French endurance racer Pierre Ragues will have his sights set on a podium finish as the World Endurance Championship moves to Japan for the 6 Hours of Fuji this weekend.

 

Ragues, who is part of a three-driver line-up at Team SARD MORAND, will hope to continue with the positive performances he has shown in recent WEC races, which has seen him match the lead pace in the competitive LMP2 class.

 

For the final three rounds of the 2015 season, Ragues will be joined by regular team-mate Oliver Webb as well as a new colleague Chris Cumming from Canada. The trio will share driving duties in the #43 Morgan EVO SARD at the 4.563km Fuji Speedway circuit, which will be an important race for the team. 

 

The SARD name has a special place in Japanese motorsport, while the team’s title sponsor Franck Muller is also well known in Japan. Pierre will experience Fuji Speedway for the second time this weekend, having previously competed in the 2012 event with competitive pace.  

 

With support from his partners GroupAuto and Sparco, Ragues will focus on getting the most out of his Dunlop-equipped Morgan EVO SARD, while seeking continuous improvements in his own driving style over the three-day event.

 

Free practice will get underway on Friday morning local time with a total of three practice sessions preceding the qualifying session and Sunday’s six-hour race against the spectacular backdrop of Mount Fuji.

 

Pierre said: “I am feeling in good spirits following the race at COTA and I am sure that we will be able to mount a strong challenge at Fuji. I have only raced at the Speedway once before, three years ago, but I remember setting competitive lap times and feeling confident driving. Of course, I will need to get back up to speed but that is what practice is for and I am looking forward to my first laps of the weekend. We have a new line-up in the #43 car for this race with Chris joining Oliver and myself, and I have no doubts that we’ll work well together. Japan has a fantastic atmosphere and Fuji is a wonderful setting to race. As a team – with the legendary SARD name, our title sponsor Franck Muller and my personal partners GroupAuto and Sparco, I am in positive frame of mind for this race, with the podium a realistic target.”



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