Audi legend Marco Werner competed for the second time at the Le Mans Classics and won the runs for Grid 6 of the years of construction until 1982. Werner competed on a Porsche 936, which moved at the beginning of the eighties, among others Stefan Bellof. The Cologne racing legend Rolf Stommelen also moved the 936 at the 1000 km race on the Nürburgring.
In Grid 2 there were double shifts for Marco Werner at the beginning, since he competed in a 1955 Lotus MK9 and a 1954 Maserati A6 GCS. In Grid 3, the three-time Le Mans winner moved a 1961 Maserati Birdcage. This car was used in 1961 at the 12 Hours of Sebring. At the Volant no less then Phil Hill, Stirling Moss and Masten Gregory.
“This is already a hard piece of work, a lot of rest between the grids I can not rest” said Marco Werner, “In the first training session on Grid 2 I had to drive both cars to qualify myself. Then back to the paddock, turn off the car and run directly to the pre-start to take over the birdcage, the helmet I have not lost weight for it” Werner grinned.
The hardest piece of work was then in Grid 6 with the former Kremer Porsche 936. The car, perfectly prepared by Britec Motorsport, put Marco Werner on fourth position with his Le Mans experience in practice. “It is in the class powerful to the point, because some gentlemen are really gas!” Paid tribute to the competition after training respect.
The Lotus MK9, driven by owner Bernd Langewiesche, unfortunately mucked pretty early with power interruptions. So they decided to treat Werner a little more break and Langewiesche continued his runs alone. “Pity,” said Marco Werner “the Lotus has made a lot of fun despite its low power of 110 hp. That would have annoyed me a few more powerful cars, since we were training in 16th overall. “Also for the Maserati A6 decided to let the owner drive alone that Werner could focus more on the faster cars.
In Grid 3, Werner triumphed in the first race and had to defeat only 6/100 from the overpowering Jaguar with Chris Ward. “Morally, but I feel like a winner,” grinned Werner, but at the same time to get rid of a little frustration. “I managed well and safely and did not lose that until the last lap. I could live with that if Ward did not break all the rules … I had a good lead, but Ward drove me to the rear in a slow zone. The result list shows that he is 28 seconds faster in the lap than anyone else. Unbelievable that nothing happens. But when you see that the main sponsor of the event is Ward’s team … “, Werner summarized somewhat disappointed.
In the second race Werner had to give up with a fancy first gear. But still drove a few laps confidently in second place until the pit stop. “I had no noises in the transmission. The first gear had only no more propulsion. I could switch, but nothing went forward. During the pit stop, the team then decided not to risk using the gearbox and preferring to leave the car. Too bad “so Werner disappointed. So also with the Maserati Birdcage.
Werner ran the finish line in race one barely second, but was still the winner because the first place did not comply with his pit stop time and the box left 5 seconds too early. Werner, on the other hand, even “dangling” a little over ten seconds at the stop.
The runs two and three went sovereign to Werner, who moved the Porsche 936 to the delight of the 123,000 spectators at the limit. Not everything went round, so you always saw Werner at the limit to get a head start, just in case. “Again and again there were problems with the brakes at the high temperatures. This is uncomfortable when traveling at high speed in Le Mans. There were sometimes steam bubbles and a few dropouts. Later, the transmission also mucked, “Werner wrote. “But my team did a great job and kept the car on time and brought it to the grid on time. I’m proud of the guys from Britec Motorsports, especially Diethelm Werbinsky, who was already my chief mechanic at Formula 3 times, “said Werner.
Thus, Marco Werner drove for his fourth overall Le Mans victory after his victories with Audi in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. With constant fast laps Werner set early a cornerstone for the first victory at the Le Mans Classic. Amazing how Werner moved vehicles from different eras repeatedly at the limit and the audience enjoyed his driving style.
“It was a lot of fun, but it was also exhausting. It’s a bit like a time travel with these cars. Amazing what the drivers did at the time. I have been steamed in every car. The Porsche 936 had even the steering wheel at the end about 80 degrees temperature” groaned the lucky winner. Werner moldered the soles of his feet with the Maseratis. Almost an hour in historic cars are almost worse than 4 hours, the Werner partly driving with the modern Audi, he admitted. Without getting any sleep during the race night, Werner sat in his Audi on Sunday evening and tackled the scarce 900 kilometers into his Swiss homeland. Le Mans pure and a long distance specialist.