Carey's Barcelona debut in Le Mans Cup
Ratoath driver Cian Carey made his debut today in the European Michelin Le Mans Cup with Italian outfit TS Corse in Barcelona.
Carey stepped up from a successful three years in Formula 3 where he was the first driver to win back-to-back British F3 titles.
Today's season-opener was a new challenge of endurance racing in a prototype LMP3 car, sharing the car with Italian teammate Pietro Peccenini.
Joining the Le Mans Cup grid for one of the biggest championships in the world will see the Meath man compete against some of the highest level racing drivers.
The first race of the season was won by Michael Benham and Tommy Foster.
Foster took the chequered flag after Garett Grist, in the Team Virage Ligier, didn’t come in for the last mandatory pit stop as a Full Course Yellow (FCY) was called.
Grist had to go all the way around to pit just as a FCY period was ending.
Grist emerged from the pit ane behind the Ligier and ahead of the third-placed United Autosports Ligier.
There was lots of drama during the two-hour race.
The WTM Powered by Phoenix Duqueine of Thorsten Kratz spun in the middle of the pack at the start of the race forcing several cars to take to the escape road, but there were no collisions.
The DKR Engineering Duqueine of Jon Brownson spun off into the gravel at T11/T12 and the first of three Safety Car periods was declared. The period lasted 8 minutes.
After 44 minutes of racing the second Safety Car was deployed after the Mühlner Motorsport Ligier of Erwin Creed spun on the kerbs and speared across the track into the wall, spreading debris across the track.
Creed emerged from the wrecked car and walked away unaided.
After 64 minutes the third Safety Car was deployed when the Cool Racing Ligier, now with Josh Skelton at the wheel, ended up in the gravel at T10 and had to be rescued. This Safety Car period lasted 13 minutes.
The Carey / Peccenini combination finished 21st
NEXT UP
3rd - 5th June - Paul Ricard (France)
8th - 10th July - Monza (Italy)
18th - 21st August - Le Mans (France)
16th - 18th September - Spa Francorchamps (Belgium)
22nd - 24th October - Portimao (Portugal)