VM Motorsport closes the season in style at Silverstone

Published on 14 September 2008 by Niels Hendrix

Van Merksteijn Motorsport by Equipe Verschuur rounded off its campaign in the 2008 Le Mans Series in style by winning the LMP2 class in the fifth and final round of the season, the Autosport 1000 Kilometres of Silverstone. Driving the team's Porsche RS Spyder, Jos Verstappen and Peter van Merksteijn led their class all the way in the 195 lap race which was held in bright and sunny conditions.

For the team, it was the fourth win of the season, in which it already had secured the titles in the LMP2 drivers and teams championships and helped Porsche claim the title in the LMP2 manufacturers standings. In the debut season of the Porsche RS Spyder sports prototype in Europe, Van Merksteijn Motorsport also scored a commanding class win in the Le Mans 24 Hours. "Winning the final race is a great way to end this season, in which we have enjoyed tremendous success", said Jos Verstappen, the 2008 LMP2 drivers champion in the Le Mans Series. "I am very proud of all we have achieved. Everybody involved has been doing a great job", said driver and team owner Peter van Merksteijn.

Starting from pole position in class, Jos Verstappen had quite an easy run in the first part of the race, being in the car for three stints until Peter van Merksteijn took over during the second safety-car intervention of the race on lap 78. At that time, the Porsche of the Dutch team had a margin of two laps while leading the LMP2 category. The only hiccup was a one-second stop-and-go-penalty for allegedly having used an external battery to fire up the engine of the car on the starting grid. "In fact, we didn't use the battery at all, we just had put it on the car as a precaution", said team manager, Frans Verschuur. "However, the stewards decided otherwise and we had to accept this." The slight delay didn't affect the team's position as Jos Verstappen remained in the lead as he got back onto the track again.

After Peter van Merksteijn's two stints, Jos Verstappen got back into the car on lap 152 and went on to drive the car across the finish line for the last time this season. "I have had a great first season in sportscar racing", said Verstappen. "I have learned a lot in this discipline, which was entirely new to me. Working with this team was a great experience and I rate our victory at Le Mans and the titles in the Le Mans Series among the biggest achievements in my career." Peter van Merksteijn commented: "For our team, the season could hardly have been any better. For me, it was a very nice experience as well and I have really enjoyed every minute of it. Jos has shown that he is an outstanding driver and lets also not forget the performance of Jeroen Bleekemolen who contributed to our victories at Le Mans and the Nürburgring."

Whether and how the team will continue its activities with the Porsche RS Spyder remains yet to be seen. "I am proud that we have been able to contribute a little bit to Porsche s great racing heritage in the first season with the RS Spyder in Europe. Now we will consider all the options and will decide on future activities in due course", said Peter van Merksteijn.

The results of the 1000 km of Silverstone:

Overall:

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1  1 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  195  1:32.535  8
 2 10 Charouz Racing System      Lola Aston Martin         LMP1  193  1:34.160  8
 3 16 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  191  1:35.794  7
 4  2 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  191  1:33.698  9
 5 34 Van Merksteijn Motorsport  Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  191  1:35.675  8
 6 15 Creation AIM               Creation Aim              LMP1  191  1:36.913  7
 7 17 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  190  1:37.189  6
 8  5 Team Oreca Matmut          Courage-Oreca Judd        LMP1  189  1:35.740 10
 9 27 Horag Racing               Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  187  1:36.319  6
10 45 Embassy Racing             WF01 Zytek                LMP2  186  1:38.738  7
11 40 Quifel ASM Team            Lola AER                  LMP2  185  1:37.746  7
12 25 RML                        Lola MG                   LMP2  184  1:38.940  7
13 31 Team Essex                 Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  184  1:36.852  6
14 18 Rollcentre Racing          Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  183  1:38.074  7
15 41 Trading Performance        Zytek 07S                 LMP2  183  1:39.828  6
16  4 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  183  1:39.924  6
17  6 Team Oreca Matmut          Courage-Oreca Judd        LMP1  183  1:35.687 10
18 44 Kruse Schiller Motorsport  Lola Mazda                LMP2  182  1:41.559  7
19  8 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1  182  1:31.166  8
20 59 Team Modena                Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 178  1:46.001  7
21 55 IPB Spartak Racing         Lamborghini               LMGT1 177  1:46.939  7
22 72 Luc Alphand Aventures      Corvette C6.R             LMGT1 174  1:46.954  8
23 35 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP2  174  1:38.934  7
24 61 Strakka Racing             Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 173  1:46.372  6
25 21 Epsilon Euskadi            Epsilon Euskadi Judd      LMP1  172  1:34.955  6
26 96 Virgo Motorsport           Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 172  1:50.065  6
27 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 171  1:51.004  5
28 90 Farnbacher Racing          Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 169  1:51.167  5
29 85 Snoras Spyker Squadron     Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 168  1:52.271  6
30 32 Barazi Epsilon             Zytek 07S                 LMP2  162  1:37.417  8
31 88 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 162  1:53.541  5
32 98 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 160  1:54.911  5
33 26 Bruichladdich Radical      Radical AER               LMP2  160  1:42.231  7
34 93 James Watt Automotive      Aston Martin Vantage      LMGT2 159  1:53.873  7
35 94 Speedy Racing Team         Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 158  1:53.102  8
36 46 Embassy Racing             WF01 Zytek                LMP2  156  1:37.967 10
37 99 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 145  1:52.345  6
38 75 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  91  1:53.071  4
39 14 Creation AIM               Creation Aim              LMP1   89  1:36.286  5
40 33 Speedy Racing Team Sebah   Lola Judd                 LMP2   75  1:37.264  3
41 20 Epsilon Euskadi            Epsilon Euskadi Judd      LMP1   59  1:42.217  3
42 95 James Watt Automotive      Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  55  1:54.283  2
43 91 Farnbacher Racing          Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  51  1:52.127  3
44  7 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1   45  1:33.898  2
45 76 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  38  1:50.485  2
46 37 WR / Salini                WR Zytek                  LMP2    3  1:42.791  1

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1  1 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  195  1:32.535  8
 2 10 Charouz Racing System      Lola Aston Martin         LMP1  193  1:34.160  8
 3 16 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  191  1:35.794  7
 4  2 Audi Sport Team Joest      Audi R10 TDI              LMP1  191  1:33.698  9
 5 15 Creation AIM               Creation Aim              LMP1  191  1:36.913  7
 6 17 Pescarolo Sport            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  190  1:37.189  6
 7  5 Team Oreca Matmut          Courage-Oreca Judd        LMP1  189  1:35.740 10
 8 18 Rollcentre Racing          Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  183  1:38.074  7
 9  4 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP1  183  1:39.924  6
10  6 Team Oreca Matmut          Courage-Oreca Judd        LMP1  183  1:35.687 10
11  8 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1  182  1:31.166  8
12 21 Epsilon Euskadi            Epsilon Euskadi Judd      LMP1  172  1:34.955  6
13 14 Creation AIM               Creation Aim              LMP1   89  1:36.286  5
14 20 Epsilon Euskadi            Epsilon Euskadi Judd      LMP1   59  1:42.217  3
15  7 Team Peugeot Total         Peugeot 908 Hdi-FAP       LMP1   45  1:33.898  2

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1 34 Van Merksteijn Motorsport  Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  191  1:35.675  8
 2 27 Horag Racing               Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  187  1:36.319  6
 3 45 Embassy Racing             WF01 Zytek                LMP2  186  1:38.738  7
 4 40 Quifel ASM Team            Lola AER                  LMP2  185  1:37.746  7
 5 25 RML                        Lola MG                   LMP2  184  1:38.940  7
 6 31 Team Essex                 Porsche RS Spyder         LMP2  184  1:36.852  6
 7 41 Trading Performance        Zytek 07S                 LMP2  183  1:39.828  6
 8 44 Kruse Schiller Motorsport  Lola Mazda                LMP2  182  1:41.559  7
 9 35 Saulnier Racing            Pescarolo Judd            LMP2  174  1:38.934  7
10 32 Barazi Epsilon             Zytek 07S                 LMP2  162  1:37.417  8
11 26 Bruichladdich Radical      Radical AER               LMP2  160  1:42.231  7
12 46 Embassy Racing             WF01 Zytek                LMP2  156  1:37.967 10
13 33 Speedy Racing Team Sebah   Lola Judd                 LMP2   75  1:37.264  3
14 37 WR / Salini                WR Zytek                  LMP2    3  1:42.791  1

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1 59 Team Modena                Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 178  1:46.001  7
 2 55 IPB Spartak Racing         Lamborghini               LMGT1 177  1:46.939  7
 3 72 Luc Alphand Aventures      Corvette C6.R             LMGT1 174  1:46.954  8
 4 61 Strakka Racing             Aston Martin DBR9         LMGT1 173  1:46.372  6

   Nr Team                       Car                       Class Laps Fastest Box
 1 96 Virgo Motorsport           Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 172  1:50.065  6
 2 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 171  1:51.004  5
 3 90 Farnbacher Racing          Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 169  1:51.167  5
 4 85 Snoras Spyker Squadron     Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 168  1:52.271  6
 5 88 Team Felbermayr-Proton     Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2 162  1:53.541  5
 6 98 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 160  1:54.911  5
 7 93 James Watt Automotive      Aston Martin Vantage      LMGT2 159  1:53.873  7
 8 94 Speedy Racing Team         Spyker C8 Laviolette      LMGT2 158  1:53.102  8
 9 99 JMB Racing                 Ferrari F430 GT           LMGT2 145  1:52.345  6
10 75 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  91  1:53.071  4
11 95 James Watt Automotive      Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  55  1:54.283  2
12 91 Farnbacher Racing          Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  51  1:52.127  3
13 76 Imsa Performance Matmut    Porsche 997 GT3 RSR       LMGT2  38  1:50.485  2

Niels Hendrix