Champion Racing

3 Aug - Johnny Herbert and JJ Lehto earned Team ADT Champion Racing its fourth consecutive American Le Mans Series rostrum finish when the Anglo-Finnish duo steered their Audi R8 home in to second place today at Trois Rivières in Quebec, Canada.

Lehto started from the front row of the 30-car grid after the Florida team equalled its season’s best start position courtesy of Herbert’s first qualifying drive of the year.

JJ slotted in behind the pole-starting Marco Werner (Joest Audi) and at one-third distance, trailed Werner by 6.7secs - the Audi pair well clear of Butch Leitzinger/James Weaver (MG Lola).

Lehto made his scheduled fuel stop after 69 minutes (lap 64) but the race went full course yellow moments later. Werner pitted during the caution period allowing co-driver Biela to inherit an almost full one-lap lead.

Biela led Lehto by 46.9-secs at mid-distance with 82-laps clocked up and with 47-minutes to run, an exhausted Lehto brought the ADT Champion Audi in to the pits for a driver change and full service (fuel and tires).

Herbert, contesting the 20^th ALMS race of his career, resumed now almost two laps behind Biela although the Joest Audi’s final scheduled pit-stop eight minutes later reduced the deficit - especially when the starter motor failed to engage properly.

Herbert put Biela under intense pressure in the closing stages to get back on the lead lap which he did with six minutes remaining. Johnny ultimately took the checker 55.503-seconds behind Biela after 169 tough laps around the 1.521-mile, 11-turn street circuit.

Canada hosts the fifth round of the ALMS on 17 August at the Mosport International Raceway, Bowmanville, Ontario.

Johnny Herbert:

“The race was decided at the first pit-stops, with us pitting for fuel under normal race conditions and Joest stopping during the caution period. It was a physical race, the bumpy nature of the track and the humid conditions combining to make it tiring. The car was good throughout my run, there was just too much time to make up on the Joest Audi.”

JJ Lehto:

“I pushed as hard as I could and we stayed pretty close but we made our first pit-stop too early and then the race went full course yellow moments later. I drove for over two-hours, on the same set of tires, and I was totally exhausted at the end. I couldn’t do up the seat belts for Johnny – I had no feeling in my fingers for the last 20 minutes of my stint.”

2003 America Le Mans Series – Driver’s Standings (after 4 races)

1 Frank Biela (Joest Audi) / Marco Werner (Joest Audi), 82

3 JJ Lehto (Champion Audi), 74
4 Johnny Herbert (Champion Audi), 71
5 Olivier Beretta (Panoz), 47

6 Didier Theys (MG Dallara), 36

2003 America Le Mans Series – Teams’ Standings (after 4 races)

1 Infineon Team Joest, 86
2 Team ADT Champion Racing, 74