On Saturday 5th December, the winners of the first Formula Le Mans Cup were rewarded at the Le Mans Series Prize Giving. In front of almost 300 guests, the winners of the championship received their trophies from Jean-Claude Plassart (ACO President), Pierre Fillon (ACO Vice President) and Hugues de Chaunac (ORECA Group President) to celebrate their 2009 season. In the absence of Gavin Cronje, Nico Verdonck, who finished first in the drivers’ championship, also received the trophy for the best junior, awarded to the best driver under twenty-five years of age.
Swiss Mathias Beche and Valle Mäkela from Finland received the runner-up trophy while Damien Toulemonde, whose team-mate David Zollinger was absent as he was racing in the Sportscar Winter Series on the Paul Ricard circuit, was awarded the prize for third place in the overall classification. Finally, Eric Soucy representing DAMS received the trophy for the best team from the French Prime Minister’s brother. The evening’s relaxed ambience enabled the young drivers to make important contacts with representatives of the majority of teams involved in endurance at the highest level. Also present was Nigel Mansell, the 1992 F1 World Champion.
