Disqualified Le Mans #85 Ford should've left "a little more margin"
The Keating Motorsports team that was stripped of its GTE Am class win in the Le Mans 24 Hours "should've built in a little more margin" admits driver Jeroen Bleekemolen


Along with owner-driver Ben Keating and Felipe Fraga, Bleekemolen had helped seal class honours for the Wynn's-liveried Ford, seeing off a late challenge from the Project 1 Porsche that was handed victory after the Keating car was excluded.
Scrutineers found post-race that the #85 machine had a fuel tank capacity that was 0.1 litres larger than the maximum allowed by the GTE Am Balance of Performance, as well as a refuelling time that was 0.6 seconds quicker than the prescribed 45 seconds.
Bleekemolen told Autosport: "The rules are well known, everyone knows that a fuel tank can have a certain capacity. One brand consumes more than another, the other refuels faster.
"With a Balance of Performance they try to equalise everything so that everyone takes the same amount of time to complete a fuel stop.
"We know these rules but of course we try to push the boundaries. You want to refuel as fast as possible but legally. The team checked several times that everything was according to the rules.
"During the race the components can change marginally due to temperature and pressure and that's what we were caught for. We had no advantage, but that's not the point.
"The rule is there and they have to draw a line somewhere. And looking back, perhaps we should have built in a little more margin as a team."

Bleekemolen alleged that race organiser Automobile Club de l'Ouest was searching for a way to ensure the Keating squad did not win its class.
The disqualification followed the #85 Ford being given a black-and-orange flag for a nose change in the early morning hours and a late stop-and-go penalty for Keating spinning his wheels in a pitstop.
"I've never seen the scrutineers searching for something until late Monday evening," Bleekemolen said.
"It wasn't meant to be, but on the other hand it is up to us to make sure that everything is right and that there is nothing to be found; 99.99% was fine.
"Maybe others would have gotten away with it, but that's a question you can't answer."
The ACO declined the opportunity to comment on the matter when contacted by Autosport.
Bleekemolen described the disqualification as the "heaviest thing in terms of experience and emotions I've ever experienced in racing" but said the Keating squad should return to Le Mans next year to avenge its exclusion.
"There are two things you can do: either you stay very angry and don't come back, or you go back to win in 2020.
"We have a very good team and we think we should just go for it again.
"We've shown that we can do it, now we have to make sure that the victory really counts.
"Last night I was really broken. This morning I didn't wake up very well either, but there's nothing I can do about it. You have to go on."

Vergne's Le Mans 24 Hours in 24 pictures
Ford expresses disappointment at Keating Le Mans disqualification

Latest news
Armstrong feels “confident” adapting to “very natural” IndyCar
Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Marcus Armstrong says he already feels confident in an IndyCar, after just two days of testing ahead of the 2023 season.
FIA reveals six F1 engine suppliers signed up for 2026
The FIA has revealed that six manufacturers have signed up for the next generation of Formula 1 engine regulations starting in 2026, including Red Bull Ford, Audi and Honda.
Red Bull to use fan-designed F1 livery for three US races in 2023
Red Bull will race with fan-designed liveries for the three Formula 1 races in the United States this year.
Red Bull unveils 2023 F1 livery in New York
Red Bull has unveiled the livery of its 2023 Formula 1 car at a New York launch event as it bids to defend both world championships.
Why the WEC should make space for modern garagistes in 2023
OPINION: There is plenty of excitement over the glut of manufacturers tackling the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship this season. The selection committee is set to face headaches over who it decides to admit and who gets turned away from the 2023 entry list, but history tells us that the smaller entrants have a place
Autosport writers' most memorable moments of 2022
The season just gone was a memorable one for many of our staff writers, who are fortunate enough to cover motorsport around the world. Here are our picks of the best (and in some cases, most eventful) from 2022
Is Qatar the price motorsport fans have to pay?
OPINION: Fresh from hosting a controversial 2022 football World Cup, Qatar has added its name to the 2024 World Endurance Championship calendar. Although questions may be asked about its presence on the calendar, is it simply the price to pay for having a healthy racing championship?
How Toyota defeated Alpine for the 2022 WEC title
Toyota #8 trio Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa outscored their rivals in the last season before the World Endurance Championship’s top class gets ultra-competitive. Here's how their Hypercar battle with Alpine and the remaining class tussles played out in LMP2, GTE Pro and GTE Am
The long road to convergence for sportscar racing's new golden age
The organisers of the World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship worked together to devise the popular new LMDh rule set. But to turn it from an idea into reality, some serious compromises were involved - both from the prospective LMDh entrants and those with existing Le Mans Hypercar projects...
How Porsche's Le Mans legend changed the game
The 956 set the bar at the dawn of Group C 40 years ago, and that mark only rose higher through the 1980s, both in the world championship and in the US. It and its successor, the longer-wheelbase 962, were voted as Autosport's greatest sportscar in 2020 - here's why
Why BMW shouldn't be overlooked on its return to prototypes
OPINION: While the focus has been on the exciting prospect of Ferrari vs Porsche at the Le Mans 24 Hours next year, BMW’s factory return to endurance racing should not be ignored. It won't be at the French classic next year as it focuses efforts on the IMSA SportsCar Championship, but could be a dark horse in 2024 when it returns to La Sarthe with the crack WRT squad
The problem sausage kerbs continue to cause
Track limits are the problem that motorsport doesn't seem to be able to rid itself of. But the use of so-called 'sausage kerbs' as a deterrent has in several instances only served to worsen the problem, and a growing number of voices want to see action taken
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.