Avanti per l'Italia

Each year the Le Mans Series calendar chops and changes, with historic circuits giving way to new ones, and then the occasional throwback to the classic venues of yesteryear. Monza, Barcelona, Istanbul, Algarve, Valencia, Nürburgring, Jarama and Paul Ricard have all played supporting roles to the seasonal regulars of Spa and Silverstone - although Donington Park earned the UK race in 2006, making Spa the only circuit to have featured in every LMS itinerary since 2004. This year the Series is visiting two more classic circuits; Imola in July, and then Estoril in September.

As motor racing venues go, Imola is middle aged. Inaugurated in 1953, it cannot quite claim the heritage of the likes of Monza, Spa, or Le Mans, but as the track approaches its 60th anniversary it can look back on a history packed with memorable races, high drama and, of course, tragedy.

Between 1981 and 2006 the circuit played host to the San Marino Grand Prix; the second if Italy's regular Formula 1 races, and named after the nearby independent republic of San Marino. Countries are not supposed to host more than one Grand Prix each year, but with the factories of three of the world's most famous car manufacturers virtually on the doorstep - Lamborghini, Maserati and, most importantly, Ferrari, special dispensation was made for Italy. As a result, Imola became the spiritual home of the "Tifosi", the uncompromising Ferrari fans, whose loyalty to the Prancing Horse knows no bounds.

History of Imola

The track was originally created by linking together two lengths of public road that had been used for some time by the local car makers to try out new designs and ideas. Work began in 1950, and was completed two years later, when Enzo Ferrari sent along a Vignale-designed 225S from Maranello to try out the new circuit. The first races - exclusively for motorcycles - took place the following year, and were followed in June 1954 by the first car race. During those early years the layout consisted of two flat-out stretches of tarmac linked by virtual hairpins at either end. Once out of Rivazza, it was foot-to-the-floor all the way to Tosa (including the pit straight and through Tamburello) and the return between Acque Minerali and Rivazza was much the same. It was monstrously quick and, as the performance of cars improved, the track became increasingly more dangerous - not least because the adopted road sections were far from flat!

The first Formula 1 race took place in 1963, and was won by Jim Clarke. It was a non-championship event, as was the race in 1979 won by Nikki Lauda. That was a taster for the first FIA sanctioned Grand Prix, which was staged in 1980. By then the track had been tamed somewhat by the introduction of several chicanes (added in 1972), but even so, serious accidents continued to happen. Piquet in 1987, Berger in 1989, Alboreto in 1991 and Patrese in 1992 were just some of the more significant among a plethora of others.

Then, in 1994, the name of Imola became synonymous with tragedy. In the space of three days, three horrendous accidents changed the face of motor racing. Rubens Barrichello was lucky to survive a high-speed crash at the Bassa chicane, but the popular and talented Roland Ratzenburger was not so fortunate. In qualifying on the Saturday his car ran wide and clipped the kerb, damaging the front wing. Next time round, through the Varianti Villeneuve, the wing broke off and became trapped under the car. Ratzenburger's Simtek Ford hit the trackside wall at nearly 200 miles an hour.

The following morning, in the light of the two accidents to Barrichello and Ratzenburger, a meeting took place at the track to discuss safety issues, and the Grand Prix Drivers' Association was re-formed. Gerhard Berger, Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna were appointed the Association's new Directors. A few hours later, Ayrton Senna too would be dead. His Williams FW16 left the track at Tamburello on Lap 7 whilst leading the Grand Prix and a loose wheel struck Senna's helmet. His death shook the world, but one of the finest racing drivers the sport has ever known left an enduring legacy - not only as a three-time F1 Champion capable of incomparable genius, but also in the increased safety that is now inherent in every level of motorsport. No Grand Prix driver has been killed since that black weekend in May 1994, and many others can thank the Association that Ayrton Senna helped to revive for encouraging and implementing many safety innovations. These range from the tethers that secure wheels to the chassis through to personal safety measures like the HANS device, which nearly all drivers now wear as a matter of routine.

Legacies of Spa

One of those grateful drivers is, of course, our own Mike Newton. The RML AD Group driver was involved in a high-speed crash during practice for the last round of the Le Mans Series at Spa. Mike was travelling at an estimated 145 miles an hour when the side of his HPD ARX-01d was clipped by Pedro Lamy's Team Peugeot 908. Both drivers instantly lost control. Lamy and the Peugeot spun fairly harmlessly across the solid run-off and rear-ended a tyre wall after scrubbing off most of its speed, but Mike and the #36 went head-first into the stack of tyres protecting the Armco on the outside of the bend. Mike went from flat-out to stationary in the space of less than a second, enduring a deceleration of over 35G. Miraculously, he sustained only relatively minor injuries, and he now acknowledges that much of that "miracle" is thanks to the safety innovations that are now part and parcel of modern motor racing.

AD Group has now received permission from the ACO to reveal the recorded footage recovered from the company's on-board digital monitoring system, which not only saved the whole incident to solid-state memory, but continued to do so even as the dust began to settle.

Four components in particular have been identified as being central to ensuring that Mike's injuries were not more serious. The HANS device - widely adopted after the death of Roland Ratzenburger at Imola in 1994 - which prevented damage to Mike's neck; the latest specification carbon-fibre Arai GP-6 helmet, which took the full impact of the tyres from the tyre wall; the BSS Creaform double-density safety seat insert system that ensured minimal compaction to Mike's lumbar region, and the structural integrity of the Courage HPD chassis.

A month after Mike's accident we witnessed again the astounding strength of the modern racing car and the remarkable survivability of accidents in motorsport today, even at astonishing speeds. Allan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller both owe their lives to advances in car safety that can trace their origins back to that single weekend in May 1994.

The life of Ayrton Senna is marked at Imola today by several memorials. One, a large bronze sculpture of the Brazilian, sitting in reflective mood atop a tall plinth, has become like a shrine, and is regularly bedecked with flowers and flags. Another, a smaller plaque, stands beside the corner at Tamburello, where his Williams mysteriously left the track - did the steering fail and cause the accident - or did the steering column break as a result of the accident? We will almost certainly never know.

Nearby are many personal tributes from fans, some fairly permanent, others ephemeral. It is likely that others will be added over the LMS weekend, some perhaps by those drivers who owe so much more than just memories to the life and death of a charismatic Brazilian.

LMP2 Entry List

The full entry list for LMP2 and Formula Le Mans for Round 3 of the Le Mans Series (and Round 4 of the ILMC) 2011 is reproduced below. Clicking on the thumbnail will reveal an enlargement. Where possible, these have been updated since the last round with recent images.

	LMP2
26		Signatech Nissan	FRA	D	Oreca 03-Nissan	Franck Mailleux (FRA) Soheil Ayari (FRA) Lucas Ordoñez (FRA)
33		Level 5 Motorsport	USA	M	Lola Coupé-HPD	Scott Tucker USA Christophe Bouchut (FRA) João Barbosa (PRT)
35		Oak Racing	FRA	D	Pescarolo - Judd BMW	Frédéric da Rocha (FRA) Patrice Lafargue (FRA) Andrea Barlesi (BEL)
36		RML AD Group	GBR	D	HPD ARX-01d HPD V6 turbo	Tommy Erdos (BRA) Mike Newton (GBR) Ben Collins (GBR)
39		Pecon Racing	ARG	M	Lola B11/40 Judd V8	Luis Perez Companc (ARG) Matias Russo (ARG) Pierre Kaffer (GER)
40		Race Performance	SUI	D	Oreca 03 Judd V8	Michel Frey (CHE) Ralph Meichtry (CHE) TBA
41		Greaves Motorsport	GBR	D	Zytek Z11SN Nissan	Karim Ojjeh (SAU) Olivier Lombard (FRA) Tom Kimber-Smith (GBR)
42		Strakka Racing	GBR	M	HPD ARX -01d HPD V6 Turbo	Nick Leventis (GBR) Danny Watts (GBR) Jonny Kane (GBR)
43		RLR Motorsport	GBR	D	MG Lola EX265 Judd V8	Barry Gates (GBR) Rob Garofall (GBR) Simon Phillips (GBR)
44		Extreme Limite AM Paris	FRA	D	Norma M200P Judd V8	Fabien Rosier (FRA) Maurice Basso (CHE) TBA
45		Boutsen Energy Racing	BEL	D	Oreca 03 Nissan	Dominik Kraihamer (AUT) Nicolas de Crem (BEL)
46		TDS Racing	ESP	M	Oreca 03 Nissan	Mathias Beche (CHE) Pierre Thiriet (FRA) Jody Firth (GBR)
49		Oak Racing	FRA	D	Pescarolo - Judd BMW	Richard Hein (MCO) Jacques Nicolet (FRA) Alexandre Prémat (FRA)
	Formula Le Mans
91		Hope Racing	FRA	M	Formula Le Mans Oreca 09	Luca Moro (ITA)L) Zhang Shanqi (CHN) Tor Graves (GBR )
92		Neil Garner Motorsport	GBR	M	Formula Le Mans Oreca 09	John Hartshorne (GBR) Steve Keating (GBR) Phil Keen (GBR)
93		Genoa Racing	USA	M	Formula Le Mans Oreca 09	Jens Petersen (GER) Elton Julian (ECU) Christian Zugel (GER)
95		Pegasus Racing	FRA	M	Formula Le Mans Oreca 09	Mirco Schultis (GER) Patrick Simon (GER) Julien Schell (FRA)
99		JMB Racing	MCO	M	Formula Le Mans Oreca 09	Manuel Rodrigues (PRT) Jean-Marc Mennahem (FRA) TBA

M = Michelin Tyres, D = Dunlop Tyres

There are no major or hugely significant changes to this list since Spa in May. All the regulars feature again, including the Le Mans-winning Greaves Zytek (with Tom Kimber-Smith confirmed as a season-long fixture) and the other podium finishers from the 24 Hours.

Strakka Racing will be looking to bolster their claim to the 2011 LMP2 title, which they currently head, thanks largely to their own reliability and excellent fuel economy, and a tendency by their Nissan-powered rivals to hit problems. RML AD Group will be hoping to emulate Strakka's clean running this time, and secure a better points tally for the #36 HPD than they've managed to date. The Spa incident, when the original De Ferran chassis was effectively destroyed by Pedro Lamy's rather brash challenge, meant no racing at all in Belgium. At Imola (as at Le Mans) the team will be campaigning the ex-Andretti Green tub from the USA, but the Italian race will be that configuration's final appearance. With the weekend over, the American chassis returns to HPD in the States and an all-new RML chassis will then be prepared for Silverstone in September.

Two Oak Racing LMP2 entries have been confirmed for Imola, but only one in LMP1. This has released Alexandre Prémat from P1 duties and he joins team-owner Jacques Nicolet in the #49 Pescarolo. The Level 5 Lola-HPD has previously taken the form of a finned Coupé, but is rumoured to be replaced by an open-topped Lola, similar to the Pecon car, at Imola, to benefit from the full cost-capped advantages.

Notable absentees include Aston Martin Racing. A disastrous Le Mans, when the two LMP1 AMR-Ones managed a total of six laps between them, means a pause for thought by the chaps from Prodrive - and no GTE Gulf racing entry either. A surprise absentee from LMP1 will be the Team Oreca Peugeot 908 HDi FAP; a winner at Sebring. The team says that there has been insufficient time since the 24 Hours to complete a full rebuild. The Hope Racing Hybrid, which made a troubled debut at Le Mans, will also miss the Italian round.

Also staying away in LMP1 will be Quifel ASM. The Portuguese squad have been stalwarts in the Le Mans Series for years, but cite engine reliability issues for their decision to miss Imola. A proposed Team LNT Radical SR9-IES, provisionally entered in LMP2, has been dropped. Added, however, is the Guess Racing Europ Lola B09/80 Coupé, which will run in LMP1, and (at the time of writing) the MIK Racing Zytek.

In LMP1, all eyes will be on Audi and Peugeot. The German workshops have been a hive of activity these past few weeks, preparing new cars to replace those destroyed at Le Mans. Peugeot will be even more eager to take their revenge after missing out, once again, on the Blue Riband event.

For the full entry list in PDF format, including a comprehensive LMP1 and GT listing, click: Imola Entry List.

There are nominally five classes in the Le Mans Series; LMP1, LMP2, Formula Le Mans, GTE-Pro and GTE-Am. To help with identification the ACO has introduced a coloured numbering system – red panels for LMP1, blue for LMP2, purple for FLM, green for GTE-Pro and orange for GTE-Am.

LMP1	LMP2	FLM	GTE-Pro	GTE-Am

In addition, each car also carries a band of three coloured lights. These are illuminated to denote the first, second and third-placed cars in each class. For a further breakdown and explanation of the "class structure" in the Le Mans Series, please have a look at our Spa Preview.

Support Races

There are four support events to this weekend's LMS/ILMC race. The Speed EuroSeries is a regular now on the Le Mans Series schedule, and continues to provide cracking entertainment. The mini-prototypes (some driven by some very famous names) blast round the track in times that wouldn't shame several LMP2 teams in the main event, and with a big grid, there's plenty to follow throughout the 90 and 45 minute races staged on Saturday and Sunday.

The Radical Masters returns once again, and in some respects, mirrors the Speed EuroSeries by offering a one-make mini-prototype championship that demands modest budgets but still attracts some big names. Sometimes very close - and very physical - Radical races are highly entertaining. The championship will go head-to-head twice on Saturday afternoon.

The Classic Endurance Championship (CER) has appeared on the bill many times over the years, with these historic machines and their wonderful symphony of exhaust notes offering an emotional backdrop to the current sports and GT cars. The one sad fact is that the hour-long race takes place on Saturday, and by habit, the entrants pack up their glorious cars and disappear in the night, leaving en empty paddock for the crowds to wonder at on Sunday morning. Such a shame.

Formula 2000 Light (right) is an Italian open-wheel single-seater series that was launched three years ago out of the Italian version of the Formula Renault Championship. All the cars are based on the Tatuus Formula Renault or Formula 3 chassis and powered by the ubiquitous two-litre Renault engine.

Weekend Schedule

09:00 09:20      ILMC & LMS Warm-up 20'
09:35 10:20      Speed Series Race 2 Race 7 45'
10:00 10:30      Autograph Session - Paddock (Team Trucks)
10:30 11:05      Car Manufacturer track laps 35'
10:30 11:05      Pit Walk (gate closed 10' before end) 35'
11:15               ILMC & LMS Pits open - cars onto the grid
11:15               Grid Walk opening (forbidden -16 years old) 35'
11:30               ILMC & LMS Pits closed - no further access to grid
11:35               Grid Walk gate closing
11:45               Grid Walk end of the track evacuation
11:57               ILMC & LMS Green Flag Lap
12:00 18:00      ILMC & LMS Race (Race 8) 6h + Final Lap

Media Coverage

TV coverage for the Le Mans Series is normally covered by Motors TV this year, but the Imola 6 Hours is also a round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. As a result, this race (as at Spa) will be carried by Eurosport, where it should be a fairly good day for motorsport. The World Touring Car Championship round from Porto will be featured regularly by Eurosport, where RML is campaigning the Chevrolet Cruze, and defending the title won in 2010, and both hour-long races will be featured live. Unfortunately, for motorsport fans, the day also sees extensive coverage of the second day's stages of the Tour de France, as well as live feeds from the FIFA Women's' World Cup football tournament. As a result, only brief live coverage and highlights will be available for the LMS race from Imola. The current schedule is:

Sunday July 3rd (UK times)
11:00, Eurosport. 60 minutes. Live coverage of the first hour of the race.
23:00, Eurosport. 60 minutes. Edited highlights of the whole race.

That would appear to be the grand sum of Eurosport UK's coverage from Imola, which is little short of abysmal. At the time of writing, the official Le Mans Series website has a totally blank entry for TV Coverage from Round 3, so they're either too embarrassed to admit the paltry extent of Eurosport's offering, or they can't believe it themselves either.

However, if you are able to tweak your receiver and view Eurosport Europe (rather than UK), you may be able to see a total of three hours live coverage on Eurosport 2, where they will be broadcasting the start and first hour live, and then the final two hours.

In case there are any changes to the schedule, please check the latest TV listing with Eurosport. You can also check the Le Mans Series website for a roundup of coverage here.

Fortunately, those gallant chaps at MotorsTV will be offering a better range of highlight programmes. Their schedule includes:

MotorsTV Highlights (UK times)
Saturday July 9th, 19:00, MotorsTV. 50 minutes. Edited highlights of the whole race.
Monday July 11th, 10:25, MotorsTV. 50 minutes. Edited highlights of the whole race.
Tuesday July 12th, 06:10, MotorsTV. 50 minutes. Edited highlights of the whole race.
Wednesday July 13th, 13:30, MotorsTV. 50 minutes. Edited highlights of the whole race, followed by highlights of the ALMS race from Lime Rock. Several other dates and times are also listed for this Imola highlights programme.

Radio & On-line: Thankfully, full coverage of all the weekend's events and happening's will be provided live by Radio Le Mans, beginning with Free Practice on Friday. Articles and features about the Le Mans Series and June's Le Mans 24 Hours are also available to listen to, or download, and the RLM website also carries season previews and interviews. Click the button below for access.

Please also note that we will be providing "live" coverage of the race here on www.rml-adgroup.com. To review an example of how detailed this is, please check out our coverage from the Le Mans 24 Hours in June 2011.