Larkham choses Alain from the enduro driver Menu
22/6/2000 14:49 (Jason Whittaker) - Another piece of the enduro racing jigsaw puzzle was put in place yesterday, with Mitre 10 campaigner Mark Larkham announcing he had secured the services of BTCC ace Alain Menu to partner him in the impending bi-driver endurance events.
Larkham had formed a successful partnership with Brad Jones at Bathurst and in the 500km event in previous years, however Jones’ unavailability (Jones will drive his own OzEmail-backed Falcon with Thomas Mezera in the two events) forced Larkham to look abroad for a co-driver.
The announcement of the signing had Larkham brimming with confidence yesterday over his chances of claiming, in particular, the elusive 1000km epic.
“Alain is the last piece in the puzzle for us to win Bathurst,'' Larkham told Fairfax papers yesterday.
“We have the team, the car and the pace, as we proved last year when we took pole position. All we needed for this year was the best co-driver available, and Alain certainly fits the bill,” he said.
Menu, a former BTCC champion in 1997 and runner-up in 1996, ’95 and ’94, is competing in the British tin-top Series in a Ford Mondeo this year.
The Swiss driver has visited the Mountain on two previous occasions (1997 and 1998) for a disappointing two DNF’s. Most recently, he partnered Thomas Mezera in the V8 event of 1998, but mechanical dramas robbed the team of a good run, the Commodore retiring before Menu could get behind the wheel.
Larkham will be hoping his new co-driver can shake any Bathurst “hoodoo” and prove himself as one of the world’s best Touring Car drivers here in Australia.
“He has proven himself in Europe and he has driven at Bathurst before, which was extremely important,” Larkham said.
“When you mix the kind of Motor Racing experience that Alain has with a knowledge of the Mount Panorama circuit, you get a pretty formidable package,' he said.
Larkham, together with Brad Jones, started the FAI 1000 from pole position last year, but a break-down late in the race cost Larkham the chance of winning his first Bathurst crown.
Related Items:
VESRIX - Alan Menu - Profile
VESRIX - Mark Larkham - Bathurst Record
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