WTCC 2009 Season
SLR 722GT Trophy 2008 Review
03/11/2008
SLR 722 GT TROPHY ONE YEAR ON .
2008 saw the first ever SLR 722 GT Trophy season take place an eagerly awaited series that promised it's members awe-inspiring race cars, some of Europe's finest circuits and a professional, fully dedicated race crew from start to finish. The objective was simple to emulate the race weekends that had inspired the members, however in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere whilst not steering away from the competitive element.
Add to this the breath-taking Eau Rouge at Spa, the dauntingly unforgiving Salzburgring, the almost intangible history of the Nurburgring and a wealth of professional drivers from a range of high-level competitions including Jean Alesi, Klaus Ludwig & Chris Goodwin and the promise was almost delivered before the first round.
The season kicked-off at Paul Ricard in May. Whilst the owner-drivers were staying cautious in their first SLR 722GT Trophy event, the 'Pros' fully demonstrated the car's impressive raw speed and agility, encouraging the owners to feel confident in the car, teaching car set up and perfecting the racing line. As the season unfolded, the number of interested participants increased, a great compliment to the SLR 722GT and Trophy package. In total, no less than 13 cars would take to the track and, as was immediately apparent from the smiling faces of all who drove both in and out of the SLR 722GT they were thrilled by the series. This was paramount for RML and Mercedes.
Amid the sociable paddock and evening entertainment hosted by Mercedes, it was the on-track activity that had people talking. But the season was not without pressure, such as the sweltering heat conditions on the notoriously challenging Monza circuit and the treacherous wet conditions at both Spa-Francorchamps and Nurburgring enough to unnerve the most experienced of drivers on two such uncompromising circuits. But, true to any competitive series, the Trophy provided a mix of feisty characters, all of whom were hunting for championship honours. With spirited drives, optimistic lunges and unyielding but fair moves to outsmart their on-track opponents, the drivers remained undeterred by these tricky conditions. All rose to the challenges that lay ahead and did exactly what they had signed up for, to go 'Racing', with conviction, poise and most importantly, pleasure.
With continual guidance from the 'Pros', Chris Goodwin, Michael Mallock, Klaus Ludwig and Jochen Mass and the occasional iconic presence of Jean Alesi and Bruno Senna, the owners didn't shy away from finding their limits. Equally keen to ensure the owners improved with each lap, the experienced RML Engineers were never far from telemetry and data overlay, striving to better their performance and shave a tenth off here and there. With this belief and encouragement, the owners had embodied the mentality of a racing driver.
The final event of 2008 saw the series return to the Paul Ricard circuit, where the owners could not only indulge their passion for close racing one more time before the winter break, but also sample the 09 spec car, featuring sequential gearbox and enhanced brake package.
Speaking at the event, Project Manager, Paul Field, commented: "It's been a fantastic year and a pleasure to work with such big personalities. As you'd expect from any championship in its infancy, we faced some challenges at the start, be it minor technical issues with the car at the first event or logistical issues. But thanks to a strong team effort, these were quickly resolved. Performance-wise, we couldn't have hoped for more from the SLR 722GTs. The reliability over the season was near perfect, and despite any pre-event fears we may have had for the faster circuits like Monza, or that of Salzburgring, where the smallest of driver errors can cause an accident, the owners' standard of driving and composure throughout was infallible. It was thoroughly enjoyable working with a group of gentleman drivers, all of whom had clear ambition and determination from the start, but who drove with respect and celebrated together as friends."
Looking to 2009, Paul added, "Feedback on the 09 spec SLR 722GT has been very positive so far and if initial testing is anything to go by, the package we're presenting will offer even greater performance. We have every reason to look forward to 2009."
Sara Lambden
