24h Le Mans
For Rudi Penders and Luc Goris, this fifth participation at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is going to taste particularly sweet. Since the announcement of several withdrawals, the Flemish team has unveiled its plans: two cars and an American-Belgian collaboration.
Initially, Prospeed Compétition was going to enter only one Porsche 997 GT3-RSR in the LM GTE Am class for Emmanuel Collard, François Perrodo and Matthieu Vaxivière - a trio also present in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the wheel of the No. 75. The recent withdrawals of several competitors will now allow the Belgian team to enter a second car. This will be done in partnership with the WeatherTech Racing team, currently entered in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Rudi Penders and David MacNeil will also join their forces to enter a Porsche 997 GT3-RSR for Bret Curtis, Cooper MacNeil and Jeroen Bleekemolen. An interesting compromise between experience and youth that could very well spell surprise come June...
Bret Curtis and Cooper MacNeil have only one participation between them. Curtis made his grand debut at Le Mans in 2012 with a Porsche already entered by Prospeed Compétition while his fellow countryman was, in 2013, the youngest driver at the start (Corvette Larbre Compétition). Though their experience in La Sarthe is still green, the two men have solid overseas references as much in prototypes as in GT. Without a doubt they can also rely on advice offered by Jeroen Bleekemolen who will take part in his ninth Le Mans race. The Dutch knows the 24 Hours, as well as Grand-Touring cars and particularly Porsches (Supercup Champion in 2008 and 2009). Also winner in the LM P2 class in 2008, he may well direct his teammates in the high level confrontation that is gearing up in the 18-car strong GTE pack.
Pierre-Yves RIOM / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: DAYTONA (FLORIDA, UNITED STATES), DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, 2014 24 HOURS OF DAYTONA, SATURDAY JANUARY 25 2014. The WeatherTech Racing team has partnered with Prospeed Compétition to enter a Porsche 997 GT3-RSR at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans.
INFORMATION
24 HOURS OF LE MANS - June 14 & 15, 2014
