Team SARD MORAND is getting actively prepared for the new challenges of 2015 in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship. The first stage took place in Spain on the Motorland Aragon circuit.
This first testing was particularly important since the new partners from Switzerland and Japan spent four days working altogether for the first time. For this big step forward from the European Le Mans Series to the FIA WEC, entering two cars required the addition of new drivers, engineers, mechanics, and also new logistics. For the first gathering of this extended team on a race track, everything went on schedule without any problem. Once again the Morgan EVO SARD proved fast, reliable and consistent and will be in the top position of the LM P2 class.
Hideki Noda: “When I look back at these four days of testing everything went so well, communication is very good. We collected a great amount of data regarding the tyres, the engine and the drivers’ line-ups. Everything was new between SARD and Morand but we really have a good pace with all the drivers, who were consistent and made no mistakes, and so did mechanics and engineers.”
Benoit Morand: “We learned to know each other. I think we are on the good path after these four days of testing. Regarding the drivers, the newcomers were very impressive, especially Koki Saga who made great progress day after day. He was very consistent and quick. Pierre Ragues drove only two days because he was competing in a rally but he rapidly got back in the pace. Oliver Webb, the LM P2 defending champion of the 2014 European Le Mans Series, confirmed his quickness and professionalism. Tristan Vautier discovered prototype driving but everything went fine. We will also have a good line-up in the #43.”
Four days long, Christian Klien, Koki Saga (#39), Pierre Ragues Tristan Vautier and Oliver Webb (#43) shared the wheel of the two Morgan EVO SARDs entered in the LMP2 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship. During the four days, Swiss native Zoel Amberg was also behind the wheel. The six drivers covered about 4,000 kilometres and shifted gears 24,000 times.
Christian Klien: “The team is bigger now. We have a lot to learn so it is very good for all of us to have four days of testing. We got to know new people, new team mates. We made very good progress the last couple of days to understand the new package. We had the new 2015 evo package on the #39 car, which is quite different regarding aerodynamics and mechanical grip. Koki made great improvements in the last couple of days and he showed a great potential.”
Koki Saga: “This is the first time I race outside Japan. I am very happy and feel very comfortable with Team SARD MORAND. I am still learning about the car but during these four days of testing I gained experience. I am now quite confident in my ability of driving faster and faster. Before coming to Spain I visited the Le Mans circuit. For me, it was a kind of dream as I realized I would be coming back later this year to race there.”
Pierre Ragues: “My two days went very well and were the opportunity to meet my new team mates. We are getting along very well and we have the same feeling about the car, which is very important. We also trained for race start procedures and drivers’ changes.”
Oliver Webb: “The Morgan is quite different from the car I had last year, but also very pleasant to drive. It is a new team, a new challenge, a new championship. This is a very good team with good drivers. We had some testing with the new Dunlop tyres so we will see if it works well for the long runs, high temperatures, long tracks and longer races for double and triple stinting.”
Tristan Vautier: “I really liked the atmosphere in the team. All the drivers get along very well and the driving line-ups are very coherent. During these four days I got used to the long runs, this specificity of endurance racing: you must not push too much in order to preserve the tyres, especially during the double stints for example. This is a very subtle combination of quickness and fluidity.”
Benoit Morand: “We had a double objective during these four days of testing. On the #39 car, Christian was in charge of the 2015 evo package of the Morgan EVO SARD and we clearly see their advantages. Oliver had to get used with the Morgan chassis. We also made tyre development with the #43, and Dunlop was satisfied. Bottom line, we did what we had to to.”
In less than a month, the next stage for Team SARD MORAND will be the Prologue of the FIA WEC, to be held with all the contenders of the 2015 season on March 27-28 in the south of France at the Le Castellet circuit.
Press release : Team Sard Morand
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