A 62-year-old amateur driver has been banned from racing Le Mans for 24 hours this weekend after being involved in three separate incidents during practice.
Frenchman Philippe Simadomo blamed “transient errors” for two separate incidents during the opening practice session – one that caused a heavy accident for the opponent and another that was missed nearby.
Simadomo suffered his own shunt during the third practice session on Thursday night (AEST).
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In their report, the stewards determined that Simadomore’s driving was not “up to the standards required for safe participation in the rest of the event.”
“The driver explained to Stewards that he had previously competed in LMP2 cars without incident, and that incidents during FP1 and FP3 represented momentary errors, “the statement said.
“Furthermore, he said he felt he gained experience throughout the practice session and felt more confident in his ability to compete. However, the stewards came to the conclusion that a pattern existed which could not be ignored at this time.
“Therefore, on the recommendation of the race director, the stewards prohibit Philip Simadomo from participating in the rest of the competition for the safety of himself and other competitors.”
Cimadomo will compete as an amateur in the LMP2 Pro-Am class. It was his first Le Mans 24hr, competing in several endurance races on low-power equipment elsewhere.
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