Despite Downpours, Michael Marsal Displays Strong Drive in Series Finale

In a series finale weekend plagued by rain and treacherous track conditions which ultimately saw the race called two hours short of the scheduled race distance, Michael Marsal and his co-drovers Markus Paltalla, Billy Johnson and Andy Priaulx combined to drive their shared No. 97 Alvarez & Marsal / IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 home to an 11th place finish in the Petit Le Mans on Saturday. After electing to sit out a wet qualifying session on Friday, Marsal started the season-ending 10-hour endurance event from the 12th position on the grid. With an unrelenting, but variable, rain falling through his opening stint, Marsal displayed excellent rain driving in spite of deteriorating track conditions as he splashed through both the multiple caution periods in his stint and the rivers on track. In fact, he set his best lap of the race just as the downpour picked up, one hour and 15 minutes into the race on Lap 43. Keeping his cool despite a trying one hour and 45 minute stint, Marsal pitted to hand the No. 97 Turner BMW machine over to Johnson. The weather for Johnson and then for Priaulx turned out to be variations on a theme of Marsal’s opening stint; a steady stream of rain turning the track into a river, punctuated by multiple caution periods and short green flag runs. Unfortunately, the limited grip and green running time left the Turner Motorsport team unable to truly challenge for position despite the strength of their driver lineup and BMW machine and gave them a finish just outside the top-10. “It was crazy out there,” said Marsal. “Visibility was so low and everyone was so bunched up during my stint! The rain was just completely unforgiving and it seemed like it just kept getting worse. Our Continental Tires are great, but it’s tough when the whole track is covered in water. So I just focused on putting my head down, staying on track and trying to improve my times. I was able to set a fast time close to the end of my stint as I was chasing Christina (Nielson, No. 007 TGM-AMR Aston Martin Vantage) so that was fun. But overall it was a tough day in the office. I’m happy we finished the race without a wreck, but wish the weather could have cooperated a bit more. But a big thanks to Turner Motorsport and all of their hard work all season.” A three-hour recap of the race will be aired on FOX Sports 1 at 1:30 PM ET on Sunday, October 4. Marsal now looks ahead to plans for the 2016 season with the annual Roar Before the Rolex 24 set to take place on January 8-10.

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