Running a 3-litre engine in the GTO class dictated a 100lb weight penalty be levied while the LM's twin turbochargers had to use 38mm restrictors on the induction systems. Despite the prototype (chassis 79890) having first tested at Fiorano back in October 1988, it wasn't until a year later that the car made its competitive debut in the hands of Jean Alesi. A hot talent in F1 and future Grand Prix winner for Ferrari, Alesi qualified third for the one hour race at Laguna Seca, Round 11 of the championship. Despite leading the opening few laps, with his blistering Pirelli's Alesi could do nothing to stop Audi's awesome 90 Quattro's. Eventually finishing a fine third, this was to be Alesi's solitary outing in the F40, Jean Pierre Jabouille deputising in October for another one hour race, this time at Del Mar. Unfortunately, the French ace failed to finish as after qualifying seventh, he retired on the tenth lap with mechanical problems. Having shown a good turn of speed in their first two outings, Ferrari France were back with the F40's for Round 3 of the 1990 championship at Topeka in Kansas where with a new car (chassis 79891), Jabouille qualified fourth for the two hour event. Things began well with team-mate Schlesser leading the field away after a superb start, but running wide into a corner dropped him back to fourth where he stayed before eventually retiring in a ploom of smoke after 31 laps, an oil seal breaking on one of the turbos. Next up, Mid Ohio saw Olivier Grouillard join Jabouille for the 250km race.
Starting from second, the French pair went on to finish third and having demonstrated much potential, Sage's all-French outfit were rewarded with sponsorship from 0123 and Art Sports, both cars running a new livery from Round 5, the Mosport Grand Prix. Jacques Laffite and Hurley Haywood qualified sixth and finished second in Canada for the LM's best result yet. Elkhart Lake's Road America 1 Hour event saw Jabouille qualify 5th in 79890 and lead for much of the race in extremely wet conditions. However, being passed during the closing laps denied the LM a famous victory while Ferte ran 79891 and having qualified ninth, he retired after just six laps with mechanical problems. For New York's Watkins Glen 500, Haywood and Ferte qualified 79890 second and went on to make it back-to-back finishes in the runners up spot. At Lime Rock, Jabouille and Van de Poele ran 79890 with a high compression engine featuring titanium con rods and a lightweight crankshaft but this was to no avail as, having qualified fifth, the pair were unable to finish higher than ninth after a spate of minor problems. Hurley Haywood had qualified seventh in 79891 but retired after 37 laps with engine trouble. These were to be the LM's last appearances in the IMSA GT series and what could have been a championship winning opportunity was lost due to a lack of sponsorship and factory assistance. Both 79890 and 79891 were put into storage and it seemed that the F40 LM's competition career had come to an abrupt end. |
