72nd Le Mans 24 Hours - Post-Race Quotes

Jan Lammers: “I’ll remember a big stack of bills unfortunately. I wish there was a morning after pill for this. I’m delighted with the Dunlop development we have done and with our times throughout the week, and particularly in the race. It’s been a real step forward for us.”

Fiona Pearce: “It was a surprise. New pistons were designed after paul Ricard, and the engine was sent out here on Sunday, installed on Thursday and did the whole race with nothing going wrong. We’re delighted and we’ve had some great feedback from John (Nielsen).”

Chris Dyson: “The Dunlops were stunning and of course it’s a great race to finish. I’m really encouraged by my race pace and the problems, when they came, were the only big disappointment. Without them I’m convinced we could have had a podium.”

Ralph Firman: “Entering the braking zone and the gearbox just went into neural. Once I was on the gravel I had no control. Really disappointed not to finish this one. We were cruising to a very good finish.”

Romain Dumas: “I’m getting to hate this race. That’s three times I’ve missed out on a win with a late problem. The race came to us and then went away again.”

Jorg Bergmeister: “This is so cool. This is a race that not just racing drivers but everybody dreams of winning. I can’t believe I’m going up on that podium.”

Patrick Long: “A lot of races and a lot of championships mean something but this is something I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.”

Kevin Buckler: “The guys, all the guys, drivers, engineers and the whole crew did an absolutely stellar job.”

Gregor Fisken: “That wasn’t too shabby a job for a first timer, was it?”

Nigel Greensall: “That was absolutely fabulous. I can’t believe I’ve done the fastest lap ever of this fantastic circuit in a TVR.”

Lawrence Tomlinson: “It was good.” Is that it? “It was very good. I find it much harder driving slowly but was delighted to do a good double stint getting this car to the finish. The reception we received was fantastic.”

Gareth Evans: “What a weekend. A pot yesterday for second in class in Group C and then today, the first 30 minutes were nerve wracking and the last 10 minutes really emotional. Yes, I cried at the end and Berridge cried like a girl too.”

Bob Berridge: “Yes, I’m not ashamed to say that I did (cry). I told you we’d bring some surprises this week.”

Hugh Chamberlain: “That was amazing. Most people didn’t expect us to get one home: to get two was extraordinary, but when you win it’s even better.”

Neil Cunningham: “What an adventure. We made it. The two TVRs came past me in formation on the last lap and I gave them a wave, but I think they thought I was breaking down.”

David Dowse, Morgan TM: “That was awesome. We did it. What a great bunch of people to work with. They richly deserved the award we got from the ACO. It’s been two hard years for everyone, but we got the car to last the course: now it needs to be improved.”

Justin Wilson: “We’re making up my career as we go along but there might well be another sportscar outing on the cards this year. I was delighted with my pace in the car and it was good to be trading times with the Audis.”

John Nielsen: “It is fantastic to get the Lister home as it has never done near to this kind of distance and it is very impressive. I am interested in continuing with the development of the car and we will have a look back at this week as a starting point.”

Alain Menu: “The race was very nice until the 20th hour. Prodrive did a very good job to be competitive against the Corvette. I think we had the measure of the Corvette but the problem with the wheel bearing and having to drive round a whole lap caused too much damage, so that was that. In the morning we had a five or six lap lead so we were just doing 3:58s and without any problems we could have kept that up, but then ok, we had a problem.”

Stephane Ortelli: “F***. I know the feeling to be up there on the top of the podium. A three lap lead four hours from the end and then just lots of little things, like a little part which cost I think something like one Euro, but it meant we broke down.”

Frank Mountain: “I think it was better than I thought it was going to be, but I haven’t taken it all in yet. First time at Le Mans, 15th months ago I hadn’t even been in the car. It would have been nice to have finished a few more places up, but you can’t be greedy can you? This year is about learning and I want better finishes and to do a few other little things I haven’t done yet, like NASCAR later this year - and I kind of want to do the Indy 500 but I think I’ll need a bit of practice for that, it’s kind of dangerous, not that this isn’t! I want to do Bathurst as well because I didn’t get to drive there last year.”

Rob Wilson: “It was real project level stuff, just massaging it through and seeing how all the characters worked. The result is about where we should have come but we can put a line under it now we’ve done it. The car certainly looks like it has done 24 hours, so now is a good chance to upgrade the engine to get another 30 horsepower or so, and then we’ll be out racing again.”
PS & GG

We need a brief break before posting much more material on the site. We'll have a little more on Sunday evening, but Monday will be a chance to travel back to the UK... and hopefully escape computers for most of the day...