Three new drivers have been named right this moment for the forthcoming FIA WEC rookie take a look at in Bahrain subsequent month, which might be held the day after the eight-hour season finale.
Peugeot will run a pair of former Method 2 drivers — 21-year-old Théo Pourchaire (pictured above), who gained the 2023 F2 title with ART Grand Prix and confirmed effectively in a number of IndyCar races this season with Arrow McLaren, together with 23-year-old Clément Novalak, who presently drives for Inter Europol Competitors within the ELMS. Each Frenchmen will get behind the wheel of the 2024 9X8 through the day’s operating.
“For Workforce Peugeot TotalEnergies, these rookie exams in Bahrain deliver a recent perspective, regardless that reconditioning the vehicles after the race requires plenty of work from the complete crew,” mentioned Olivier Jansonnie, the technical director of Peugeot Sport. “It’s at all times very motivating and rewarding to see younger drivers arrive with huge eyes, discovering the crew, the automotive, and so forth.”
“We chosen two totally different profiles. Théo is single-seater oriented with an already spectacular observe report. Clément has extra endurance expertise with notable ends in ELMS, notably a second place in LMP2 on the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. His statistics on this self-discipline impressed us.
“I believe it’s an attention-grabbing mixture. They are going to be guided by Paul di Resta and Malthe Jakobsen, who additionally went by this course of earlier than being appointed full-time subsequent season. It’s at all times very attention-grabbing for us to get technical suggestions from recent views.”
At Alpine, F2 and Alpine Academy driver Victor Martins will get behind the wheel of an A424 for the primary time.
“I’m tremendous proud of this chance, and I’m very grateful to Alpine Endurance Workforce for permitting me to proceed studying on this planet of motorsport,” he mentioned. “It is a chance for me to proceed to construct my expertise with new engineers and a brand new automotive, in addition to a chance to point out my potential.
“Though I’m very centered on my single-seater journey, it’s a problem that I settle for with pleasure and I hope that we are going to maximize the rookie take a look at day, each on my facet for studying, but additionally to permit the crew to have good information as a part of their improvement.”
Philippe Sinault, crew principal of the Alpine Endurance crew, feels Martins will deliver a brand new dynamic to the crew for the take a look at.
“He is a wonderful driver we all know effectively, an Alpine Academy member and who has labored quite a bit with the Method 1 crew within the simulator,” he mentioned. “We wish to give him a brand new expertise behind the wheel of an endurance prototype.”
This trio of drivers be part of standout European Le Mans Collection kids Reshad de Gerus and Gillian Henrion, who turned the primary two drivers confirmed for the take a look at earlier this month.
De Gerus, a present LMP2 driver with IDEC Sport, is ready to drive a automotive offered by the title-winning Hypercar producer, whereas Henrion, an LMP3 driver, will steer Manthey PureRxcing’s LMGT3 championship-winning Porsche 911 GT3 R (992).
Each drivers had been nominated to drive within the take a look at by the WEC as a reward for his or her efforts whereas competing within the ELMS this season.
