Page 155 - Decadence

Algarve Pro Racing is running the OneLife team’s #25 Ligier JSP2, powered by VK45 Nissan engine in the LMP2 prototype class, with a driver pairing of Dean Koutsoumidis and Ate Dirk de jong both are classed as Gentlemen drivers.
As the lights went out and the 4 hour endurance race began on the afternoon of Sunday 3rd of December the ambient temperatures were peaking at eight degrees Celsius, way below every teams expectations for the race. Koutsoumidis made headway through the slower GT pack with a great display of clean and consistent driving during his slippery double stint around mid-distance in the race. Handing over the reins to De jong with about 1:50 on the clock of the 4 hour race he pushed the #25 Ligier getting his lap times below the 1m40s barrier and break into the top ten overall places.
Entering the second half of the race, Algarve Pro Racings race was punctuated with three further pit stops, the rst being extended by a time penalty of ten seconds for a pit lane infringement, fortunately this did not have any bearing on the teams’ nal placing.
For the rest of the race De jong kept pace well until he handed the black and gold OneCoin Ligier back to team mate Koutsoumidis who delivered another remarkably slick and consistent drive whilst other drivers, most ranked way above him, faltered under the unexpected track conditions. After a hard- fought race the team won the Gentleman’s trophy and achieved an overall eighth position at the chequered ag.
The overall LMP2 race winner was the #8 Jackie Chan DC Racing X Jota, running a Nissan powered Oreca 05, piloted by Stephane Richelmi, Harrison Newey and Thomas Laurent, with the BBT Ligier in second place and the other Jackie Chan DC Racing X Jota #7 Oreca taking the third step on the podium. As the series moves to the third race at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand’s Buri Ram province the OneLife, Algarve Pro Racing team #25 are running in fourth position, with the top three slots occupied by Jackie Chan DC Racing X Jota #8, BBT and ARC Bratislava #4 rst, second and third.
Paddock Life have been invited by OneLife, Algarve Pro Racing team to join them at the Chang International Circuit, so Jenny, Chris and I will be in the garage and on the pit lane for the next issue... and rumour has it I’ve been invited to get in the car for a few laps.
WORDS CRAIG BLAKE-JONES
IMAGES OLIVER BEROUD VISION SPORT AGENCY
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