24h Le Mans
Porsche made the announcement via Twitter today: Colombian driver Juan Pablo Montoya will try out an LM P1 car for the very first time during the post-season tests at Bahrein on Sunday 22 November, the day after the World Endurance Championship season draws to a close.
Juan Pablo Montoya will take to the track in a Porsche 919 Hybrid during the test session. On the photo shared by Porsche, we see him having his seat fitted in the cockpit of the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid that won the last 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Montoya has driven in 97 Formula One Grand Prix races and has seven victories to his name, but always kept a close eye on endurance. Even though he will stay in the USA for his third consecutive Indy Car Series with Team Penske next season, he might well have a certain record in mind. A victory at Le Mans would put him on a par with Graham Hill, so far the only driver to complete the Triple Crown by winning the Indianapolis 500, the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Montoya is certainly no novice when it comes to endurance racing as he has won the 24 Hours of Daytona three times (2007, 2008 and 2013). He was also spotted paying a visit to the Porsche team during the Lone Star Le Mans race at Circuit of the Americas last September (see here)
So will we be seeing Juan Pablo Montoya at Le Mans in 2016? Watch this space...
Tickets for the 2016 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (18 and 19 June) will be on sale from Tuesday 3 November (ACO members) and Friday 6 November (general public).
David Bristol / ACO | Translated from French by Clair Pickworth
