Team NASAMAX
Werner Lupberger - The South African Connection

Four weeks after Werner Lupberger received the phonecall that would turn his life upside down, the popular South African was to be found in Team NASAMAX green enjoying the French sunshine and looking forward greatly to his third Le Mans. “I heard about the project last December, but when I spoke to John McNeil about it he basically told me not to worry about it and not to put off any plans in the expectation of a drive, as it was very early days back then. I started working for Jonathan Palmer at the Bedford Autodrome about eight months ago and so carried on doing that. When John phoned me last month and offered me the third seat, I immediately left and came to do this.”

Werner is hugely enthusiastic about the project and the race, having driven the John McNeil-designed Ascari for the past two years. One senses that this enthusiasm has consigned his natural disappointment at the cancellation of that programme to the deepest annals of history. “It is fantastic to be driving in the race of the year with these guys! When you consider that the team effectively didn’t exist before December 13th last year, to see them so well prepared and professionally presented in the paddock is inspiring. I doubt any of the other teams have brought so much together in such a short space of time! When you also think that racing with bio-ethanol could be the future of motorsport, it’s very exciting!”

So what does driving at Le Mans mean to Lupberger? “When I close my eyes and think of Le Mans, it is always the night driving I see,” he beamed. “When you’re driving down the Mulsanne in the dark, you can only see 200 yards ahead, you see nothing to left or right. The air is thicker and cooler, and the car is going faster than during the day - probably 330kph. It’s the most amazing thing!” And the start? “The start is the greatest feeling ever! Your nerves are jangling and the butterflies are going mad. In the first few minutes you’ve got almost fifty cars around you, and you know you can go faster and want to start racing somebody - but you have to constantly remind yourself that there are 24 hours and a long, long way to go!”

Since joining the Kent-based team, Werner has been on testing duty at Millbrook. The first time was mainly engine testing with Cosworth, while last Thursday saw the team concentrating on gearboxes. His respect for the team did nothing but rise in that time. “These guys work so hard all the time.”

And what is he hoping for from this weekend? “I really, really want to finish - we (Ascari) made it about halfway in 2001, and barely started last year, so a finish would be superb!” Third time lucky? We hope his wish will come true in the best possible way.

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