Doyle Takes Maiden Masters Endurance Legends Win
Photo: www.charliewooding.co.uk courtesy of Masters Historic Racing
Sean Doyle took the win in the first-ever Masters Endurance Legends race at Spa yesterday afternoon, just heading home the similar ORECA 03 of Jonathan Kennard at the front of the 22-car field. Third, 28-seconds back, was the Pescarolo of Mattheeu Lagaye while Martin Short was fourth in his Dallara SP1.
A sudden but short downpour on the opening lap saw a number of front runners dive into he pits for wet yes, including the Peugeot 908X of Kriton Lendouodis and Nicolar Minassian, and also Christophe d’Ansembourg in the Lola-Aston Martin DBR1-2. While eight car pitted, it quickly became obvious that the cars who has stayed out had made the correct call and the track was soon showing a dry line.
Short had the Rollcentre Dallara in the lead early on, but first Doyle and then Kennard took their ORECA’s past, Kennard taking h lead before pitting for his compulsory stop on lap five. Doyle chose to came in two laps later and emerged in front of Kennard, and despite a move from Kennard at La Source with two laps to go, Doyle was able to ease away and take the maiden win in the series.
In a fine fifth overall was Steve Zacchia’s Ferrari 550, which had set the GT pace all weekend, with the Peugeot sixth after also being hit with a penalty for a rule infringement at the start.
Race Result:
1 G3P2 Sean Doyle (ORECA 03) 15 Laps in 40m32.813s
2 G2P2 Jonathan Kennard (ORECA LMP2) +2.395s
3 G3P1 Matthieu Lahaye (Pescarolo LMP1)
4 G2P1 Martin Short (Dallara SP1)
5 G2GT1 Steve Zacchia (Ferrari 550 GT1)
6 G3P1 Nicolas Minassian (Peugeot 908X)
7 G2P1 Travis Engen (Audi R8 LMP1)
8 G3GT2 Karsten le Blanc/Nigel Greensall (Aston Martin Vantage GT2)
9 G3P1 Cristophe D’Ansembourg (Lola Aston Martin DBR1-2)
10 INV Alexander Lienau (Aston Martin Vantage V12)
Fastest Lap: Minassian 2m13.927s (188.270s)
