Return of the Mallock

[BSchneiderFan]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Autosport reports that RML will run a pair of Saleens in the 2004 FIA GT Championship. One car will be pedalled by Thomas Erdos and Mike Newton, the other by a yet-to-be-disclosed line-up.

Good to see Ray Mallock back; now if only he'd run under the Ecurie Ecosse banner...

[Aysedasi]

Excellent. Pleased to see RML returning to the fray

[19dodge]

now, is this effort seperate to the Nash Saleens? RML has been helping Nash run his saleens this year, and it kinda strange that Mike Newton and Erdos (long time Nash drivers) went to RML. Mike Newton owns most of the Nash Saleens also. and he isnt as quick as Erdos. Im just wondering if this deal will replace the Nash effort right now...

[Karl Kling]

Great news! But how's the restrictor status on the Saleens?

[SALEEN S7R]

Great to see the Saleen's back in the hands of RML. As for the restrictors, I dont think the Saleen runs with any in FIA GT at the moment. Only at Le Mans. But I think next year they will be running with the same restrictors as everyone else. The only restricton the Saleen has in the FIA GT is that most of the parts have to remain orginal to the road car - but as Steve Saleen has said thats no big deal as the Saleen is basically a racing car anyway.

Great to see RML back, I mean GNM are a great operation but RML are better I feel. A bit of a boost for the championship.

[rdjones]

Also remember that RML will be running an MG at Le Mans in 3 weeks time

[Karl Kling]

Thanks, Saleen! It's a bit difficult to keep track of all the restrictors and penalties...

[slicktsax]

yeah i believe there will be no restictor penalites in the ALMS next year. Saleen is backing the Acemco team next year in the ALMS to run a S7-R but yeah i wonder what will happen with GNM, anyway good news for the FIA GT

[19dodge]

well, GNM said they will have "2 entries" for fia gt next year, and "1 entry" for LMES. so maybe they will still run Saleens next year, or run porsches in fia gt, and a saleen in LMES

[mickj]

Yes it would be good if Ray Mallock ran under the Ecurie Ecosse banner.

[Fogelhund]

and here I was expecting something like this.....

[KA]

Originally posted by Fogelhund
and here I was expecting something like this.....

Funnily enough, that was my first thought when I saw the thread title as well......

any chance of converting one for LMP2.....?

[KA]

Originally posted by 19dodge
now, is this effort seperate to the Nash Saleens? RML has been helping Nash run his saleens this year, and it kinda strange that Mike Newton and Erdos (long time Nash drivers) went to RML. Mike Newton owns most of the Nash Saleens also. and he isnt as quick as Erdos. Im just wondering if this deal will replace the Nash effort right now...

Anyone know how many of the Nash cars Mike Newton actually owns- I know it's at least a couple (plus- I think- their occasionally-seen Porsche GT3RS), but I believe the team have something like 4 or 5 chassis- are these all Mike Newton's....?

(not a bad collection when you bear in mind that if I remeber correctly, Newton also owns the MG that RML are running at the LMES race next month plus a couple of touring cars- he could practically run his own sportscar series.....)

[cybersdorf]

Originally posted by KA
any chance of converting one for LMP2.....?

Hmmm, same problem as with the Panoz I guess, front engine vs. tunneled underbody.

[Graham Goodwin]

He owns 3 of the five S7Rs and has a 50% share in a fourth (as at start of 2003 at least)

[19dodge]

Getting back to the RML and GNM thing. On the FIA GT Site, they now have a new press release from Nash saying they will run 2 Saleens, as well as running 2 saleens in LMES.

so Nash seems to have split from RML. This could be good news, since we will now see at least 5 Saleens next year, if not 6 (if Konrad gets enough funding for the 2nd entry)

this is great news!