Proton Competition faced challenges in Qatar, including a pre-race fire with their #77 Mustang, but showed resilience. Both the #77 and #88 Mustangs performed well, with significant placements in the race. Tuck, reflecting on the race, expressed disappointment yet acknowledged the team’s efforts. The team aims to build on these experiences in the next race at Imola.
Proton Competition had a mixed experience during the FIA World Endurance Championship’s race in Qatar, despite their Ford Mustang LMGT3 showing significant promise. The team faced challenges early on, notably when the 77 entry piloted by Ben Tuck caught fire during the pre-event testing, which hindered their preparations.
After a remarkable recovery, the 77 Mustang took to the track in the first practice session, where Bernardo Sousa achieved a 16th-place qualifying position among 18 competitors. The team showcased resilience during the race, with the Mustang climbing to second place in its class at one point before Tuck temporarily led the field, demonstrating impressive skills on his full-time FIA WEC debut.
Tuck expressed some disappointment regarding the incident involving tire performance that led to a loss of position. He noted, “Bernardo made a great start, and everything was going really smoothly. I really enjoyed my double stint and managed to pull off some overtakes. I’m just sad for the team, as they did such a brilliant job getting the car ready for the race.”
The sister 88 Mustang also exhibited commendable performance, with Stefano Gattuso securing a top ten qualifying position, followed by Giammarco Levorato’s successful run in the Hyperpole shootout. The resulting tenth-place finish was a significant achievement for Gattuso, Levorato, and Dennis Olsen, as Proton Competition aims to build on this momentum in the upcoming race at the 6 Hours of Imola from April 18-20.
Despite the setbacks faced in Qatar, Proton Competition exhibited resilience and potential with their Ford Mustang LMGT3. The team demonstrated remarkable recovery and competitive spirit, as evidenced by their drivers’ performances. Moving forward, the results from this race serve as a foundation for future improvements and optimism for the upcoming 6 Hours of Imola.
Original Source: www.fiawec.com
