Oreca and OAK Racing in LM P2 : different perspectives
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Oreca and OAK Racing in LM P2 : different perspectives

In LMP2 2012 oreca and morgan have been testing a few days ago, de chaunac (oreca) and jacques nicolet (oak racing) take stock of this category, which looks very healthy this year.

In LM P2 2012 Oreca and Morgan have been testing a few days ago, de Chaunac (Oreca) and Jacques Nicolet (OAK Racing) take stock of this category, which looks very healthy this year.

Six manufacturers are on the entry list for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2012: Honda from Japan, the British Lola and Zytek, and the French Oreca and Norma. And also a historic alliance between France and England, with Morgan: a British GT manufacturer who now gives their historic name to the LM P2 of Oak Racing. Today, the French team markets its LM P2 through Onroak Automotive, and will face Oreca whose cars are in the majority of the LM P2 grid at Le Mans this year.

What are the differences between the 2012 version of the Oreca 03 compared to that seen in 2011?
Hugues de De Chaunac: "Subject to the rules, we can only improve details, mainly in reliability, based on what we learned during the 2011 season. And foremost to ensure that the ORECA 03 is easy to use. I think the teams recognized it as such, if one judges by the seven chassis involved in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2012."

What came of OAK Racing participation with the United Autosports at Petit Le Mans in 2011.
Jacques Nicolet: "First, confirmation that we have a great product, able to attract both gentlement-drivers and drivers as talented as Stefan Johansson, former winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours. This interest led us to conclude an agreement with Eric Bachelart, whose organisation Conquest Endurance distributes our cars in the U.S. and represents us in racing."

The majority of LM P2 prototypes are open cockpit. How do you explain that?
Jacques Nicolet: "I think the LM P2 prototypes must be adapted to gentlemen-drivers, and they are very likely to feel better in an open car, for reasons of visibility and accessibility. For my part, I feel more comfortable in an open prototype."
De Chaunac: "At Oreca, we are also work on an open prototype, and we note that in the LM P2 category, only Lola has a closed car. We must also remember that our LM P2 comes from an open LM P1, and it is also the path we have followed our cars for Formula Le Mans."

The partnership between Onroak Automotive and Morgan plan to perpetuate a tradition of the gentleman driver, both on road and at Le Mans?
Jacques Nicolet: "Absolutely. The partnership with Morgan is a story of passion for cars, in which the whole Morgan community is very involved. For now, I have one Morgan in my personal collection, but I think it will change, after the partnership with Morgan in LM P2, I therefore appeal to builders: there is a place with OAK Racing in LM P1 (smiles)!"

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