24h Le Mans
Have you always dreamed of owning a car that competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans? Does it seem impossible? Perhaps not...Modern day or vintage cars are both for sale, at auction or otherwise. Short summer summary...
Photo : D.R. - Archives ACO
The name Gérard Welter will always be linked to the in-race speed record at the Mulsanne Straight realized by Roger Dorchy with an WM P88 in 1988 at 405km/h. A record that will most likely never be broken since it was achieved prior to the installation of the chicanes.
In 1990, the WR team (for Welter Racing) was created with the mission of uniting motorsports enthusiasts in general, and of endurance in particular, who develop cars in their free time.
Not qualified in 1998 and 1999, at a time when the goal of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day was to select the fastest competitors for the race, WR presented two cars in the LMP675 class in 2000. Result: a 26th place and a retirement.
In 2001, the French outfit returned to La Sarthe with its new prototype, the LM2001, still in the LMP675 class. Despite limited means, the 02 chassis driven by Stéphane Daoudi, Jean-René de Fournoux and Yojiro Terada (29 participations at Le Mans) would cross the finish line in 19th place overall, but in 2nd place in a depleated class.
So as better to prepare the 2002 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, WR participed in the 12 Hours of Sebring, but Stéphane Daoudi, Jean-René de Fournoux and A.J. Smith were forced to retire following the Peugeot engine's breakdown. The experience that was gained was useful in La Sarthe as the 02 chassis passed under the checkered flag in second place in the LMP675 class, in the same lap as the winner. The podium was bittersweet for Welter, the team having witnessed the loss of the class win in the final lap...
The LM2001 prototype having demonstrated its reliability two years in a row, Welter decided to enter it again in 2003 under the name of his wife, Rachel, along with his new creation, the LM2003, entered under his own name. Unfortunately, the latter had to abandon while the former was not ranked for its very last race.
The yellow LM2001-02 chassis and its Peugeot engine are for sale on the website CarClassic.com for 225,000 euros and are available immediately.
Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, JUNE 15 2002. The WR prototype that finished second in the LMP675 class is for sale.
