24H of Le Mans
Corvette, a Hyperpole qualification on the gong
Corvette was hot on Wednesday before qualifying © Thomas Fenetre / DPPI
The GTE Am favorites almost didn't make it to qualifying. The Corvette suffered a major accident at the very end of the session during Free Practice 1, when Nicolas Varrone lost control of his vehicle at the exit of Tertre Rouge.
.@CorvetteRacing in the gravel at Tertre Rouge Corner just before the end of FP1. #LeMansCentenary #WEC pic.twitter.com/tEDDKEmFmC
— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) June 7, 2023
Two hours before the start of qualifying, a time trial was launched in the garage of the number 33 to repair the damage caused by this accident. At 19 p.m. on Wednesday, the car was still being repaired… before finally leaving the garage during the session. Finally, Nicky Catsburg achieved a small feat by setting the 3rd time in the GTE Am category in 3'52″228, synonymous with qualification in Hyperpole.
A feat signed by Corvette
An almost unexpected qualification in the American clan. Corvette clarified after qualifying that the mechanics had to “repair or replace a number of right-side components, including suspension parts, brakes, front and rear fenders, door and rocker panel, as well as the spoiler, rear fascia and hoods, among others. »
Nicky Catsburg was the first to be surprised by his performance and that of his team after the accident in Free Practice 1. “I wondered if we were going to make it! But if anyone can do it, it's them… EThey did it again! It wasn't easy at all, underlines the Dutch pilot.
“We only just managed to qualify and we were a bit lucky with the red flags. I had to come back to the pits because we were still having problems with the car and we didn't really have time to do some checks before leaving. Luckily I had a good enough lap to be P3 and we are in the top eight, that was the goal. »
Corvette, which is the favorite for the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will be able to take a breather after this surge of stress and focus on the Hyperpole, in which the American Ben Keating will participate. “We can now put aside what happened during testing and focus on the future,” adds Nicky Catsburg. It was super, super nice and cool to see. It might seem weird now, but it was a nice boost for everyone. It's a good feeling to know that we succeeded. »
ALSO READ > Discover the 24 cars qualified for the Hyperpole
Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
Continue reading on these topics:
Read also
Comments
*The space reserved for logged in users. Please connect to be able to respond or post a comment!
0 Comment (s)
To write a comment
0 View comments)