Romain Dumas first took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001. Twenty years later, he boasts a stellar track record here: he landed his first win in 2010, when he also set the still unbeaten record for the longest distance covered; he snatched his second win in the final minutes of the unforgettable 2016 race; and he claimed an LMGTEPro class victory in 2013. In parallel, he has enjoyed an eclectic career as a team manager, with highlights including the Pike’s Peak race in the US, and rally events.

In 2021, he faces a fresh challenge at Le Mans, with the maiden appearance of the two cars fielded by former film producer Jim Glickenhaus. Dumas explains: “He got in touch with me just over a year ago. The team are really nice and I liked his well-structured approach. I went to Italy to see the car being built. It reminded me of the way I work with my own team, although at a whole different level of investment. When you look at the crews Jim Glickenhaus has put together, you can tell he loves racing and wants to get it right.​"

The driver line-up certainly packs a punch: Romain Dumas, double winner and world endurance champion; Pipo Derani, winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring; Gustavo Menezes, former LMP2 winner at Le Mans; Richard Westbrook, Ryan Briscoe and Olivier Pla, prototype and GT experts; and Franck Mailleux, a longstanding ally of Jim Glickenhaus’ automobile endeavours. “A privateer who decides to make his own car. Jim Glickenhaus’ insane gamble commands respect,” Dumas continues. “That hardly ever happens any more, although there has been Rebellion in recent years.”

Something that stood out for Romain Dumas in terms of Glickenhaus Racing’s early foray into FIA endurance is the team’s performance at Monza last month, when the 007 LMH spent a fleeting spell in the lead. “Everyone was surprised by our performance at Monza, but that’s probably been the best track for us. It’s clear that it will be harder at Le Mans in terms of reliability. We can’t imagine not having any problems during our first race at Le Mans. In the history of the 24 Hours, there have been very few manufacturers who didn’t have any glitches the first year! So there would be no shame in coming a cropper and having to retire. That said, if we could stay ahead of the LMP2s and behind the Toyotas, and even tail them in the early stages of the race, that in itself would be a success.”

Glickenhaus Racing wrapped up this year’s Test Day with the best lap time – 3:29.115 – clocked by Olivier Pla in the #708 007 LMH. “The car is nice to drive and, like at Monza, we’ve shown that we’re fast” said Romain Dumas at the end of the nine-hour session. “So it’s very positive. For the upcoming free practices, we’ll be focusing mainly on the race.” After such a promising start, simply completing the first 24 Hours of Le Mans would be a victory for the team. And a beautiful start to the first chapter of the story being penned by this one-of-a-kind American manufacturer as it continues the legacy of a long line of privateers who have pledged their fortune to fuel their passion.

PHOTOS: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, TEST DAY, SUNDAY 15 AUGUST 2021. Romain Dumas was the first of the three drivers of the #709 Glickenhaus 007 LMH to take to the track on the Test Day of the 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans.