 1 and 11th in race two. "The contract is fulfilled," he said. "We worked well with my teammate. Even if the result isn't there, we still progressed throughout the weekend.” Unlucky Fabien Rosier, forced to retire during the race 1, was eager to do better in race 2. But fate decided otherwise. A disappointing weekend for Fabien Rosier's team.

Until the next Le Mans Series meeting at Silverstone on 9th, 10th and 11th of September, see the results of the weekend at: www.gt-tour.fr.