After a major accident on Wednesday in qualifying, the Krohn Racing team had to rebuild their Ferrari chassis from a donor car into full ACO Le Mans specification. Below are some interesting facts and timeline specifics about the complexities of the effort:
· The leased Ferrari 458 donor car from Edelcriss Racing was located in Northern Italy and driven via racing transporter by a truck driver and mechanic for 1,100 miles to the Le Mans Circuit in under 15 hours, departing at 11:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, June 19
· The leased car was rolled into the Krohn Garage at Le Mans at 2:15 p.m. local time on Thursday, June 20
· The Krohn team stripped the wrecked Krohn Racing Ferrari 458 Wednesday night and Thursday morning for potential re-use of undamaged parts
· Ten Krohn Racing mechanics, Ferrari personnel and donor car mechanic worked nine hours straight (from 2:15 p.m. until 11:15 p.m.) for a total of 90 man hours in order to get the car rebuilt and on pit lane for the final Qualifying Practice session on Thursday night, June 20.
· They were required to turn a complete car of similar but different specification into a Le Mans/ACO rules specific GTE-Am car
· The minimal time required the team build out a race worthy and legal GTE-Am Ferrari by 11:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, June 20th in order for Krohn Racing driver, Maurizio Mediani, a Le Mans rookie, to complete the required five night laps in order to qualify as an approved driver for the 90th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
· Once the team had the car rebuilt, Mediani in the driver’s seat and ready to release at 11:15 p.m. on Thursday for the final qualifying Practice session, a red flag was thrown for the session. It was restarted at approximately 11:25 p.m. local time, giving Mediani only 35 minutes to complete his required laps.
· The rebuilt Ferrari was ACO approved to take part in Thursday night’s Qualifying session, the Krohn Team has much additional work still to be completed on Friday prior to the 90th anniversary running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
· The Michelin-shod No. 57 Krohn Racing Ferrari 458 will be sent to ACO Scrutineering in the Parc Ferme at 3:00 p.m. Friday.
· Krohn Racing Owner/Driver, Tracy W. Krohn, was traveling approximately 190 kilometer/120 miles per hour at the time the car came out from under him and he applied the brakes. He hit the tire wall just after the Dunlop Curve at approximately 130 kilometers/81 miles per hour at 7:10 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19 during Free Practice
· Approximately 500 zip ties were used in the car rebuild and a countless cups of coffee were consumed
A time-lapse film of the car's re-build can be found via the ACO's website HERE
Information from Krohn Racing
