Sébastien Loeb Racing holds high hopes with a new trio

 The Alsace-based team will be lining up a new trio on that occasion. Though Vincent Capillaire will still be racing at the wheel of the ORECA 03R No. 24, he will now be assisted by two young single-seater drivers : Arthur Pic and Andrea Roda. Competing with such drivers and on a track they are already quite familiar with, the team co-founded by Sébastien Loeb and Dominique Heintz will aim for a strong result at the 4 Hours of Le Castellet.

We have high hopes !

Franck Tiné

Alongside Vincent Capillaire, who has been involved with the Sébastien Loeb Racing since the beginning of the 2014 season, are two young drivers who will be taking their first steps in Endurance at the wheel of a Le Mans Prototype : Arthur Pic, just under 23 years old, and Andrea Roda, 24 years old. As a single-seater driver, Arthur has gone through every single step, with one title in Formul’Academy Euro Series (2008), many podiums and four victories in Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup (2009-2010) ; then three seasons in Formula Renault 3.5, clinching one victory, some podiums and pole positions (2011-2013).

This year he is engaged in GP2 and has already clinched another victory with Campos Racing and a podium this weekend at Monza.

Andrea will rely on a strong experience in single-seater too : after several seasons in Formula Renault 2.0 (Italy, Suisse, Eurocup...), he has competed in the Italian F3 for two years (2010-2011) then at European level (2012). He has been racing for Virtuosi in Auto GP since last year, achieving one win and five podiums in 2014.

« For many different reasons, it was the perfect moment for Arthur and Andrea to make their debut in Endurance » explains Franck Tiné, Sébastien Loeb Racing’s Sporting Director. « We are really happy to witness those two young and talented drivers taking their first steps in prototypes. Together with Vincent, who will know how to share and pass his experience of both the team and the car onto them, they will form a great line-up.

We have high hopes for this home race. We fully trust Arthur and Andrea, they will quickly learn and adapt themselves to the LM P2 and will soon become successful drivers in that class too. It is always great to come back to Le Castellet, the team has often shone there. Let us not forget that’s where the Sébastien Loeb Racing took part in its first race and achieved its first podium. »

« I’ve always been interested in endurance that’s why racing for the Sébastien Loeb Racing was an opportunity I couldn’t miss » says Arthur Pic.

« I am already familiar with the Paul Ricard circuit, I quite like that track. There’s no better place for me to discover prototype racing, so I am looking forward to being at the start of that race.

A variety of things interest me : I want to get to know this sort of event and I am curious to see how that’s going to go. It’s always exciting for a driver to discover other disciplines in order to become as complete as possible. I am here to learn and to bring in the experience I have acquired in formula racing. I am confident that we’ll do a good job. »

« It will be my first time racing in a prototype as well as in endurance. That means that almost everything will be new for me » says Andrea Roda. « I wanted to discover the LM P2, a category which has always seemed interesting to me. I have had the opportunity to see my father race before at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and that has always been an incredible experience.

There are many legendary races in endurance and this is an important opportunity for me. I wish to learn all these new things, as quickly as possible. I want to do a good job, and avoid making any mistakes. We’ll see how competitive we are during the qualifying, I think we could achieve a good result, I have great hopes. »

After two free practice sessions on Saturday September 13th, the qualifying will take place on Sunday 14th at 9:30am. As for the race, it will start at 1:00pm

Sébastien Loeb Racing