On Sunday 22nd, IDEC SPORT will be taking part in the fifth and penultimate race in this year’s European Le Mans Series. The Oreca #28 driven by Paul Lafargue, Paul-Loup Chatin and Memo Rojas will be aiming for a second win after their success at Silverstone, while Stéphane Adler, William Cavailhes and Erik Maris will be doing their utmost to get a good result from the Ligier #27.
IThere are only two races left on the 2019 European Le Mans Series calendar and it is time to look at the state of play. Just nine points separate the leaders and IDEC SPORT, which has a total of 72, remembering there are 52 points left (1 point for pole position and 25 points for a win). However, IDEC SPORT is not worrying about the calculations, preferring simply to go for victory. “The order is to give it our all and that’s all. We are hard at it and the drivers too. Technically, we’re ensuring the cars perform well and can provide what it takes, allowing the drivers to focus on the driving,” explained Frédéric Ducastel, the head of the team.
Three weeks after the F1 event, 38 competitors will be lining up in Ardennes. The Belgian track offers 7km of excitement (since 1979), 20 bends including the legendary Raidillon and there is going to a lot of action on the track which offers so much to the drivers. This is certainly no easy track. “In Spa there’s a lot of compression and we need keep a grip in spite of being higher. This is a fast track and you need to get it right to perform well. Each track has its particularities and this is certainly not one of the easiest.”
Paul Lafargue, Paul-Loup Chatin and Memo Rojas will be able to try out the Oreca #28 on Wednesday 18th as the teams are allowed five hours of driving (from 9-11 and from 1-4). William Cavailhes and Stéphane Adler will also be clocking up the miles. Erik Maris will be present for the free trials. The team will be setting up here on Tuesday.
“We’ll be trying out various configurations and letting the drivers settle in. We’ll be doing as many miles as possible. Everyone is up for it and we know that our rivals are not going to give up, although we know too that we can win, as we have already proved that. We’re not going to ease off now. We’ll be working as usual,” commented Frédéric Ducastel.
The first trials session will be on Friday 20th at 11.30. The second on Saturday 21st at 9.05. The 17 LMP2s will have twelve minutes to qualify and get the best place on the grid on Saturday at 1.02 p.m.
The pack will set off on the fifth and penultimate leg of the 2019 season on Sunday 22nd at 12.30.
Just three weeks after the accident which cost Anthoine Hubert his life, the whole of the IDEC SPORT team will be thinking of the driver, his family and friends.
