The Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team had to retire from the 24 hours of Le Mans in France today, Saturday, around 23 o’clock. After six hours of racing the team around Rico Penzkofer and Crewchief Gordon Unger decided to quit the race early. The team collided with another opponent earlier in the race and the result of this was a technical problem, which could not be repaired. It is the first DNF for the Saxonian squad in the FIM World Endurance Championship since the beginning of 2010 with a crash back then. Ever since the squad managed to finish every race until today.
The race itself started good at Le Mans. During the first hour the trio of Pedro Vallcaneras (ESP), who rode the starting turn, Steve Mercer (GBR) and Jason Pridmore (USA) made their way up in the rankings and rode at the sharp end of the Superstock category. Certainly it happened on Mercers first stint, that the team collided with another opponent and the faithful BMW S 1000 RR took an irreparable damage. After multiple attempts to fix the bike - also in cooperation with the BMW HP Race Support - the team had to recognize the race was over.
The legendary 24 hours of Le Mans are going on till Sunday, 15 o’clock and only by then the Penz13.com Franks Autowelt Racing Team will know something about the final championship position in the FIM World Endurance Superstock Cup. The main rivals in the title fight - Team Motors Events April Moto - are leading the Superstock class at the moment.
Steve Mercer, who had to push the bike back to the pits - with a flat tire and broken rim - after the collision, had a circulatory collapse after another stint. The Brit is for observation in hospital but doctors told the team he is ok so.
Rico Penzkofer, Team Principal:
„That’s how it sometimes goes in Endurance racing! Pity! Of course we are disappointed, but we also won so many times together, now we have to loose together as a team for once. We still can be proud on our achievements as it is our first Endurance race we did not finish since the beginning of 2010. Until now the weekend was good, but it wasn’t meant to be. Pity! I still want to thank everyone who supported me and my squad, all our riders, mechanics, helpers and sponsors - just everyone.”
Gordon Unger, Crewchief:
“It’s a big big shame. Of course we are disappointed that we had to retire, but it is the right decision. I want to thank everyone in the team and all, who helped us. Especially I want to mention the BMW HP Race Support with Kurt Böck and Berti Hauser, who helped us lap-by-lap when we were trying to get the bike repaired and also apart from that all season! Let’s roll on!”
Pedro Vallcaneras, rider:
„As Rico said: we won so many things together, but now we have to loose together. It’s a shame but this can happen sometimes. The team hasn’t done anything wrong! This squad was giving it’s maximum all the time and most of the time we had the luck on our side. Only this time we had bad luck. Let’s do it again 2014!”
Jason Pridmore, rider:
„To be honest: It’s a hard but the right decision. Of course it is a shame that such a great season found a bad end, but you have to accept that. Our bike, our BMW S 1000 RR, always worked brilliantly and the Penz13-Team is one of the best I have ever ridden for. A shame! But we are coming back, I promise!”
Communication Penz13 - www.penz13.com -