COLIN LE MAITRE has had a mixed bag of results of late in the French National Hill-Climb Championship. Racing his powerful two-litre Dallara F302 FL, the local driving star had two disappointing rounds at La Broque and Beaujois Villages.
He then turned in what he called his best performance yet in the championship at Vuillafans Echevannes. ‘The last three have been a mixed bag really,’ said Le Maitre, who owns Autocare Refinishers.
At the La Broque track, which is 50km from Strasbourg in eastern France, the weather played havoc with Le Maitre’s preparations. With the elements not knowing whether to rain or be sunny, the Sarnian was in eighth place after his first run.
For the second, Le Maitre, expecting a dry run up the 2.4km hill, put on slick tyres in the pits.
But by the time he had got to the start line for his turn, the heavens had opened and he had no choice but to go with the dry-weather tyres, which held him back on the slippery road.
He eventually came 18th overall and third in the two-litre class which he has won at previous meetings.
‘The weather was rubbish and it was a very, very bumpy track,’ he said.
‘To be honest, though, I still finished 18th overall, which is still quite good to say that the weather wasn’t very pleasant.’
At the next meeting at Beaujois Villages near Lyon, mechanical problems proved to be Le Maitre’s downfall.
In searing-hot conditions with the thermometer touching 34C in the shade, Le Maitre was the quickest of the two-litre cars after the first run.
But then a faulty fuel pump curtailed any further involvement.
‘I was going very well,’ he said.
‘It’s one of my favourite hills so it’s a bit gutting really.’
After fixing the problem, Le Maitre hit back with a vengeance at the next round at the 2.18km long Vuillafans Echevannes hill in the west of the country.
In wet conditions and with the right tyres this time, Le Maitre had a blinder as he won the two-litre class by 2.9sec.
His best time of 2min. 16.44sec. also saw him go more quickly than a number of established French hill-climb stars such as Daniel Bassora.
‘It was absolutely fantastic and made my long drive home much sweeter,’ said Le Maitre.
‘I quite like driving in the wet and it makes a more even playing field as the big guys can’t use all their power.’
Le Maitre is next action at the weekend at Dunieres, which is 40km from St Etienne.
‘They are going to be trying hard to beat me,’ said Le Maitre.
‘My confidence is quite high but it’s a new track for me as I’ve never raced there before. It’s going to be a challenge.’
Article posted on 15th July, 2008 - 2.29pm
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