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Post by jager on Apr 24, 2022 5:08:31 GMT -5
Sticking with the Pescarolo theme, back in 2019 I acquired the #17 sister car to this model. The 2003 Courages run by the Pescarolo team have always been quite sought after cars and and not that easy to find, so when I was offered this sister car to complement my collection I jumped at it. After establishing his own team in 1999 with the Porsche powered Courage C50, Pescarolo Sport expanded for the 2001 season, purchasing two new Peugeot powered Courage C60 chassis for use in the European Le Mans Series and of course Le Mans. However, the best they could achieve at Le Mans that year was a 13th placed finish. For 2002, Pescarolo Sport settled on running a full season of the FIA Sportscar Championship, and recorded a tenth-place finish at Le Mans. For 2003, Pescarolo returned to Le Mans with their two Peugeot powered Courage C60’s, one of which was the car shown here. For the spectators, a dramatic change in livery was the most noticeable difference between the 2002 and 2003 cars. However, the 3.2 litre V6 turbo Pescarolo were no match for the Bentleys and Audis that dominated qualifying. Pescarolo’s Courages could only qualify 11th and 13th against their more powerful works competition. While the #17 Pescarolo took its spot on the grid, the sister #18 car driven by Eric Helary, Soheil Ayari and Nicolas Minassian started the race from 13th place. Once the race was underway, it became a race between Pescarolo’s Courages, the Domes and the Panoz to be “best of the rest” behind the Bentleys and Audis. The two Pescarolos struggled to match the pace of the #11 Panoz, the #15 Dome and the independently run #13 Courage C60. The #18 Courage spent a large part of the race running in 8th position; from the 2nd hour to the 5th hour and again from the 10th hour to the 18th hour. For most of the race the #18 car lead its sister car, but that changed in the 21st hour when the #18 Pescarolo had a problem with the left front axle. It took 22 minutes to repair, costing the #18 entry four laps, allowing the #17 sister car to take 8th position and pushing the #18 car down to 9th position which is where it finished the race. Car : 2003 #18 Courage C60 Team : Pescarolo Sport Drivers : Eric Helary (F)/ Soheil Ayari (F)/ Nicolas Minassian (F) Qualifying : 13th Result : 9th Model : Spark (SPKCG18)
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Post by Tom on Apr 24, 2022 5:41:49 GMT -5
I recall that well because I liked the livery. Nice add!
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Post by Alfaholic on Apr 24, 2022 7:27:45 GMT -5
This was the team I was cheering for at the front of the field in that race. While Peugeot and Pescarolo were the drawcards, the fact that the livery was stunning certainly helped.
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Post by oldirish33 on Apr 24, 2022 8:38:23 GMT -5
Striking cars! Nice find!
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LM24HRS
Member
Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".
Posts: 457
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Post by LM24HRS on Apr 24, 2022 14:36:45 GMT -5
That is indeed a rare find Ian. I believe missing from my collection, need to revisit my 2003 collection. Long time since I looked. I could never work out why this one was so difficult to find in comparison to the sister car, as a Spark Model that is. Thanks for the inviting list by the way.
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Post by jager on Apr 24, 2022 21:57:13 GMT -5
I recall that well because I liked the livery. Nice add! The livery is definitely a standout Tom. Possibly one of the best looking for all the Pescarolo team cars. This was the team I was cheering for at the front of the field in that race. While Peugeot and Pescarolo were the drawcards, the fact that the livery was stunning certainly helped. I remember back in the 2000's the motorsport world was collectively cheering for anyone who might be able to beat Audi (or the green Audi aka the Bentley). Sadly that wasn't to be. Striking cars! Nice find! I find it quite satisfying when you come across these older, obsolete models Jerry. Much more fun that just having a new pre-order arrive! That is indeed a rare find Ian. I believe missing from my collection, need to revisit my 2003 collection. Long time since I looked. I could never work out why this one was so difficult to find in comparison to the sister car, as a Spark Model that is. Thanks for the inviting list by the way. Like you I could never work out why this was so difficult to find Paul.
They don't come up on eBay very often and when they do, they tend to be expensive. Here' a current listing for one:
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Post by jager on Apr 25, 2022 18:11:32 GMT -5
Time to return to a Redline Ferrari from the usual source. In 2001, Care Racing Development commissioned Prodrive to produce a Ferrari 550 GTS with a spaceframe tubular chassis fitted with a Ferrari 6.0 Litre V12 covered with an aerodynamic carbon fibre body. Despite a lack of support from the Ferrari factory, ten examples were built and raced by Prodrive in the FIA GT and American Le Mans Series. This chassis was the 8th 550 built by Prodrive. It debuted at the 2004 Le Mans test day, after Care Racing secured two entries to the 2004 race by taking 1st and 2nd in the one off 2003 1000km of Le Mans. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this car was entered for a highly experienced crew of Tomáš Enge, Alain Menu and Peter Kox, who set the fastest time in the GTS class and started from 17th overall. Right from the start, the #66 Ferrari was locked in a battle with the #64 Corvette for GTS honours. The Corvette lead the Ferrari for the first six hours, with the two rising through the field to be running 5th and 6th overall at the quarter distance mark. However, the Ferrari was able to get the better of the Corvette in the 10th hour and held the lead for the next 10 hours by which time it was running in 5th overall, one place ahead of the Corvette. Unfortunately the #66 Ferrari suffered a wheel bearing failure in the last quarter of the race while holding a commanding lead, requiring an extended pit stop for repairs. While the #64 Corvette went on to finish 6th overall, the #66 Ferrari faded to finish 11th overall and 4th in the GTS class, one place behind Prodrive’s #65 Ferrari. Were it not for the wheel bearing failure, it seems most likely they would have finished 5th overall. Car : 2004 #66 Ferrari 550 MaranelloTeam : Prodrive Racing Drivers : Tomas Enge (CZ)/ Alain Menu (CH)/ Peter Kox (NL) Qualifying : 17th Result : 11th Model : Red Line (RL027)
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Post by DeadCanDanceR on Apr 25, 2022 19:02:08 GMT -5
Quite nice, even with numbers!
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Post by Alfaholic on Apr 25, 2022 22:55:26 GMT -5
This era of front engined Ferraris are particular favourites - I'm please we didn't have to arm-wrestle over this one
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Post by Tom on Apr 26, 2022 0:36:07 GMT -5
I recall Peter Kox driving this, and the fact that it wasn't covered in sponsors' names. Nice clean racer, pity they couldn't maintain their pace.
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Post by reeft1 on Apr 26, 2022 13:18:37 GMT -5
5th place would have been a very impressive achievement
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Post by oldirish33 on Apr 26, 2022 16:08:07 GMT -5
It's interesting that these cars were so long lived in racing. I'm not sure about this car/chassis, but it's sister car at LM in 2004 raced there five times, with the 9th place and class win that year its best LM finish. In between, lots of racing miles and hours in both N.America and Europe. While not my favorite 'modern' Ferrari, the record is impressive. Great model and add!
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Post by jager on Apr 26, 2022 22:24:43 GMT -5
Quite nice, even with numbers! As a race car it has a pretty clear livery which shows off the shape well, so easy to like. This era of front engined Ferraris are particular favourites - I'm please we didn't have to arm-wrestle over this one I agree Martin. As much as I like the 488 (and I know not everyone does), wouldn't it be great to see the 812 Competizione at Le Mans: I recall Peter Kox driving this, and the fact that it wasn't covered in sponsors' names. Nice clean racer, pity they couldn't maintain their pace. With Kox's Dutch connection, is this another potential addition for your collection Tom? 5th place would have been a very impressive achievement I agree, that certainly would have got their attention in Maranello. It's interesting that these cars were so long lived in racing. I'm not sure about this car/chassis, but it's sister car at LM in 2004 raced there five times, with the 9th place and class win that year its best LM finish. In between, lots of racing miles and hours in both N.America and Europe. While not my favorite 'modern' Ferrari, the record is impressive. Great model and add! These were certainly raced far and wide Jerry. I think that's what's needed to make the sport more affordable (though that said the ACO don't seem to have had any trouble finding GT cars in the last 20 years).
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Post by 143rdcorner on Apr 27, 2022 0:12:39 GMT -5
Ahh... PlayStation 2... That's where it all started for me. This whole car addiction. So much nostalgia there
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Post by jager on Apr 28, 2022 0:09:20 GMT -5
Playstation were quite an iconic sponsor a decade ago Grant. Vipers, Orecas, Audi R8s, Pescarolos. You could form quite a nice collection of just Playstation sponsored cars - at a quick count I've got more than 15 in my collection.
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