Guide: Bugatti EB110 GT GT1
Background
By 1994, the re-emergence of GT racing was fully underway and, after the Le Mans organisers had opened the race up to production-based cars, it was no great surprise that one wealthy privateer wanted to compete with his EB110 GT.
French media mogul, Michel Hommell, entered his mildly uprated EB110 GT for the 1994 event.
The Synergic team fitted Hommell’s car with supplementary front lights, a fixed rear wing and stripped out the interior to save around 100kg.
1994 Le Mans Test
At the 1994 Le Mans Test (held on the 9th of May) the EB110 was driven by Eric Helary and Jean-Pierre Malcher. They posted the fifth quickest time overall and should have been quickest in the GT1 class.
However, a surprise arrival had been the works Porsche squad with their Dauer 962 LM Sport. The Dauer was an updated version of Porsche’s all-conquering 962 Group C sports prototype.
Completely against the spirit of the GT regulations but permitted to run on the technicality that a solitary type approved road-car had been built, the Dauer 962 LM was 20 seconds a lap quicker than the EB110 and only a fraction slower than the LMP1 class Courage C32 LMs that topped the timesheets.
1994 Le Mans 24 Hours
For the 24 Hour race (June 19th and 20th), 1993 Le Mans winner Helary was joined in the EB110 by Williams F1 test driver, Jean Christophe Bouillon, and touring car ace, Alain Cudini.
The French trio qualified 17th overall behind fellow GT1 contenders, the Strandell Ferrari F40 (14th) and the Jacadi Racing Venturi 600 LM (15th).
Porsche’s Dauer 962 LMs were fifth and seventh, some 14 seconds quicker than best true GT1 car.
One hour prior to the race, a Synergic mechanic discovered a fuel leak in the EB110 which had to be repaired with Araldite. This forced the team to begin with half tanks and run at a comparatively relaxed pace until the adhesive had dried.
They quickly regained places thereafter and the EB110 eventually passed Larbre’s Porsche 911 RSR to become the first ‘real’ GT1 car in the race.
However, turbo problems on Saturday evening meant a lengthy pit-stop was required for all four to be replaced.
The Bugatti continued until Sunday morning when a tyre failure on the Mulsanne Straight saw the car crash out after 230 laps.
By contrast, the Dauer 962 LMs finished first and third for Porsche.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Bugatti - https://www.bugatti.com
