French racer Pierre Ragues will get his 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign underway this weekend as Silverstone hosts the opening round of the season.

 

The 6 Hours of Silverstone will mark Pierre’s first race with TEAM SARD MORAND as he joins Oliver Webb and Tristan Vautier in the number 43 Morgan Evo SARD, equipped with Dunlop tyres.

 

The trio of drivers all had their first taste of the car in an official test session two weeks ago during the traditional pre-season Prologue. Work centred on car set-up in the often windy conditions presented at Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France with 103 laps completed over two days. The test gave Pierre the chance to further acclimatise himself with the team and the car ahead of this weekend’s season opener.

 

Pierre is familiar with the demands of Silverstone’s 5.9km track layout having secured a podium finish in LMP2 back in 2012, a result he will be hoping to emulate as this year’s WEC gets underway. The eight race series will run until November and include, once again, the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. Pierre will be participating in the legendary race for a ninth time this season, making him one of the most experienced racers in the field. 

 

His experience and talent will no doubt be a great asset to TEAM SARD MORAND as they look to establish themselves firmly among the front runners in LMP2 this year. Initial performance in the Prologue allowed them to be near the front of the class but there are now three practice sessions and the all-important qualifying separating Pierre and the team from the first race of 2015.

 

Pierre said: “It’s exciting to get down to business as this year’s World Endurance Championship begins with the 6 Hours of Silverstone. I am thrilled to be joining TEAM SARD MORAND on this adventure, and working alongside Tristan and Oliver. We worked really well together in pre-season testing and especially in the Prologue, where we gathered a lot of important information about the car. We will now put all that learning into practice where we hope to compete near the front of LMP2.  I have fond memories of Silverstone, not least because of the podium I scored back in 2012, so I hope to be able to pick up the pace quickly once practice gets underway. WEC has emerged as a truly competitive series with lots of participants and a growing fan base, so I am proud to be part of it with TEAM SARD MORAND for the entire 2015 season. Le Mans will definitely be a highlight but the 6 Hours of Silverstone will be an ideal way to start the season – and hopefully another podium might be on the horizon.” 

 

11.55 Free Practice 1

15.55 Free Practice 2

 

9.00 Free Practice 3

12.30 Qualifying LMP

 

12.00 6 Hours of Silverstone