Richard Mille Racing at the time of the big meeting

Philippe Sinault proudly announced that the Richard Mille Racing Team had taken on a new dimension this week at Le Mans. “Creating a team cannot be invented, especially a team of drivers. I felt that a real step had been taken this week, that's the magic of Le Mans. It's true that this crew may seem quite exotic based on their profiles, but it's going incredibly well! Lilou, who is the least experienced, is so clear in her head that she even brings us a form of serenity, which is quite incredible. Sébastien is so rigorous, professional, he doesn't give up and has limitless determination. With Charles, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year in LMP2, this trio worked really well.” The famous unifying 24 Hours of Le Mans effect.

A first in the hard

If the team's stated objective was to run a great race and see the checkered flag on Sunday at 16:00 p.m., a competitor cannot just compete in the biggest race in the world.

Sébastien Ogier, Lilou Wadoux, Charles Milesi, Richard Mille Racing Team © Thomas Fenetre / DPPI

Designated to start, Charles Milesi immediately got into the rhythm and moved into 5th position. Seb Ogier recovered the car for a triple stint and returned the car to Charles Milesi in 7th position. The red Oreca remained in contact with the leaders and the much-hoped-for window opening onto the podium became a reality as the laps went by. The beautiful machine would unfortunately come to a halt shortly before the 5th hour, when the team was penalized with a Stop&Go of 1 minute for an entry into the pits considered dangerous, for which Sébastien Ogier very sportingly recognized the responsibility. “It’s too bad to have taken this penalty in my first triple relay. I made a mistake entering the pit lane, otherwise we would have had a perfect first half of the race.” As in previous years, the LMP2 field is certainly the toughest and the slightest mistake is paid for in cash. If a few seconds can be taken back, certainly not this minute penalty and it was therefore necessary to refocus on more humble objectives.

The Richard Mille Racing Team rookies put on a show

Lilou experienced her Le Mans baptism in the most beautiful way by inheriting the wheel at nightfall and achieved a faultless performance before returning the car to Charles Milesi and Sébastien Ogier who carried out quadruple stints at night. If Charles is only 21 years old a pilotEndurance seasoned, it was a great first for Ogier, more used to sprints on special stages. “This first night stint at Le Mans was really nice,” he confided when he got out of the car. We managed to increase our pace a little even if the traffic is sometimes frustrating in the sense that it is difficult to have a clear lap”

Sébastien Ogier admits to wanting to return to Le Mans © Germain Hazard / DPPI

Firmly established in the Top 10 in the early morning, Lilou and Sébastien carried out their role as beginners and handed over the wheel to Charles Milesi for the final stints. Milesi didn't give up and went for a nice 9 in the last laps^rd place which rewards the efforts of the Richard Mille Racing Team.

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