- Racing drivers Chris Froggatt (GBR) & Jonathan Hui (HKG) take an unexpected podium at the iconic Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe
- The duo achieve success at the Road to Le Mans event; setting their sights on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future
GT World Challenge Europe
Riding off the success last week where both drivers scored double podium results in the GT World Challenge Europe Magny-Cours races, the Sky Tempesta Racing drivers continued their dream week in France by achieving a remarkable podium result on their debut at the Road to Le Mans event.
Two 55 minute races were held this past weekend at the historic Circuit de la Sarthe in France as support races to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans. Froggatt and Hui got a taste of the Le Mans podium by finishing 3rd in Race 2, the pair sharing the wheel of the Sky Tempesta Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo.
The Road to Le Mans category is a support race to the main 24 Hours of Le Mans, designed to give drivers crucial experience on one of motorsports most challenging circuits before taking on the full 24 hour event. Despite having not more than 12 laps of practice time each, Hui and Froggatt showed their pace over the weekend, qualifying 7th and 5th in the GT3 class before taking a 4th place in Race 1 and an impressive podium finish for Race 2.
Qualifying Result
- Qualifying 1 | Chris Froggatt
P7 | 3:57.424 - Qualifying 2 | Jonathan Hui
P5 | 4:01.956
Race 1 [Starting Position – P7 | 3:57.424]
Jonathan Hui was in charge of starting the race for the #93 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo, and held his position on the first lap scramble. Hui avoided any drama, and quickly settled into a rhythm, slip-streaming the cars ahead on the long Mulsanne straight. His strong and consistent race pace meant that he made up several positions during his stint, and handed the car over to Froggatt in 5th position.
Being a new entrant at the Road to Le Mans, the #93 Ferrari of Hui and Froggatt had a 5 second handicap added during the pit-stop. When Froggatt emerged from the pits, he set his sights on making up for lost time. He was immediately on the pace, setting lap-times close to what he had done in Qualifying. Froggatt was locked in multiple battles on track in the closing half of the race, and crossed the line in 4th position, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
Race 2 [Starting Position – P5 | 4:01.956]
Race 2 began with tricky conditions from the rain that had fallen overnight. The team decided to send Froggatt out on slick tyres due to the race starting under the safety car. Despite the unforgiving weather, the Briton masterfully held on and made up several positions as others faltered. His pace on a drying circuit meant that he closed up the gaps, putting the team in a position to score a great result.
Froggatt then pitted and handed the car over to Hui who emerged after all cars cycled through the pit stops in 2nd position with just under half of the race to go and just ahead of a PRO Ferrari driver, and was eventually passed by the faster car. He kept his head down and made no mistakes despite the still drying track, managing to maintain a gap to the 4th place car. Hui’s adaptability in challenging conditions behind the wheel of the #93 Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 meant that he crossed the line in 3rd place, sealing an extraordinary podium on their debut at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Their unexpected success paves a clear path towards a full-fledged attempt at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future, a dream for both drivers.
QUOTES
Jonathan Hui | Driver #93 Sky Tempesta Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo
“I’m very pleased with the result as we have achieved the maximum possible with a P3 in Race 2, and to get a taste of what it’s like to stand on the Le Mans podium. Our main objective for the weekend was to gain experience, every lap at the Circuit de la Sarthe is precious and will undoubtedly prove useful as we move closer to a full assault on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the future.”Chris Froggatt | Driver #93 Sky Tempesta Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo
“Going into the weekend, we had no expectation for a top result. The Road to Le Mans sprint races proved to be a brilliant opportunity to get some track time on this legendary circuit. To walk away with a podium finish is an absolute dream. We will be eyeing an opportunity in the future to compete in the full 24 hours of Le Mans”
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