Monza Tuesday Notebook

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

***European Le Mans Series testing got underway on Tuesday at Monza with three sessions over the course of the day, including an evening session which lasted until 9 p.m. In total, ELMS teams had a total of eight hours testing time on Tuesday, with a further six hours scheduled for Wednesday.

***The M.Racing – YMR Norma M30 Nissan piloted by Gwenael Delomier had a heavy impact at Ascari which sent the car into a roll. The Frenchman has been taken to the medical centre, and the car will have to miss day two of the Prologue having suffered severe damage (pictured).

***Despite a timing error which had James Allen down as fastest, Richard Bradley was the quickest driver on track today, driving the No. 40 Graff Oreca 07 Gibson, still in bare carbon without a livery. AT Racing and TF Sport led proceedings in their respective LMP3 and GTE classes after the day’s testing came to a close.

***IDEC Sport Racing and Panis Barthez Competition will be the only LMP2 competitors running Michelin tires this season, while their competition will all be Dunlop-shod. The entire LMP3 class will also have Michelin tires, while all GTE cars will run on Dunlops. 

***SMP Racing might be the only full-season ELMS team missing from Monza, but several crew members of the Russian team are in the paddock working with newcomer team High Class Racing. Both outfits are running the Dallara P217 Gibson this season.

***Another team running the Italian prototype is Racing Team Nederland, which has confirmed it will run a two-driver lineup for the ELMS season, in Frits van Eerd and Jan Lammers. Rubens Barrichello was previously announced with the two Dutch drivers, but the ex-Formula 1 driver will instead only compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

***Cool Racing by CPC has been a surprise addition to the Prologue entry list, although it has now been revealed that the French team is a late entry to the series. Iradj Alexander David, Gino Forgione and Alexandre Coigny will pilot the team’s Ligier JS P3 Nissan for the ELMS season, while the Patrick Barbier-led outfit is also set to enter the Road to Le Mans race, in preparation for an eventual entry to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

***Richard Meins also suffered a crash, in his No. 26 United Autosports Ligier JS P3 which will take part in the Michelin Le Mans Cup season. The team has stated that the car has sustained damage to its tub as a result, and so will also sit out tomorrow’s test action. 

***While Proton Competition has both of its Porsche 911 RSRs present at Monza, only the No. 77 car has taken to the track, with Christian Ried, Matteo Cairoli and Joel Camathias sharing driving duties. The sister No. 88 car meanwhile has stayed in the garage.

Laurent Mercier contributed to this report

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.