THE team behind Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy’s victory at the world’s most demanding endurance race Le Mans were equipped with pit lane toolboxes provided by Minitec UK, it can be revealed.
The ever-adaptable engineering company from Basingstoke designed and produced custom-made track-side tool chests for the Algarve Pro Racing team and their famous driver in the 24-hour competition.
MiniTec has long been trusted by the motor sports industry for understanding the diverse needs of race teams by providing customised kit to store, support or transport tools, which under busy and changing race conditions is a constant challenge.
The MiniTec solution with its extremely wide range of aluminium profiles, connectors and components helped the race team accomplish these aims by empowering them with complete freedom in the design and build of specialist individual mechanical assemblies that are durable, easily configured and modifiable at a very competitive cost.
MiniTec managing director Gary Livingstone said: “It was a real honour to see our tool chests being used by the Algarve Pro Racing team with Sir Chris Hoy and his teammates at Le Mans.
“These tool chests are very specific to the motor sport industry and are large in size, not dissimilar to an office desk, nearly 2m long and stand a 1m high. All the engineer’s tools are stored inside, with additional flexible storage for driver and safety equipment, they keep the garage looking and working with model efficiency. The units are tough enough, that even if you wanted to drop engines on top of them to work on they stand up to the task.
“Algarve Pro like the system so much they’ve used some of our products in their main garage as well.”
Chris Hoy, who took up car racing after retiring from his Olympic cycling career, said of the world-famous June race in which he drove a Nissan-powered Ligier JS P2 chassis with his two team-mates Frenchman Andrea Pizzitola and Briton Michael Munemann: “It’s been the most exhilarating experience. I knew it would be tough, but I didn’t underestimate Le Mans.
“I’m delighted and proud to have been part of it this year.”
