Pescarolo duo take drivers' title at Estoril

Julien Jousse and Emmanuel Collard sealed this year’s LMS LMP1 drivers’ title by the narrowest of margins in Sunday’s Estoril season-closer, the Pescarolo duo beating championship rivals Andrea Belicchi and Jean-Christophe Boullion in a captivating on-track battle.

The Pescarolo and Rebellion cars remained in close contact throughout the event, each team knowing that victory would give them the title. It was not until the final stages of the six-hour event, when Boullion was hit with a puncture, that the Pescarolo was able to enjoy breathing space. From there Jousse brought the car home to ensure he and Collard would share drivers’ title glory.

Rebellion meanwhile took the teams’ crown by a single point. Their second car, which had sat on pole thanks to Neel Jani’s qualifying efforts, dropped out of contention early on with gearbox woes. Jani and team-mate Nicolas Prost would eventually finish 20th after a lengthy spell in the pits.

The overall podium was completed by the Beche/Thiriet/Firth TDS ORECA-Nissan entry, which ensured LMP2 class victory for the trio. The title-winning car of Karim Ojjeh and Tom Kimber-Smith, which they again shared with Olivier Lombard at Estoril, was next across the line.

GTE-Pro was won by the James Walker/Rob Bell-driven JMW Ferrari, the championship-winning AF Corse of Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni having excited proceedings on lap 11. The Am class was won by IMSA duo Nicolas Armindo and Raymond Narac.

The Estoril event marked the final appearance of LMP1 machinery in the LMS with LMP2 set to become the championship’s top class in 2012.

Watch highlights from the LMS event at Estoril on Motors TV


James Weeks