Photo : Michel JAMIN  / ACO

 

These last weeks, Jacques Nicolet has had the opportunity to drive two generations of Ligier prototypes: the very new JS P2 during a private test session, as well as the JS 3, seen at the 1971 24 Hours, at the seventh edition of the Le Mans Classic.

Jacques Nicolet: "When I won in 2010 the first round of Grid 5 with the JS 3, I called Guy Ligier, who responded that absolutely we needed to remake race cars, because these are cars that win! I also had the opportunity to roll in the JS 2, but the version equipped with a Maserati engine, not the one with the Ford-Cosworth engine which finished second at Le Mans in 1975."

Nearly 40 years later, the JS P2 achieved an impressive debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for its very first race…
"The JS P2s effectively achieved very good results together at Le Mans with three cars at the start and as many at the finish. We came so close to victory that it was even a litle bittersweet, whereas we should have been happy about such a combined attack. The JS P2 is well turned out, reliable and fast. Guy Ligier was very pleased with these great debuts. He is a fantastic individual who has remained very passionate so very youthful in attitude."

What are the sensations at the wheel of the JS P2 and the JS 3 which are 40 years apart?
"With the JS P2, I was quite anxious at the idea of driving a closed prototype especially because of the ventilation and particularly the visibility, but in the end it went very well. It is a very comfortable car, very fast and one sees really well at the wheel. One is seated a little like in a Formula 1 single-seater, very low with legs up horizontally. I felt at ease right away. The sensations with the JS 3 are quite simply extraordinary. At the 2010 Le Mans Classic, I lapped in 4:04 and even this year, our pace at the 24 Hours was 3:56!"

Orders must be pouring in after the JS P2's performance at Le Mans…
"Yes, the list is quite long and I think that a considerable surplus of work awaits us at Onroak Automotive!"

Two Ligier prototypes will be on the track on Sunday, July 20th: a JS P2 (of Thiriet by TDS Racing, second in the LM P2 class at Le Mans) at the third round of the European Le Mans Series at the Red Bull Ring (Austria), and a JS 3 in the CN class at the opening race of the 2014 Asian Le Mans Series at Inje (South Korea).

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 15 2014, RACE. The Ligier JS P2 courted victory as of its first race with Oak Racing's car (photo) and Thiriet by TDS Racing's car.