IDEC SPORT is getting ready to compete in the third leg of the 2019 European Le Mans Series. The team is going to race in Barcelona with its two LMP2 cars. In the Oreca, Paul Lafargue, Paul-Loup Chatin and Memo Rojas will be giving it their all to win. In the Ligier, Patrice Lafargue and Stéphane Adler are joined by William Cavailhes.
While Barcelona is known for its architecture with the buildings designed by Gaudí and for its tapas, there is also the Barcelona-Catalunya race track, which is located around thirty miles to the north of Barcelona. Opened in 1991, this hilly, winding track has become a reference. It is also home to GP motor-bike races and Formula 1 car racing. This is the third European Le Mans Series (ELMS) race to take place on an F1 track.
The 2019 Barcelona- 4-Hour Race will go down in the history of European endurance racing, as it will be the first race partly raced at night on Saturday 20th July and not on the Sunday.
Since the Le Mans 24-Hour Race, Oreca #28 driven by Paul Lafargue, Paul-Loup Chatin and Memo Rojas has been completely overhauled, as Frédéric Ducastel, the team’s boss explains: “There weren’t any problems. We just changed the engine over from what we used in Le Mans, where the mechanics had to cope with 7000 km. As for the rest it as the usual service after a normal race, except we dug a bit deeper. We refitted our trial parts.”
After getting to the podium twice in the first two meetings, #28 will be attempting to win the race and take the lead in the championship, as the French team is just two points behind G-Drive. “With each race, we aim for victory with the Oreca. We’re here to win. We know that the other teams want to win too, but we can do it.”
The Ligier #27 was prepared after the racing in Monza. She has also been given a new engine, as the other one was worn out. While the Ligier will not be fighting for first place, Patrice Lafargue, Stéphane Adler and William Cavailhes (replacing Erik Maris), could do well. “We’re lucky to have a team on the same level and a reliable car. The drivers are capable of achieving something,” stressed Frédéric Ducastel.
While as for the GT cars in the WEC, the LMP2 category benefited from amateur ranking (AM), we can be certain that IDEC SPORT #27 will be up there with the frontrunners.
The 113 drivers will be able to make the most of two trial sessions to get used to the very demanding Barcelona track on Friday 19th July.
The LMP2 qualifiers will take place at 11.20 on Saturday 20th. The 18 cars will have ten minutes to race around the 4.655 km circuit in Catalonia as fast as they can to determine the starting order for the race.
The 41 competitors will start the Barcelona 4-Hour Race on Saturday 20th July at 6.30 p.m.
Don’t miss any of the action from the third ELMS meeting of the season thanks to the IDEC SPORT social networks: Facebook page: IDEC SPORT Racing, Twitter: @IDECSportRacing and Instagram: idecsport_racing_officiel17 as well as the Android app: IDEC SPORT.
