The Zhuhai 6 Hours : The high point of an exceptional season

The Zhuhai 6 Hours on 13^th November is the last of the seven rounds on the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup calendar. The world series of endurance races will crown its champions at the end of this ultimate, eagerly-awaited battle.

In the wake of the popular success of the 2010 Zhuhai 1000 km, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, creator of the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1923 and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2010, is very pleased to return to the Chinese circuit for the last race on its 2011 calendar. At the end of this event, renamed the Zhuhai 6 Hours for 2011, the champions of what has been an exceptional year so far will be known, as was also the case in 2010. The second ILMC began at Sebring (United States) followed by Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), Imola (Italy), Silverstone (England), Petit Le Mans (USA) without forgetting the Le Mans 24 Hours on 11^th-12^th June, the blue riband event on the calendar.

Audi scored a memorable victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours as its surviving car, after the spectacular accidents (fortunately without injury) that eliminated the team’s other two R18 TDIs, fought off the attacks of the four Peugeots till the very end. Only 13 seconds separated the winners,Tréluyer-Lotterrer-Fässler, from the second-placed Peugeot driven by Bourdais-Pagenaud-Lamy after 24 hours. In the four events held up till now (the next one being the Petit Le Mans on 1^st October), Peugeot has scored a clean sweep.

The duel between the two main protagonists in the ILMC with works prototypes in the top category LM P1 will continue in Zhuhai, an event that will prove decisive in the attribution of the titles. It is a race which Peugeot and Audi are determined to win as the year draws to a close, as much for prestigious as for economic reasons.

It will be the same in LM GT. Ferrari is leading the overall classification for manufacturers, but BMW, Porsche and Corvette are in hot pursuit of the prestigious Italian make whose drivers are two Formula 1 hot shoes, Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni.

Cars representing eight major manufacturers officially entered in the ILMC (Audi, Aston Martin, Peugeot, BMW, Ferrari, Corvette, Lotus and Porsche) divided up into four categories (LM P1, LM P2, LM GTE Pro and LM GTE Am) will do battle on the demanding Zhuhai track on 13^th November. The teams entered for the year will be backed up by Chinese squads whose names are still to be confirmed.
 

Thanks to the Zhuhai 6 Hours, the magic of the Le Mans 24 Hours has arrived in China. It will be boosted by hard-hitting meet-the-teams-and-drivers promotional operations aimed at the Chinese public. It will be an exceptional event, not to be missed at any price!

The Zhuhai International circuit

The Zhuhai International circuit near Macao and Hong Kong was the first motor racing circuit built in China. Thanks to this track opened in 1996, car racing gained a foothold in the most populous country in the world. Zhuhai has become the heart of numerous local teams dreaming of conquering the world of endurance one day. The first ILMC ended in Zhuhai in 2010 with Peugeot and Ferrari winning the manufacturers’ championships in the prototype and GT categories. In 2011, the ZIC will have the honour of closing another international season of endurance.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
2^nd Zhuhai 6 Hours
13th November 2011
Seventh of the seventh rounds of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

Circuit : Zhuhai International Circuit (China), 4,317 km long.

2010 winners: Montagny-Sarrazin (F-F), Peugeot 908 HDi FAP , 232 laps, 1 001,8 km covered in 5 h 35 m 39.053s (av. speed: 179,1 km/h).

2010 pole postion: Sarrazin (F), Peugeot 908 HDi FAP : 1m 21.868s (av. speed: 189,9 km/h)

Fastest lap in the 2010 race : Montagny (F), Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, 1m 22.296s (av. speed: 188,9 km/h)

ILMC Classifications
(after the Silverstone 6 Hours, fifth of the seven rounds of the 2011 ILMC )

Manufacturers
LM P1 : 1. Peugeot 153 pts - 2. Audi, 108
LM GTE : 1. Ferrari 128 pts - 2. BMW 108 - 3. Porsche 84 - 4. Corvette 75 - 5. Aston Martin, 12 - 6. Lotus : 10.

Teams
LM P1 : 1. Peugeot Sport Total, 81 - 2. Audi Sport Team Joest 74 pts - 3. Team Oreca Matmut, 34 - 4. Rebellion Racing, 33 etc.
LM P2 : 1. Signatech Nissan, 68 pts - 2. Level 5 Motorsports 42 - 3. OAK Racing 41.
LM GTE Pro : 1. AF Corse 83 pts - 2. BMW Motorsport 74 - 3. Luxury Racing 20 ;- 4. Lotus Jetalliance 17.
LM GTE Am : 1. Larbre Compétition 65 pts - 2. Proton Competition, 37 - 3. Krohn Racing and AF Corse 35 etc.

NB : Before the Zhuhai 6 Hours (13^th November 2011), the next round of the ILMC will be the Petit Le Mans on the Road Atlanta circuit (USA, Georgia), 1^st October 2011. 

ILMC INFORMATION AND RESULTS

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