Ferrari crashed and muffler damaged, then more damage The mechanic Carletti: “Anything can happen in the race”
LE MANS (from)
It was unlikely that he could have started worse than that. In fact, it got worse after just seven hours. The 24 Hours of Le Mans had not yet started and Cetilar’s Ferrari was hit by Ferrari # 71, ending up with a damaged muffler. It seemed that the race was over there, or that at least there was no hope for a prestigious result. This was not the case, as the first stints of Antonio Fuoco, Roberto Lacorte and Giorgio Sernagiotto from Caerano demonstrated. After having changed a door due to a contact that had blown a mirror, the three of the Ferrari # 47 continued their race without experiencing the rear-end collision.
Then, at 11 pm, new trouble, this time big. The Ferrari swerves, another bang that damages the bodywork. You get to the pits but there is nothing to do: it’s retirement, goodbye to dreams. Today we will have to let off some steam, because the dream was really close at hand.
Stefano Carletti was also waiting with trepidation for 4 pm today. Arcade mechanic, he was in the third Le Mans. He had made the first in the garage of Cetilar Villorba Corse following the Dallara P217 of Serna, Lacorte and Andrea Belicchi, then last year he followed them in AF Corse and this year he remains in the endurance team of Ferrari, but changing crew. Ferrari # 83 follows, the one that is giving Cetilar the hardest time this season: «You always try to do your best. The drivers go to the track, but we have to work to give them the most competitive car possible », says Carletti.
The emotion is great: «Le Mans is always Le Mans, with everything that can happen. Last year there was no audience and the atmosphere was different: there was apprehension on the part of everyone, as well as having empty stands. This year the atmosphere is more relaxed, we are almost to normal. The world has changed, but there is even more desire to run this wonderful race », the words he uses to describe the atmosphere around the first 24 Hours in the history of racing in August.
At Le Mans he worked in different teams and above all on completely different cars: «There is always a sense of belonging to the team and to such an important race. The preparation does not change, especially in the box and rear box set-up, fundamental because they accompany you on all days: they must be functional and comfortable. We move on to preparing the car, and then to the race ». After sharing two French adventures with Serna, Lacorte and Belicchi, now Carletti finds them against them not only at Le Mans, but also in the World Endurance Championship: «Every now and then we joke about this new“ rivalry ”between us. The race is won on the track, but our commitment does not change. You always try to stay in front, then in case you try to help others », says Carletti with a smile, reiterating what is the number one rule of the 24 Hours: if any team needs help and you can give it to them, it is unfair to deny them. These are the rules when dealing with the legend. –
Niccolò Budoia