The 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans for TDS Racing (LMP2)
43 teams (fielding 61 cars) competed in the 87th 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Super Finale of the FIA WEC 2018-19 World Endurance Championship. There were winners, of course, but also mechanical glitches, track incidents and early retirements. Joy for some, disappointment for others... Here’s a summary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the TDS Racing team, which ran in the LMP2 class.
Team: TDS Racing
Class: LMP2
Car: ORECA 07-Gibson
Drivers:
François Perrodo (7th participation)
Matthieu Vaxiviere (3rd participation)
Loïc Duval (9th participation)
2013 24 Hours of Le Mans winner with Audi Loïc Duval qualified the #28 ORECA 07-Gibson in pole position in the LMP2 class and ninth overall with a time of 3:25.345. In the race, the team managed by Xavier Combet used sound strategy and a good pace to finish eighth overall and third in LMP2. "To be honest, helping a true amateur driver like François reach the podium was my personal goal. We had a great race and knew by managing the fuel and tyres properly we could aim high, like we did last year and several times across the season," explained Duval. TDS Racing has ended the 2018-2019 FIA WEC season in seventh place in the FIA Endurance LMP2 Team Trophy.
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Michel JAMIN (ACO)
PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES DU MANS, THURSDAY 13 JUNE 2019, QUALIFYING. The #28 ORECA 07-Gibson of French team TDS Racing driven by François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxivière and Loïc Duval.
The no18 IDEC Sport Oreca won a dramatic Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone, Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert and Daniel Juncadella recording their third win of the season to put them back in contention for the 2025 ELMS title at the season finale in Portimão next month.
Young Frenchman Théo Pourchaire will make his maiden appearance at the wheel of the Peugeot 9X8 at the 2025 8 Hours of Bahrain before officially joining Team Peugeot TotalEnergies for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship.
The entry list for the upcoming Asian Le Mans Series that begins in Sepang this December will feature a mammoth 48 full season entries across the three classes, the largest ever for the ALMS, with all three championship winning teams returning to defend their titles.