Last weekend saw Thomas Erdos make an impressive sportscar-racing debut in the 1000 kilometer endurance event at Le Mans in France. Driving an MG-Lola EX257 sports prototype for RML, the Wellingborough-based racecar preparation specialists, Erdos set the fastest time in LMP 675 to qualifying on class pole, fourth overall.

With much of the car’s testing completed in the wet, qualifying was a novel experience for the Brazilian. Bright sunshine and a dry track brought out the best in the nimble prototype, with Erdos able to set a time of 1:29.533 for the 4.2 kilometer Le Mans Bugatti circuit. This placed the MG-Lola in the middle of the more powerful LMP900 pack, and a full half-second clear of the pre-event class favourites, the Judd-engined sister car entered by Intersport Racing. “To have qualified on pole by such a margin against a car of the same make, and one which has been competing regularly all year, gave me a great sense of achievement,” admitted Erdos. “It’s a credit to the whole RML crew.”

Sunday brought heavy rain and cold temperatures. Confident in the capabilities of the Dunlop wet-weather tyres, Erdos and his co-drivers, Mike Newton and Chris Goodwin, still had every reason to hope for a good result. Erdos was selected to take the rolling start, and lined up on the second row in auspicious company. Ahead were just two cars; one an example of the all-conquering Audi R8, winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours for three consecutive years, and the other the Racing for Holland Dome, driven by Jan Lammers.