24h Le Mans
Second and third in the LM P2 class at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans respectively, Ligier and Alpine are to be followed closely during the second halves of the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) seasons.
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Photo : CHRISTOPHE JOUNIAUX / VISION SPO
To debut a new prototype at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and – especially! – to take it to the finish line is not for amateurs. Yet it was in fact the successful achievement of the Ligier JS P2 on June 14th and 15th. The one driven by Brundle-Mardenborough-Shulzhistskiy (G-Drive Racing, No. 35) lead 208 out of the 354 laps it completed, the one driven by Badey-Gommendy-Thiriet (Thiriet by TDS Racing, No. 46) looked like a potential winner, but toward the end they were both delayed by mechanical issues. Nevertheless the results are flattering: the three JS P2s passed under the checkered flag, in second (Thiriet by TDS Racing), fifth (G-Drive Racing) and seventh (OAK Racing Team Asia, No. 33) places.
On the third step of the LM P2 podium of the 2014 24 Hours, Ligier was joined by Alpine, with the A450b of Nelson Panciatici-Oliver Webb-Paul Loup Chatin, which remained at the foregront throughout the race. This result showed once again that the subtle combination of consistency and performance is the calling card of the Signatech Alpine outfit and its principal, Philippe Sinault. So one month after the 24 Hours, the A450b won the 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring in Austria, third round of the ELMS, and in doing so took the lead in the provisional ranking. And like last year at the same time in the season, Signatech Alpine finished the three first races of 2014 in the top 5.
At Le Mans, the Alpine A450b and the Ligier JS P2 achieved the fastest race lap and the pole position, respectively, in the LM P2 class. One thing is certain: the first victory of the JS P2 is only weeks away, with Thiriet by TDS Racing in the ELMS and G-Drive Racing in the WEC. And the A450, ELMS winner in 2013, remains more than ever a candidate for its own succession.
The next rounds of the European Le Mans Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) will take place at the Paul Ricard circuit (France) on September 14th, and at the Circuit of the Americas (Austin, Texas, USA) on September 20th, respectively.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY JUNE 14 2014, RACE. Among the three teams that debuted the Ligier JS P2 at Le Mans, Thiriet by TDS Racing achieved the best result with the pole position and the second place finish in the LM P2 class.
