DI RESTA IS ‘SO SORRY’ AFTER LUCKY ESCAPE
PAUL DI RESTA walked away from a 135mph crash into a concrete wall as Fernando Alonso steered Toyota to their first win in the Le Mans 24-Hours.
After his lucky escape, the Scot apologised to his United Autosports LMP2 team for “a costly error”.
Di Resta, making his debut in the world’s most famous endurance race on the 8.46-mile La Sarthe circuit, impressed with his pace as he moved within sight of a podium finish.
But approaching the 20th hour of the race, di Resta’s Ligier JS P217 went straight on at the iconic Porsche Curves, missed the tyre wall and speared into an unprotected wall.
The severely damaged car pivoted back into the wall after the initial contact then slewed across the tracks on to the grass.
Able to exit the wrecked car unaided, di Resta was taken to the medical centre but was released after being given the all-clear.
He and team-mates Phil Hanson and Felipe Albuquerque had pushed hard throughout the race after they lost two laps early on when the car was forced to pit to have its missing GPS sensor fitted.
After the crash ex-F1 racer di Resta said: “I have to make a massive apology to the team. They busted their asses right through the night to try to make up the time we dropped.
“But I’ve got to apologise for making a costly error that’s ended our chances.
“I’m really disappointed. For someone like me it’s going to take a few days to get over because it hurts when you let people down.”
The race was won by double F1 world champion Alonso and team-mates Sebastian Buemi Kazuki Nakajima in a Toyota 1-2.
The win completes the second leg of motorsport’s Triple Crown – the Monaco Grand Prix and Le Mans. All that remains for Alonso is to win the Indy500.