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LE MANS |
06/12/2000 |
Saleeen S7R At Le Mans & In The UK |
RML Re-Introduce the Ecurie Ecosse Banner |
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This story is a fascinating mix of the old and the new. The recently launched, RML-built Saleen S7R will race in the Privilege GT Championship and at Le Mans next year under the Ecurie Ecosse name.
Hugh McCaig has born the responsibility for the famous Scottish entrant since 1984, and it was he and Ray Mallock who ran the wonderful little Ecosse C2 cars at Le Mans with such distinction. The diminutive little cars were ideally suited to the Mulsanne Straight, but their greatest success came in 1986 with victory in the C2 (Teams) World Championship. Mallock himself, Mike Wilds and David Leslie drove at Le Mans that year.
Ecurie Ecosse of course won Le Mans overall in 1956 and 1957 with the D Types. Now they’re back, and the Mallock-McHaig connection returns - again, after another liaison in the nineties with a very successful Vauxhall Cavalier (plus a briefer one with the Aston Martins). David Leslie was involved in those efforts too. But now with the Ray Mallock-built Saleen, it’s a full season of domestic GT racing in the UK, plus Le Mans, for 2001.
The C2 car and the Cavalier were winning Mallock ‘designs’, so the pattern is set for the next project. A GTS class win at Le Mans against the Corvettes and privateer Vipers is the target there, while in the Privilege Championship, the Saleen S7R should be in contention for overall wins from the first race. The driver line-up isn’t expected to be known until January, but with a project like this, the drivers are certain to be of the highest order.
Steve Saleen is also expected to enter two cars out of his California base at Le Mans, but the 2001 race might well be remembered for the return of Ecurie Ecosse, Bentley and MG.
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