Saturday in Le Mans Part 3 - One-two for MKR Renault

12. October 2013Le Mans - The temperatures have hovered around a chilly 10°C the whole day now, but the result of the evening’s race was very heartwarming for MKR chief Mario Kress — a one-two for Bösiger and Lacko, and that in the heartland of Renault Trucks! The company presented its new models here only yesterday, and many of the guests could celebrate a victory together with the Renault top management. But the euphoric moment arrived only after a lot of patient waiting. There had been delays in the races of the supporting programme, and it was already dusk when the trucks took the start. There was some disquiet in the starting ranks about having to race in the night — but this event is, after all, “24 Heures Camions”.
On the first lap itself Frenchman Jeremy Robineau’s MAN collided with that of his German colleague Reinert, whose blue battleship spun around and stalled right there. A cloud of steam arose, and silhouetted against the setting sun, it looked like Reinert’s truck would burst into flame. The race was broken off immediately.
There was a further delay before the race was restarted. Reinert was back in the start formation, his MAN running problem-free. But the outer rear rim appeared to have some damage, and the truck was promptly ruled out of the race by the FIA’s eagle-eyed technical delegate.
The restart was relatively eventless. Polesitter Mäkinen let both MKR Renaults of Bösiger and Lacko past uncontested, and the duo promptly pulled out a gap on the rest of the field to take an effortless one-two victory. The Finn meanwhile had to parry persistent attacks from Vršecký. Halfway through the race the Czech had worn him down, sweeping past with Kiss on his tail. The first four places were thus decided; Now Mäkinen was determined to hold on to fifth, come what may. Behind him, meanwhile, Albacete was determined to put as many places as possible between himself and Hahn, who was locked in combat with Oestreich — after all, every place meant a gap of one point more. But Mäkinen was giving in to none of Albacete’s advances, and Hahn meanwhile had gotten the better of Oestreich. The last two points finishers were Janiec and the Spanish race-by-race pilot Javier Mariezcurrena (MAN).
MKR Technology (Lacko / Bösiger) was, obviously, the top team, ahead of Castrol Team Hahn Racing (Hahn / Mäkinen) and Truck Sport Lutz Bernau (Albacete / Oestreich).
Albacete now has 394 points, only four more than Hahn. They are followed by Oestreich (309), Kiss (286), Vršecký (278), Lacko (214), and Bösiger (186).