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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">LE MANS</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">02/05/2002</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4"> Prodrive withdraw second car from Le Mans</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Crack team to concentrate on entered cars</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/550-side-view.jpg"></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">Prodrive has announced the withdrawal of its second Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello from the reserve entry list for the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Prodrive will now concentrate on the number one entry, which has a confirmed place for the race and will be driven by Enge, Menu and Rydell. The team will be at the Le Mans prequalifying session on May 5. <BR> <BR> Prodrive took the decision following the first round of the FIA GT Championship at Magny-Cours, where two of its customer cars were running with the BMS Scuderia Italia team. This allowed Prodrive to assess the resources required to simultaneously run a two car entry at Le Mans and to support its programme with the BMS Scuderia Team in the FIA GT Championship. <BR> <BR> “Our focus has to be first and foremost on supporting our client,” said George Howard-Chappell, Ferrari team principal. “There is always a finite resource within any motorsport programme and we believe the best way to use ours is to support the two BMS cars in the GT series, and to focus on a single Prodrive entry for Le Mans. <BR> <BR> After some initial teething problems in practice and qualifying, both BMS Ferraris performed well in the first GT race of the season, with Deletraz and Piccini finishing sixth. During the second half, Piccini unlapped his car from the leading battle of Bouchut and Hezemans, showing the potential of the Ferrari. The second car was involved in an incident on lap 10 and retired. <BR> <BR> “Our aim for Le Mans is still to get on the podium in the GTS class and while having two cars would clearly have statistically given us a better chance, we feel we can still achieve this with the single car and strong driver line up,” said Chappell. <BR> <BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>