NEWS
25.09.11
Eventful 6 Hours of Estoril for Jota Sport AMR
The sun-drenched Estoril circuit played host to an eventful season-closing Le Mans Series round for the Jota Sport AMR team, who recorded a satisfying fifth in class at the Portuguese venue.
In a year of highs and lows for the #79 car of Simon Dolan and Sam Hancock Estoril was no exception. The team and drivers were dealt bad luck in the form of a stop-and-go penalty and a spin into the gravel following an over-ambitious move from the class-leading Ferrari. Despite these setbacks the stunning pace of both drivers and faultless reliability of the Jota-prepared car resulted in a well-deserved fifth-place finish, matching their best result of the year.
Simon Dolan: "It’s a great end to the season. I had two of my best stints in the car to date and fifth in class is very satisfying. We have improved race on race throughout the season, which can only be positive for next year. A heartfelt thanks to all the team, who have been consistently faultless. I cannot wait for 2012."
Sam Hancock: "I had an eventful race, that’s for sure. As the warm-up lap started I had an issue with my belts so was late to get going, and as a result we started the race from the very back of the pack. Fortunately, within the first two laps we were back up to our rightful position. Later in the same stint we suffered a stop-and-go penalty for unintentional contact with the #66 Ferrari, which was frustrating. During my second stint we were hit from behind. Both cars spun but unfortunately we ended up in the gravel. This cost us a lot of time as I had to wait to be towed back onto the tarmac.
"My third and final stint however was the most enjoyable of the season. The balance of the car was the best it has been and we were fast enough to catch and pass some of the top cars in our class. This is a testimant to the team: the pace was great and remained so despite several setbacks during the race. The team deserve huge praise for this. When I look back at our first race in Paul Ricard, I can see that we have made huge progress and everyone should be extremely proud."
Sam Hignett, Team Principal: "A stunning performance from the entire team today. Both drivers put in their best stints of the year, the crew was the fastest in the pit lane, and the guys prepared a supremely reliable car. All in all it's a great way to end the season. Thanks to our suppliers and sponsors, without whose support none of this would have been possible. It’s been a fantastic Le Mans Series and I would like to thank the team and drivers for all their hard work throughout."