Scrutineering
Scrutineering
for the RML MG Lola EX264 came soon after lunch on Tuesday,
with the svelte MG following the two muscular-looking
Aston Martin DBR9s through the gauntlet of exacting
examination. The car had actually arrived in the square
the best part of two hours beforehand, but with the
officials taking time out for lunch, there was plenty
of opportunity for the public to admire the car, and
collect the ever-popular HeroCards.
It
has to be said, the RML MG did look the perfect accompaniment
to the two Astons. Perhaps it was deliberate planning
by the ACO, in which case it was inspired, but to see
two such famous names side-by-side was quite an emotive
sight - the Astons bearing the famous dark metallic
sage-green paintwork that was a hallmark of the marques
success in the nineteen fifties, alongside the MG's
patriotic red, white and blue.
It
was gone two o'clock before the six members of the team
selected to accompany the car through scrutineering
were invited to push the MG into the first enclosure.
It's a strictly regimented procedure - never hurried,
rarely varied. The first stop, beneath a small white
"gazebo", the like of which you're just as
likely to see in someone's back garden, is where the
entry paperwork and documentation is checked. Basically,
has the team dotted all the eyes, crossed its tees,
and paid the dues. Satisfied that everything is in order,
the car is then eased forwards and up a shallow ramp
into the first of two technical booths.
Here
the officials bring forward an array of rigs and contraptions
that wouldn't look much out of place in a castle dungeon.
These are offered up and over the car to check such
things as rear wing width and height, effectiveness
of the rollover hoops, wheelarch overhang and ground
clearance. Satisfied thus far, the car is then eased
onto an elevating platform that allows the officials
to poke around underneath. In the main, they're checking
to ensure that the underside is, indeed, flat. It's
a brief moment for debate. "The FIA written regs
stipulate that there is no tolerance whatsoever on a
flat floor," explained Alistair McQueen, senior
race engineer at RML. "In the real world, of course,
that's impossible. There's no such thing as a perfectly
flat underside, so it becomes a question of application."
The inspectors hold up a perfectly aligned aluminium
bar (below), and rest this against the underside of
the chassis, and measure any deviation from laser-straight
perfection. "The ACO has adopted a pragmatic approach,
and they're very sensible," he continued. "There's
no written tolerance, at least not yet, but it's widely
accepted that an allowance of 5 millimetres is normal."
The MG Lola fell comfortably within this margin, although
to the untrained eye it looked spot on.
Lowered
gently back to the ground, the car was then pushed back
out into the sunshine, and left to wait for twenty minutes
while the Astons cleared the next section. This final
bay is where safety aspects are given a thorough going-over.
Do all the lights work? Are the fire extinguishers in
the right place and fully charged? That's a gross oversimplification,
but the MG sailed through without a hitch. The man who
steered Team Bentley through scrutineering here just
two years ago looked enormously relaxed, despite the
heat, and very satisfied as the RML MG EX264 emerged
at the end of the hour-long procedure. "No dramas
whatsoever," beamed Alastair. "A perfectly
clean bill of health - just as it should be." It
had indeed been reassuringly stress-free. "RML
has a tradition of getting through scrutineering at
Le Mans without issues," he added. "It's not
original, I know, but its simply a case of checking
all the 'P's - proper preparation prevents piss poor
performance. The boys are really good at getting these
things done."
Phil
Barker (right), team manager at RML, was looking visibly
more relaxed than usual, and evidently pleased with
the day's conclusion. "This is the fourth year
on the trot that we've come straight through without
a hitch, but it's not something you can ever take for
granted. Some scrutineers can be ultra-critical, especially
in the technical scrutineering, but we're all sorted
now and looking forward to tomorrow."
The
three drivers were then reunited with their car for
the official team photocall. In its own way, their day
had not been dissimilar to the car's - checks to ensure
that licences were up to scratch, helmets complying
with regulations, and racesuits suitably approved. Despite
this, the atmosphere in the Place des Jacobins
has felt somewhat subdued this year - and that's an
observation that applies equally well to both days.
The crowds have definitely been thinner on the ground,
and the revised layout has also acted to separate the
spectators more effectively from the teams inside the
press enclosure. "You don't yet get a feel for
the occasion," suggested Warren Hughes, squinting
beneath sun-furrowed brows at the surroundings. "It
will build up over the next few days, I'm sure, but
it still feels a bit like the test day at the moment.
Perhaps it's the calm before the storm!" This was
some reflection on his whole outlook on Le Mans in 2005.
"Actually, it all seems a lot calmer than it did
last time I was here," he said, before going on
to stress that this had nothing to do with the efforts
of his team last year. It was more a case that RML enjoys
all those luxuries that go hand-in-hand with extensive
testing and several months of preparation, and being
secure in the knowledge that little or nothing is being
left to chance. "Everyone knows their job, and
they're simply getting on with it. There's no last-minute
rushing around."
The
team has probably done as much pre-Le Mans testing as
anyone, including several of the factory teams, and
so far it has been hugely valuable, and virtually faultless.
"But we're somewhat a victim of our own success,"
shrugged Alastair McQueen, accepting that the team's
preparation had been both extensive and, in the main,
problem-free. The old adage of 'if it's not broke, don't
fix it' is not always appropriate in motorsport, and
components are "houred" for replacement, even
when they're still working perfectly. When a team hits
problems in testing, many components can end up being
replaced on a regular basis. That's not an issue that
has taxed RML, but it does mean they face a dilemma
after Wednesday's first qualifying session - do they
replace the engine or not. "We didn't really need
the extra hours on the engine itself," continued
Alastair, "so we have the choice after tomorrow
of running the engine again on Thursday, or fitting
the new one that's intended for the race. It may depend
upon the weather, so our plan could be hatched with
one eye on the sky." If, as is currently predicted,
Thursday evening looks set to be wet, then the team
could end up using the second day's qualifying to perfect
their race set-up and bed in the race engine.
While
the engineers and mechanics following the car back to
the circuit the drivers then faced perhaps the greatest
ordeal of the day; being interviewed by the irrepressible
Bruno Vandestick. The "Voice of Le Mans" has
been around for over a decade now, and no 24 Hours would
seem complete without his high-speed delivery and penetrating
interrogation. Mike, Tommy and Warren took the stand
alongside the three drivers from Noel del Bello Racing,
with Portuguese driver Ni Amorim doing most of the talking
for the French squad. Indeed, he was also called upon
to translate, into French, some comments in Portuguese
from Thomas Erdos; the Brazilian being asked to say
a few words for the sake of any of his compatriots in
the crowd.
Warren
Hughes (left) was the first of the RML line-up to be
quizzed. Bruno's first question was to ask what Warren
why he was smiling so much. "I'm just a happy person,"
came Warren's quick reposte. "Happy to be here,
and happy to be in a great car, with great drivers,
and a great chance of success." He was then asked
for an explanation of the car's designation as an MG,
which he promptly handed on to Mike Newton to answer.
Bruno wanted to know if this was a works entry, clearly
angling for a follow-up question about MG Rover. Mike
gave him no such opportunity, explaining that the EX264
"is derived from the 257, with several parts that
were unique to that car being carried across to the
new one, which is why it is designated an MG EX264."
Tommy's
first question (in English) was about the handling of
the car during the recent test weekend. Was it well
balanced? "Very much so," he insisted. "The
car ran faultlessly, which is a great credit to RML,
and the hours of work have clearly paid off. It was
a very successful day for us." He went on to explain
that there had never been any intention of setting a
fast time, but "we were very happy with the way
it turned out." The MG had been fastest in LMP2
most of the day, and only pipped by a few tenths late
in the day by Sam Hancock in the Intersport Lola. Light
rain had then prevented the team from attempting a response.
Mike
extolled the virtues of RML, a "team with broad
experience and resources", before Warren gave his
thoughts on competing in LMP2 rather than LMP1. "The
car is fabulous" he concluded. "We're in with
a very good chance, provided the car can run without
problems." Tommy also suggested that "the
LMP2 scene is especially healthy just now and it's a
category well worth winning."
The
interview then steered towards further questions about
RML and the organisation's relationship with Chevrolet.
These were directed at Mike, who confirmed that RML
has a three-year contract to run the Chevrolet works
entry for the World Touring Car Championship. "This
is the first year," he explained. "Already
the chassis is very competitive, and with more work
on the engine, I think the whole package will soon prove
very effective."
The
session concluded with some questions addressed to Tommy
about living in England, so far from home. "I have
dedicated my life to motorsport," he said, "and
that means living in Europe. I still have family in
Brazil, and I travel back there whenever I can, but
I don't get involved in the politics. I just like sitting
on the beach!" A final quip from Warren about Tommy
"speaking better English than I do" wrapped
up a long and tiring few hours on the centre of the
city for the drivers and the team.
Back
at the track the car was already being prepped for tomorrow's
qualifying. It was particularly pleasing to see Phil
Barker looking so fresh and at ease. For those many
people out there who follow the fortunes of RML and
their MG project, it was especially worrying to hear
that Phil had been taken ill after the official test
here at Le Mans ten days ago. Thankfully, he has made
a very speedy recovery. "I'm due to see another
consultant at the end of the month, but I'm feeling
fine now," he assured us. "I received A1 medical
treatment from the staff here at the circuit, and at
the local hospital in Le Mans; they were superb. I can't
thank them enough. Now I'm feeling fighting fit and
looking forward to the week ahead. I'm planning on staying
stress-free - easier said than done, I know, but that's
my plan!"
Being
installed and checked was the on-board video system
designed and manufactured by TransVU, one of the team's
major sponsors this year. The installation will provide
on-board video footage, with views looking both forward,
from above the driver's left shoulder, and also to the
rear. In due course we hope to be able to post "a
lap with the MG Lola" from some circuits using
a web-enabled version of the image file this system
generates.
We'll
be following the team closely this week, and running
various competitions. The first of these was launched
on dailysportscar on Tuesday morning,
with entries being invited in a competition to win one
of the brand new Scalextric models of the RML MG Lola
EX257 - the car that RML ran here at Le Mans last year.
Hopeful winners must predict this year's best qualifying
time for the EX264, and the first response was received
within minutes of posting the competition page. The
entry came from none other than Tommy's mum in Brazil!
We'll find out just how close she is, and the many hundreds
of other suggestions we've already received, when qualifying
ends on Thursday night. Winners will be notified on
Friday.
Marcus
Potts |