Photo : Sebastien.BASSANI/ACO

 

Mark Patterson is an extraordinary individual. Born and raised in South Africa, he serves on the board of New York's Lincoln Center, one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the U.S. He is also a talented cartoonist: he delights by freehand sketching fans when they approach him at autograph sessions at the various circuits. In 2013, he was the oldest driver (61 years of age at the time) to take the start at the wheel of a prototype, Murphy Prototypes' Oreca-Nissan. In 2014, he raced in LM GTE Am in a Ram Racing Ferrari 458 Italia…and even took a (very) brief retirement from driving!

Mark Patterson: "I am returning to the Murphy Prototypes Oreca 03 after having driven a Ram Racing Ferrari 458 Italia in 2014 at Le Mans, and being overtaken by faster cars is just as exciting. We had a few glitches that slowed us down but we still had a good race. It was a great pleasure to witness the 24 Hours of Le Mans both from the cockpit of a prototype and an LM GTE. In 2014, I also enjoyed the LM P2 class at the FIA World Endurance Championship rounds which I raced at Shanghai and Bahreïn with OAK Racing. It was a kind of 'farewell feast' to motorsports. But, at the beginning of the year, I got a call from my old friend Greg Murphy who proposed I do the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as a few European Le Mans Series races. And unfortunately, when he showed me the full calendar, I had no choice but to get on board for the whole season (laughs)! We have a very fast head driver in Nathanaël Berthon, as well as another young driver, Michael Lyons. I am older than both of them combined (laughs)! Except for a few centimeters and kilograms, we are the same height and weight, which calls for very little seat adjustment when we take the wheel. This year, Murphy Prototypes' Oreca 03 has undergone some improvements, especially in terms of comfort in the driver's area. Thanks to its aerodynamics, the car is also faster by around 10 kilometers per hour than what I experienced in 2013. With the new closed LM P2 prototypes, we will see who is the fastest. I could already tell last year in Shanghai and Bahreïn that the Ligier JS P2 went very fast. As to the temptation to drive a closed LM P2, I don't think my grandchildren would like it too much (laughs)!"

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 9, 2013, TEST DAY. Mark Patterson reunites with Murphy Prototypes two years after his Le Mans debut.