Tag: Allan Simonsen

Categories
Bathurst 12 Hour

Allan Simonsen Pole Position Trophy for Bathurst 12hr

Allan Simonsen

Race organisers for the Bathurst 12 Hour have announced they will be honouring the memory of Allan Simonsen by awarding an annual pole position trophy in his name starting with the 2014 race (7–9 February).

Simonsen passed away after an accident at Le Mans earlier this year and the trophy for the fastest qualifier at the Bathurst 12 Hour has the blessing of his family and Maranello Motorsport, the team he raced with in the 12 hour.

“The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour team has the full support of our family to create the Allan Simonsen Pole Position trophy,” said Benny Simonsen, Allan’s younger brother and fellow GT racer.

“He told me that Bathurst was his favourite track and he just loved to go there. It is an honour to have the pole position award to be named after him.”

The Danish sportscar ace was blisteringly fast around Mount Panorama and set a number of lap records at the wheel of a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3.

In other changes to qualifying for the Bathurst 12 Hour the Class A (International GT3) competitors will get a 15 minute qualifying period to themselves after open qualifying has finished. This has been done to allow the cars in outright contention an opportunity to set a lap time with fewer cars on track.

At previous events pole position was decided by a combination of times by a car’s fastest two drivers. In 2014 the quickest lap by any single driver will stand and there will be no penalties for going faster than the nominated ‘benchmark time’.

That’s great news for fans and competitors alike as we’ll finally get to see just how quick GT3 cars can be around the mountain.

[Source: Bathurst 12hr]

Categories
Motorsports News WEC

A foundation for Allan Simonsen

Allan Simonsen

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest brings word of a foundation which has been set up by the Danish Automobile Sports Union in honour of Allan Simonsen, who was killed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last month:

A fund was established on the 26th of June following the many expressions of sympathy from fans of motor sport in Denmark and around the world. Donations can be made on the following account number in the Danish bank, Jyske Bank A/S: IBAN DK1350780001117416, SWIFT (BIC-address): JYBADKKK. Donations can be made until 31 December 2013. DASU will hand over the donated amounts to Allan Simonsen’s fiancée Carina Lundbye Hansen at a ceremony in Copenhagen held on 22 January 2014.

The DASU added: “It is with great honor that DASU supports the memory of Allan Simonsen. We have closely followed his career all the way back from the karting years and we are convinced that Allan had the talent to even greater successes.”

[Source: 24-lemans.com]

Categories
Porsche WEC

Porsche has class

Porsche 911 RSR

Porsche has released a short highlights package from their winning effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They’re a company that has achieved great things at La Sarthe.

There’s the 16 outright wins, of course, but by winning the GTE Pro and Am categories this year they racked up the 99th and 100th wins for Porsche at the famous race.

Not a bad way for the new 991-based 911 RSR to debut in its first Le Mans race. We wonder what their return to LMP1 will bring in 2014?

And, as the closing sequence shows of the highlights video, Porsche is also a company that has a lot of class.

Continue reading “Porsche has class”
Categories
Aston Martin Motorsports

Allan Simonsen 1978–2013

Allan Simonsen

It’s with a heavy heart that we emerge from our week away to mention the death of Allan Simonsen at the 24 Hours of Le Mans over the weekend.

Allan raced in GT endurance events all over the world, notably V8 Supercars, Le Mans and at the Nürburgring 24 Hour Race. Simonsen also attracted attention in Australia when he piloted a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 to a then outright Bathurst lap record during the 2012 Bathurst 12 Hour.

Fellow Dane Tom Kristensen dedicated his ninth Le Mans victory to Simonsen last night during a sombre post-race ceremony.

Simonsen was driving a V8 Vantage for Aston Martin Racing in the GTE Am category and crashed on the fourth lap. His car left the road at the Tetre Rouge corner, hitting an armco barrier. He was extracted from the car and rushed to the trackside medical centre, where he died shortly after. It’s the first in competition fatality at the 24 Hours of Le Mans since Jo Gartner in 1986.

An official statement on Simonsen’s passing from race organisers can be read here.

At the request of Simonsen’s family Aston Martin Racing continued to participate in the race, who had strong representation in the GTE Pro and Am categories.

Selected comments from Allan’s team and fellow competitors are listed below:

“It’s been an emotional weekend. No one could have ever thought it would start as it did. Our thoughts are with Allan, his family and all the mates he made around the world during his racing career.”
Darren Turner, Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE #97

“The tragedy in the opening hours of the race overshadowed the great performance of the Aston Martin Racing team. I am proud of everybody for demonstrating great speed, professionalism and competitiveness right up to the end of 24th hour. This achievement is a truly fitting tribute to Allan Simonsen.”
Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO

“He [Allan] was a very modest and nice person. That’s why I’m experiencing highs and lows this time. With respect to my ninth victory: I’m driving with determination and the ambition my father inspired in me. He died in March. Before his death, he told me that I’d win Le Mans this year with my team-mates. I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to celebrate another victory with Loïc and Allan that I can dedicate to my father. Because this Le Mans success I’m dedicating to Allan Simonsen.”
Tom Kristensen, Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2

“Our joy, however, is also mixed with sadness and shock at the death of Allan Simonsen. We have not only lost a passionate racer, but also a good friend of the Porsche motorsport family. He contested his first Le Mans 24 Hours in 2007 with a Porsche. With our works driver Marc Lieb in 2005, he contested two races of the Le Mans Endurance Series in a Porsche as well. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family as well as the Aston Martin squad and his teammates at this difficult time.”
Dr Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG

Simonsen was 34-years-old and leaves behind a wife and young daughter.