The IDEC SPORT Oreca 07 has just been confirmed as one of the 60 cars competing in the 87th edition of the Le Mans 24-Hour Race on 15th-16th June 2019. The team will be taking part in this legendary event for the third time. While IDEC Sport wanted to compete with two cars in the event, only Paul Lafargue, Memo Rojas and Paul-Loup Chatin will have the honour of racing around the 13.629 km track. The Ligier is on the reserve list.
In 2019, no LMP2 team will be racing with two cars. A choice made by Pierre Fillon, president of the Automobile Club de l’ouest (ACO): “It was a difficult choice. We had to take a lead. The first idea was for the LMP2s to ensure the maximum of different candidates before looking at potential second cars. We wanted to give as much chance as possible to as many people as we could and reward our faithful endurance drivers.”
After getting pole position in the 2018 race and being one of the leaders in LMP2 before being forced out due to mechanical problems, IDEC SPORT rightly has some high ambitions.
“This is the race that I dream of! II love driving. It’s my passion, but competing in the Le Mans 24-Hour Race during the season is a dream. I always feel very humble when I arrive there. You have to show some respect to the circuit, as everything is that much faster and with less road holding, the consequences can be huge. I look forward to this race throughout the year and am ready to make sacrifices to be there,” explained Paul-Loup Chatin. “The real difference in the ELMS involves being successful an giving it your all on Saturday at 1500 hrs. In Le Mans, it’s a sprint from the test day and that lasts a fortnight with the press meetings, autograph signings, night sessions. You have to avoid getting tired before the start.”
The two IDEC SPORT teams competing in the European Le Mans Series will be taking part in private trials in Barcelona and then in Le Castellet in two weeks from now to prepare for the 2019 season.
