11.04.2004 COLIN MCRAE GETS SOME SERIOUS LAPS UNDER HIS BELT WITH THE PRODRIVE FERRARI 550 MARANELLO AT THE LMES PAUL RICARD TEST

Summertime for two days, sun and a moderate mistral wind, outside temperatures from 8°C to 16°C and 17°C to 26°C at the 5,759km Paul Ricard track, these were the optimum conditions of the first official practices of the Le Mans Endurance Series.

Two Ferrari teams were present, Prodrive ran a GTS class Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello for Colin McRae, while Autopalace brought a Ferrari 360 Modena.

After his first test in the Care Racing Ferrari 550 Maranello at a wet Snetterton a fortnight ago, Colin McRae was finally able to get down to some serious running on a dry track. The Scottish former World Rally Championship, ran 66 laps on the opening day, setting a fastest time of 1:49.790, while on day two he turned in 110 laps posting a slightly faster best time of 1:49.744. However with no other GTS runners present, no meaningful comparison of times could be drawn.

The other Ferrari team to attend were GT racing regulars, Autopalace. They ran a single 360 Modena for Frenchman Steeve Hiesse and Italian Jianpaolo Ermolli. On the opening day the French outfit ran 72 laps, the best time in 1:58.414. However, they did not take part in day two.

Overall fastest time over the two day test was set by Tom Kristensen in the Team Goh Audi R8 in 1:39.411.