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The most decorated competitor in the history of the American Le Mans Series,
Olivier Beretta has a resume that none in the paddock can match. ... Captured fifth
class championship in 2007, the most by any driver in Series. ... Owns records for
career wins (38), pole positions (22) and fastest laps (21) and ranks among leaders
in starts, podiums, top-five and top-10 finishes. ... A five-time winner at Le Mans,
Beretta has been part of Corvette Racing stable since 2004 and continues that in
2008 with Oliver Gavin.
2008: At Sebring, teamed with Oliver Gavin/Max Papis for runner-up finish in GT1 that was lowlighted by lengthy trip to paddock to repaired failed halfshaft. Returned to finish eight laps behind sister car. ... At St. Petersburg, led from wire-to-wire with Gavin after capturing 21st career pole position, most all-time in Series history. Victory was pairing's second straight at St. Petersburg circuit. ... At Long Beach, ran second with Gavin to sister car as two Corvettes finished a lap behind the overall race winners. ... At Utah, came up second again with Gavin. Duo lost time during first pit stop with refueling rig and never made up gap. Beretta did claim 22nd Series pole, extending his all-time record. ... At Lime Rock, again finished second with uncharacteristic problems with Corvette's gearbox. Did post race's fastest GT1 lap at 53.367 (101.186 mph). ... At Mid-Ohio, beat and banged at the two-hour mark with teammate Johnny O'Connell out of pitlane. Once cars served nearly eight minutes in penalities, watched O'Connell go by in waning minutes for class victory. Posted race's fastest GT1 lap for second straight race at 1:18.068 (104.125 mph). ... At Road America, appeared destined to break through for victory until uncharacteristic Gavin crash in the fast Kink section while leading in the final hour. Duo had led entire GT1 race until that point and settled for third in class. … At Mosport, again finished second with Gavin behind Magnussen/O’Connell duo that never relinquished lead. Set fastest race lap at 1:14.57 (118.713 mph)… At Detroit, score long-awaited second win of season when team won battle in pitlane on two occasions. Came back from mid-race contact with slower GT2 car. … At Road Atlanta, second with Gavin/Papis after losing time mid-race to malfunctioning throttle linkage. Had led twice in class. … At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, ended season on high note with 40th career victory, only driver to accomplish feat. Passed O’Connell with 45 minutes left for final lead change.
2007: Championship season saw Beretta/Gavin duo win nine times in 12 starts
to tie all-time Series record. ... At Sebring, found victory lane for third time and
second year in a row with 18-second victory over sister car. Teamed with Gavin/
Max Papis and saw car take GT1 lead for good near three-hour mark. ... At St.
Petersburg, scored 30th career Series victory, 16th with Gavin. Extended career
fast qualifier record with 19th and coasted to finish after sister Corvette broke
driveshaft. ... At Long Beach, drove to third straight win of season with Gavin, and
31st of career, over sister Corvette. Team won race out of pit lane at 50-minute
mark to maintain lead. ... At Houston, posted 20th career GT1 pole position and
finished second in class behind Johnny O’Connell/Jan Magnussen sister entry.
Three-race win streak came to end. ... At Utah, returned to top step of podium
with Gavin for season’s fourth win and 32nd of career. Set 21st career fast race
lap and finished a half-minute up on sister car of O’Connell/Magnussen after
starting from rear of grid (tire change). ... At Lime Rock, returned to winning ways
with 0.384-second win over sister Corvette. Win was third in four tries for Gavin/
Beretta at 1.54-mile circuit. ... At Mid-Ohio, posted easy win after No. 4 car was
elevated to class pole start (No. 3 failed post-qualifying inspection). Led entire
way by no less than five seconds as Beretta/Gavin duo won again. ... At Road
America, won fourth straight and third time in four years at circuit. Car led entire
way after pole-sitting sister car started from pit lane. Gained a lap during rain-filled
caution period when safety car separated two Corvettes. ... At Mosport, watched
Gavin qualify on pole but finished second on day after being separated from No.
3 car during caution period. Second-place finish ended four-race win streak. ...
At Detroit, second again with Gavin as No. 3 dominated weekend with class pole
and fastest race lap. ... At Petit, clinched record fifth class championship and
returned to Victory Circle with Gavin/Papis as trio repeated Sebring class win.
Watched as No. 3 crashed out of race in first 30 minutes and ran off steady laps
for easy win over Doran Maserati MC12. ... At Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, put
punctuation on championship season with season’s ninth class win in special
‘Badboy Vette’ paint scheme. ... Qualified on class pole twice and posted one
fastest race lap.
2006: Teamed with Gavin for repeat GT1 championship,
fourth of career for Beretta. Started all 10 events with four
wins in tense battle between Corvette and Aston Martin
Racing. ... Teamed with Gavin/Jan Magnussen for easy
win and sixth straight dating back to Portland 2005. No. 4
Corvette took the lead just over an hour into race. ... Went
on to win at Houston and Mid-Ohio to set GT1 record
most consecutive wins. ... Win streak ended at Lime Rock
with fourth-place finish following crash with No. 20 Dyson
Racing prototype. Suffered another uncharacteristic
fourth-place at Utah as two-car Corvette team failed to
finish first or second for first time since October 2003. ...
Captured pole at Portland and ended two-race winless
streak with Gavin in Portland heat and maintained points
advantage despite runner-up finish at Road America
to Corvette mates Ron Fellows/Johnny O’Connell. ...
Second again at Mosport before third-place finish at
Petit Le Mans, both times finishing behind Aston Martin
entries. ... Cemented second straight class title with Gavin
by finishing second at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Forced to pit after early-race collision (fender damage) but
fortuitous caution period allowed the pit crew to reattach
the fender without losing contact with the leaders. ... One
class pole and three fastest race laps.
2005: Won first class championship since 2000 as
Beretta/Gavin won six of final seven races in first year
for Corvette C6.R. ... Third in class at Sebring to open
season and posted runner-up finishes at Road Atlanta
and Mid-Ohio before posting season’s first win at Lime
Rock. Win there was their second straight at the circuit.
... Was second at Infineon before reeling off five straight
events to end season - Portland, Road America, Mosport,
Petit Le Mans and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. ... .
Secured championship lead at Mosport. ... Fastest GT1
qualifier three times with two fastest race laps.
2004: Returned to GTS ranks by signing with Corvette
Racing. Paired with Gavin, and two recorded four wins
in nine starts and narrowly missed championship. ...
Duo’s debut at Sebring resulted in retirement early
(mechanical). ... Second to Fellows/O’Connell at Mid-
Ohio before season’s first win at Lime Rock. ... Third at
Infineon, second at Portland before consecutive wins at
Mosport, Road America and Petit Le Mans. ... Second
place at Laguna Seca meant runner-up championship
finish. ... Four poles and fast laps on season.
2003: Returned from F1 stint to Series and raced
entire year in LMP900 for JML Team Panoz with fourthplace
championship standing. ... Fifth at Sebring with
co-drivers Max Papis/Gunnar Jeannette. ... Fourth
at Atlanta with Papis and was same at Infineon with
Jeannette ... Joined by David Saelens and the new duo
never finished below third position the remainder of
the year. ... Trois-Rivieres and Mosport each produced
a third-place finish, as did Miami. ... Took runner-up
honors at Road America, Laguna Seca and seasonending
Petit Le Mans.
2000: Won second consecutive GTS class driving title
in Dodge Vipers fielded by Team ORECA. Enjoyed one of
the most successful Series seasons of any driver, winning
nine of 12 events, setting Series record for most wins in
a single season by a driver in any class (shared with Karl
Wendlinger). ... Teamed with Wendlinger/Dominique
Dupuy to take GTS win at Sebring. ... He/Wendlinger
were GTS winners at Charlotte, seventh overall. Won
back-to-back at Silverstone and Nurburgring, eighth
overall at both venues. ... Settled for second place at
Sears Point behind David Donohue/Tommy Archer
before returning to winner’s circle at Mosport. ...
Second at Texas to Ron Fellows/Andy Pilgrim. … Won
at Portland, 10th overall, behind nine prototypes. …
Added Marc Duez as driver for long distance Petit Le
Mans, but came in fourth. ... Closed year with wins at
Laguna, Las Vegas and Adelaide. … Also recorded six
poles and seven fastest race laps.
1999: Inaugural GTS class driving champion in Series
with five wins in six starts ... Debuted at Mosport when
Beretta/Donohue won in Team ORECA Dodge Viper. Win
was first of three for the twosome (Sears Point, Portland).
... Beretta then won Petit Le Mans in driving company
of Wendlinger/Duez. ... Won with Wendlinger at Laguna
Seca, then took second at Las Vegas with Donohue.
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