“This is the first time our partners have been able to triple- and double-stint in the LMP and GTE classes respectively at a circuit that is new to us,” notes Serge Grisin, the manager of MICHELIN Compétition’s four-wheel programmes. “Our tyres were perfectly suited to the weekend’s varied conditions, to the layout of the track and to its different types of surface.”

Three weeks after successfully permitting a record-breaking quintuple stint (55 laps) at the Le Mans 24 Hours in June with Audi, MICHELIN produced further evidence of the durability and consistency of its endurance racing tyres today at Imola. Anthony Davidson (N°7 Peugeot 908) and Stéphane Sarrazin (N°8 Peugeot) both completed one triple stint each (95 laps) on medium-compound rubber despite track temperatures of up to 50°C.

“I could even have gone on for a fourth stint, but that would have taken me beyond the maximum duration drivers are allowed to spend in the car at any one time,” explained Stéphane Sarrazin. “When we arrived here, we didn’t think we would be able to exceed double stints, but after the practice sessions we saw that our tyres were extremely consistent so we decided to build a triple stint into our race strategy.”

MICHELIN claimed a resounding one-two finish with Ferrari, too, today at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola. The LM GTE Pro class was fiercely competitive, with three different tyre manufacturers working in association with identical Ferrari 458 Italias. Thanks to the double stints they were able to perform on the same tyres, the MICHELIN-equipped N°71 and N°51 AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italias took the chequered flag in first and second places.

Last but not least, MICHELIN and Porsche finished in first and second places in the LM GTE Am class with the Imsa-Performance Matmut and Proton cars. With one lap to go, the two cars were split by six-tenths of a second, but the latter had to make a splash&dash pit-stop in order to be able to complete the final lap!

The N°8 Peugeot followed up the N°7 Peugeot’s win in the MICHELIN GREEN X Challenge at Spa with another win in the competition (LMP class) for Peugeot at Imola.

Imola 6 hours 2011, Michelin, MICHELIN GREEN X Challenge