Great Appearance

Great appearance by Lotus Jetalliance: The only Austrian team at the finish of the classic 24h race in Le Mans!

Foto: Der Jetalliance Lotus Evora GTE von Rossiter/Mowlem/Hirschi - Credit: Jetalliance - Abdruck honorarfrei

James Rossiter, Johnny Mowlem and Jonathan Hirschi finish 22nd overall in the Jetalliance Lotus Evora GTE – and take third in the GTE Pro ILMC classification.

The second appearance by Jetalliance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans ended in success as well! After the team was able to claim a sensational third place in class in 2009, it was no less content with today’s achievement: Starting as an official “Lotus Jetalliance” factory team for the first time, the crew from Oeynhausen in Lower Austria managed to bring a new Lotus Evora GTE to the finish straight away – as the only Austrian team, mind you . . .

James Rossiter (GBR), Johnny Mowlem (GBR) and Jonathan Hirschi (SUI) were ranked in 22nd position overall and in seventh place in the GTE Pro class after tough, strenuous 24 hours and a total of 21 pit stops.

But there was another podium finish this time as well, because the race also counted towards the ILMC – resulting in P3 in the GTE Pro class!

The second Lotus Evora GTE of Martin Rich, John Hartshorne (both GBR) and Oskar Slingerland (NED) did not fare so well – they had to throw in the towel prematurely at 4.30 in the morning: There was a spin following a broken-off wheel, then several tyre failures afterwards – and the pits could no longer be reached on just two wheels.

Team manager Jan Kalmar: “An incredible moment for all of us. Many of us haven’t slept for three days – but it was worth it. This result is an achievement you simply cannot describe. We’ve shown that we’re doing an absolutely professional job.”

Team owner Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer and Jetalliance’s chairman of the board of directors Vitus Eckert left France with mixed feelings. After all both were initially also entered as drivers, but then had to pass at short notice, since they are urgently needed within the company and hence were unable to summon up the time for an optimum preparation.

Lukas Lichtner-Hoyer: “Congratulations to the entire team. They have done an outstanding job over the past few weeks, thus really making this great appearance possible for us – because bringing a brand new car that far in such a short space of time to be able to make it to the finish of the world’s toughest endurance race is really worth to be cherished. The experts also see it the same way – which pleases me in particular. It makes the anguish of not having been at the wheel myself definitely bearable.”