24h Le Mans
Just a few weeks before the kickoff of the 2017 European Le Man Series season, Panis-Barthez Compétition has revealed the driver line-up set to compete in the full championship, as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 17th and 18th, in the LM P2 class.
World Football Champion with the French team (1998) Fabien Barthez and Timothé Buret (who last season was already with Panis-Barthez Compétition at the wheel of its Ligier JS P2 in LM P2 in the ELMS) were announced at the beginning of the year, but it still remained to the outfit led by Olivier Panis, former F1 and endurance racing driver with four participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to reveal the identiry of the third driver for the 2017 campaign. The French duo will in fact be joined by Nathanaël Berthon who finished sixth in LM P2 at the 24 Hours last year with Greaves Motorsport.
In 2017, the Panis-Barthez Compétition team will keep the same format as in 2016 with one car in both the LM P2 and LM P3 classes (the latter ineligible at the 24 Hours of Le Mans) in the European championship. It will enter a new Ligier JS P217 in LM P2 and compete in LM P3 with the Ligier JS P3 entrusted to Eric Debard, Simon Gachet (back again) and young American driver Theo Bean.
Team Principal Olivier Panis: "I am very happy to start our program. Last year, for our first participation, we collected numerous technical and sports data that allow us to approach this season with more confidence. We have worked to have complementary and homogeneous line-ups once again. The arrival of the new Ligier JS P217 in LM P2 is going to make us reach a turning point in terms of technical and physical performance. It will also require a higher level of driving. That is why we wished to have a driver with a solid experience in Endurance by Fabien and Timothé’s sides and Nathanaël Berthon meets this requirement. During his seasons spent in ELMS, FIA WEC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he showed his ability to be a fast driver, being often amongst the front-runners. Combined with Fabien Barthez’s rigour and Timothé’s skills, it will allow us to have a strong line-up."
The 2017 season for Panis-Barthez Compétition, whose invitation request to the 85th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been accepted, will kick off with the 4 Hours of Silverstone, ELMS season opener on April 15th.
Quotation from team press release.
Photo: Fabien Barthez participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 with the Panis-Barthez Compétition team.
