LM24: Blundell keen to sample Nissan’s tribute P1 car

Mark Blundell’s explosive run to pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1990 (LEFT, photo by the author) has become one of the most memorable tales to come from the 92-year-old event. His No. 24 Nissan R90CK turned a lap of 3:27.020 with his runaway twin-turbo V8 engine churning out more than 1000 horsepower, and by the time the session was over, Blundell held a 6.04-second cushion over P2!As the new Nissan GT-R LM NISMO P1 team unveiled last week, its No. 21 entry carries a tribute livery in honor of the brand’s achievement in 1990, and as Blundell told RACER, the former F1, IndyCar, and sports car pilot wouldn’t mind strapping in and sampling the latest 1000-horsepower Nissan prototype.

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“I would go on a serious diet and suck in my stomach if I got the chance to get back in a racecar like that,” he said with a laugh. The 49-year-old, who now manages a number of drivers, including Toyota Racing’s Mike Conway, will be at Le Mans looking after his clients and can’t wait to see the No. 21 GT-R LM NISMO in its retro red, white, and blue Nissan colors.“With Le Mans coming up in a week or so, for me, it’s a great tribute that even Nissan has gone back to painting the car in the colors we set the pole in,” he said. “It’s a nice touch. When you get older and all the memories start to fade, it’s quite nice when someone brings one back to life again. Although I might not be racing the car, it’s great just to be associated with it through history. And if they need a reserve driver, I’ll be ready…”

GT-R LM NISMO images courtesy of Nissan