Like Patrice and Paul Lafargue with IDEC Sport Racing, a father-son tandem will take the wheel of Eurasia Motorsport's Ligier JS P217 (LMP2 prototype compliant with the new technical regulations in effect since January of this year) and like the French team, the father possesses the bulk of the experience at the 24 Hours.

Indeed, Jacques Nicolet has taken the start at Le Mans eight times between 2007 and 2015, with a podium finish in the LMP2 class in 2009 (20th overall) as best result. Last year, the owner of OAK Racing and Onroak Automotive, which constructs Ligiers, shared the wheel with Erik Maris for his sole appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (11th in LMP2).

In 2016, the pair competed in the European Le Mans Series with a Ligier JS P3 in the LMP3 class (ineligible at Le Mans). Though they were team members within OAK Racing, they did not drive the same car since Jacques Nicolet was joined by his son Pierre, who will debut at the 24 Hours this year, while Erik Maris shared the wheel with Jean-Marc Merlin, the third man at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.

It was also in 2015/2016 that the Eurasia Motorsport team won in LMP3 in the Asian Le Mans Series, earning an invitation to the 2016 edition of the 24 Hours. The outfit finished fifth in the LMP2 class in the first car not entered in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Photo: Eurasia Motorsport's Ligier JS P2 will be replaced by a Ligier JS P217 at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans.