More teams join the FIA WEC

FIA must be happier than nothing at the moment, as two more LMP2 teams join the already extensive FIA World Endurance Championship entry list, after a poor LMP2 car count last year. If just this wasn’t reason enough to be happy, the fact that the two newest FIA WEC teams come from the European Le Mans Series, proving why the latter of regional and world competitions is worth to be there.

Signatech-Alpine won the Teams and Drivers titles in the European Le Mans Series twice in a row, in 2013 and 2014, so it was expected they would change to worldwide competition sooner or later as they had nothing to prove in the continental competition. So the time came in 2015, as the team entered a request to race full-time with their Alpine A450b-dubbed ORECA 03R, with Nelson Panciatici and Paul-Loup Chatin as drivers, with probably ex-Sebastien Loeb Racing Vincent Capillaire as the third driver.

There are no plans on the table for a ELMS return, as well for a two-car FIA WEC full time effort, but a second car can be expected to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The other team entering in FIA WEC, Morand Racing, is coming too from the European scenario, and after two seasons in regional competition, they step into FIA WEC, with two Morgan LMP2s and a partnership with Japanese SARD team, which has its long time in Super GT, as well some participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as their highlights.

The two Judd engines that will power the Morand Racing Morgans will be badged as SARD, and the Japanese company will even cooperate in terms of drivers, as Koki Saga will be alongside Christian Klien in No. 39 car, and the third driver will be decided in the near future. The other car, the No. 43 one, will have ELMS 2013 champion Pierre Racgues alongside ELMS 2014 champion Oliver Webb, with a to-be-selected third driver from the “Race to 24” show.

Want to check out what is Race to 24? Just visit the official page.

Signatech Alpine and Team SARD Morand entries are still pending confirmation from FIA and ACO. Announcement of the FIA WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans entries will be made on February 5^th.

PHOTOS: Signature Team, Team SARD Morand