Photo : D.R - DPPI

 

David Cheng, Adderly Fong and Ho-Pin Tung, the OAK Racing Team Asia Chinese driver line-up, were able to get behind the wheel of their new car and find their marks before the Test Day on 1st June for the Sarthe event.

After more than 9000 km with the partners in the development programme Nissan and Dunlop, the Ligier JS P2 turned a wheel for the first time last week at Magny-Cours in its HPD/Michelin version.

A lot of work had to be done to adapt the bodywork and cooling system to the installation of the HPD engine. The initial tests validated the modifications carried out in the workshop and both the team and the drivers were very satisfied.

The Ligier JS P2 ran on Michelin tyres for the first time over three days to try out different setups in view of its first race outing in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Test Day on 1st June on the legendary long 13,629-km circuit will enable the three Chinese drivers to fine-tune their apprenticeship of the Ligier JS P2-HPD-Michelin and to define with OAK Racing Team Asia the setups that will help them be competitive in the race.

Adderly Fong : « The car is good. It was my first time driving it today, getting an initial feeling. Power wise, it’s good and quite easy to use. The whole car is running reliably, and it’s very nice to be driving inside a closed cockpit car – it feels like you’re inside a spaceship. For me, I need more miles, but the car is good, seems reliable, it’s good over the kerbs, high speed and low speed. All in all, it’s been a good first impression. I’m looking forward to getting back in the car the second time.
This will be my first time at Le Mans. I’m proud to be with OAK Racing Team Asia to do Le Mans. I’m looking forward to getting a good result. I’m aiming for a podium. It’s going to be a tough race, but I’m ready for it. »

David Cheng: « I’m really excited about Le Mans. This is the first time I’m going to be driving there. I don’t quite know what to expect yet, but being with OAK Racing last year and watching OAK Racing take 1-2 was incredible. Hopefully this year the dream would be also to win, but it’s Le Mans and anything can happen. I know we have a strong team, with me, Ho-Pin and Adderly, debuting with the new Ligier JS P2 car with HPD, so it’s going to be awesome. We’re going to be running on some fantastic Michelin tyres. Overall, I’m just excited about the race. I believe with all three of us, we can do a good job. It’s a long race, we will see what happens. All of us will try our best. It’s been nice testing here in Magny Cours. We’ve had a lot of success with our package of Ligier, HPD, Total Fuel and Michelin Tyres. I think we’ll be good to go and I’m very proud to have Orsun, our Chinese sponsor, with us as well this year. »

Ho-Pin Tung: « I’m really looking forward to Le Mans. It’s going to be my 2nd time at the Sarthe Circuit. Last year, I didn’t manage to finish the race, where I was also racing a Morgan LM P2, an Onroak Automotive built car. This year I’ll be in a new car, the Ligier JS P2, with a brand new combination with HPD. So far it looks very promising. The weather can always be very changeable at Le Mans, so I think that’s going to have a big influence. Hopefully Michelin will help us with this to make us even more competitive. We were successful last year, me and David, in the Asian Le Mans Series, so I think many eyes will be on us. We have a good addition to the team with Adderly, and, so far, everything is gelling with us really well, and I hope we can bring it forward to Le Mans. »

Philippe Dumas, team principal: « There’s been a lot of midnight oil burned in the workshops these last few weeks to get this new Ligier JS P2-HPD out on the track by the deadline. An enormous amount of effort and very competent people have been involved in this project. I’m proud and impressed by all the work carried out, and I’d like to congratulate each member of the team who has taken part in this adventure and everybody involved in the development programme, the WEC and USCC race teams, the whole design office and the guys who stayed behind in the workshops to assemble this new prototype. Hats Off to every one of them!
The Ligier JS P2-HPD still has a long way to go but the shakedown went off very well in the hands of Olivier Pla, the official development driver, relayed by our three Chinese drivers. A few adjustments were necessary but nothing fundamental, which is very positive.
We’ve had good results with the Michelin tyres that we were using for the first time, and the very efficient Honda HPD engineers were a great help. »

Rémy Brouard, in charge of the OAK Racing Team Asia programme: « OAK Racing Team Asia and its three Chinese drivers were waiting impatiently for these tests with the new Ligier JS P2-HPD-Michelin from the Onroak Automotive workshops. It all went off very well in a hard-working relaxed ambience. The whole team has done a huge job to be ready for this shakedown. The countdown to the Le Mans 24 Hours is starting. Everything is now in place for us tackle the big circuit during the Test Day on 1st June, and help our team to really get to grips with the Ligier JS P2-HPD-Michelin. Besides the experienced Ho Pin-Tung our two rookie drivers in the Sarthe Adderly Fong and David Cheng will take advantage of the Test Day to qualify for the 24 Hours by doing their ten obligatory laps. This day will also be a general rehearsal for our team, its engineers and mechanics. We’re champing at the bit already! »

- OAK Racing press release -