Pescarolo car takes dramatic Estoril win

Stefan Johansson's Gulf-backed Audi R8 was leading the event, but the car was suffering from understeer problems and with an hour to go was just one lap ahead of the Courage.

Tom Coronel, behind the wheel of the Audi, came up to lap the Courage driven by Derichebourg. The Dutchman successfully passed him, but then the Frenchman attempted to unlap himself at the end of the pit straight.

In a move reminiscent of the Jacques Villeneuve/Ralf Schumacher crash at the opening Grand Prix at Melbourne earlier this year, the Pescarolo car went into the back of the Audi, sending it spinning off the track. As the Audi hit the barriers, carbon fibre debris flew off the car, injuring two marshals. Coronel was out of the race and the French car went on to win.

Johansson's team has lodged an appeal and the result remains provisional. However, team boss Henri Pescarolo placed the blame at Coronel's door.

"As far as I am concerned, it was a mistake by the leading car," said the Frenchman.

The Saleen of Bruno Lambert, Ian McKellar and Chris Goodwin took second place overall and class honours. Their job was made easier when the third-placed car, the sister Saleen of Konrad/Brun/Slater, suffered from tyre wear problems early on.

In GTs, the Porsche of Xavier Pompidou and Romain Dumas took the class win and fifth overall, but they were chased hard all the way by sixth-placed Mike Youles, Robin Lydell and Piers Masarati.

Skea Racing's Johnny Mowlem and Richard Dean took an early flight home when the power steering blew early on when Dean was at the wheel. The car was in the pits for nine laps as the team tried to make repairs. However, the power steering blew again when Mowlem took over driving duties, ending their race.



900, Boullion/Redon/Derichebourg, Courage C60, 209 laps
GTS, Lambert/McKellar/Goodwin, Saleen S7R, +12 laps
GTS, Konrad/Brun/Slater, Saleen S7R, +16 laps
900, Johansson/Lemarie/Coronel, Audi R8, +16 laps
GT, Pompidou/Dumas, Porsche 911 GT3, +18 laps
GT, Youles/Liddell/Masarati, Porsche 911 GT3, +18 laps
GT Simmons/Rymer/Pickering Porsche 911 GT3, +20 laps
GT, Lister/Wallinder, Porsche 911 GT3, +20 laps
GT Orti/Virraroel/Castello Porsche GT3 R +21 laps
GT, Alphand/Marques, Porsche GT3 R, +22 laps