Bleekemolen, Vanthoor on LDM wishlist
Jeroen Bleekemolen and Laurens Vanthoor are the primary overseas targets for the vacant V8 Supercars endurance season seat at LD Motorsport.
Jeroen Bleekemolen
Eric Gilbert
LD Motorsport is one of the few teams left to confirm all of its enduro drivers, with the drive alongside Tim Blanchard in the #3 Commodore still up for grabs.
In today’s co-driver session at Queensland Raceway, the team ran two Australian drivers, with Karl Reindler subbing in for the already-confirmed Oliver Gavin in the #222 car, while development series young gun Aaren Russell drove Blanchard’s car.
However, that doesn’t mean the team is ready to sign a local driver. According to team boss Lucas Dumbrell, the focus is still very much on an international driver.
“We are still focussed on an international driver, but it’s obviously harder to get stuff locked away,” Dumbrell told Motorsport.com.
“We need to clear schedules and make sure the driver can test before Sandown, and things like that.”
Motorsport.com understands that top of the list is Jeroen Bleekemolen. The Dutchman has V8 Supercars experience, having raced for Stone Brothers on the Gold Coast in 2012, and all three endurance races for Tekno in 2013.
He also has Bathurst experience outside of V8 Supercars, having finished second at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2012.
Vanthoors is also in the frame for the seat, although a scheduling clash could be the sticking point that stops the Belgian driver from making his V8 Supercars debut later this year.
Reindler still an option
Should a deal with Bleekemolen or Vanthoors not materialise ahead of the Sandown 500, Reindler is likely to be the team’s first choice as a local option.
The only stumbling block is the former A1GP driver’s lack of recent racing miles, which is why the preference is for a race-ready overseas driver to take the seat.
Reindler last raced in the endurances races in 2013, sharing Rick Kelly’s Nissan Altima.
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