Photo : Pool ACO - ACO / Nikon

At 10.45 the first of the two Irish-entered cars passes through Scrutineering: the No.48 Murphy Prototypes LM P2 Oreca 03 Nissan.

Irishman Greg Murphy, a former single-seater racer (not the Aussie V8 star) has assembled a team for this year's ELMS together with RLR Motorsport, who used to run the MG Lola team at Le Mans. The team went well at Le Castellet before retirement (Luca Moro joined the squad there) and came close to winning at Spa, finishing 3rd.  Former Formula Renault 3.5 and Red Bull junior driver, Brendon Hartley, joined Jody Firth and Warren Hughes there and makes his debut at Le Mans.

Warren Hughes:   Is the team ready for Le Mans?  “There’s very few teams which can go into Le Mans saying they feel ready.  It’s a huge undertaking to get through unscathed and with a good result.  This is my 9^th Le Mans this year and only twice have I finished – not through any issues I’ve had but car issues or incidents with other drivers.  It’s a very hard event to get through.  From the team point of view, they are as well prepared as we can be at this stage.  We’ve got a very good package with the Oreca Nissan and a very good driver line up – a strong trio. Expectation is quite high especially within the team but I’ve said to the others that I never look at the competition as being from other cars and teams because at Le Mans you’re fighting the race, the event.  That’s what we have to keep in mind.  It’s a cliché but if you can keep the car out of the pits you’ll get a good result.” 

Jody Firth:  First impressions on Le Mans as a competitor:  “It’s quite a different slant for me this year as I was here as a team manager for Embassy Racing in 2008.  I’m seeing it from a totally different point of view this time around and I have to say it’s far more exciting.  The crowds are all so welcoming, they all want to talk to you and get your autograph or photograph and it’s brilliant.  It’s such an amazing atmosphere.  The event is organised extremely well and whenever people ask you what cars you race, you only have to mention 24 Hours of Le Mans and everyone knows what this event is about.  It’s regarded as one of the top three races in the world and it’s phenomenal.  The track is a unique experience to have part streets and part permanent road course where you’re doing over 200 mph at four or five different points on the track.  There’s no event like it.”

Brendon Hartley:  “Sharing a car is still something I’m not completely used to; at Spa it was weird adapting to seeing Jody and Warren driving a car I’d just hopped out of.  It’s hard, and I’m getting used to it now but I really like the team spirit of it.  Everyone’s working together for one goal. As a driver you have to be quite selfish and in sportscars you have to take a different approach.  I really enjoy working with Jody and Warren and the rest of the team. 

“Spa was the longest race I’ve ever done before and I think I adapted quite quickly. At the beginning I had a few little issues with traffic and have learnt you have to be both patient and decisive.  You have to be firm on your moves and it took me a little while to learn when to make a move or not.  By the end of the race I felt I was doing a good job but maybe there’s a lot more to come.  I’m a little bit apprehensive about the 24 hours and not sure what it’s going to be like, especially if it’s raining.  I’m just going to take it as it comes.  I think there’s going to be a lot of adrenaline and a lot of fun.”  

Photo:  CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES (LE MANS, SARTHE). ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL SCRUTINEERING, 11TH JUNE 2012.  The No. 48 Murphy Prototypes Oreca 03-Nissan.