ELMS – With Gary Hirsch and Christian Klien, Morand Racing aims for victories and a title

With three podiums to its credit, Morand Racing did not miss the 2013 edition of the European Le Mans Series. Enough to give rise to even greater ambitions for 2014. The Swiss team will still field a Morgan-Judd shod by Dunlop in ELMS, but this time with a desire for victory. Nothing is impossible, the Swiss team having ended the year by taking the second step of the podium, at Paul-Ricard, thanks to the duo Natacha Gachnang-Christian Klien. “Our package was very reliable in 2013, underlines boss Benoît Morand. We did some development this winter with Morgan, our engineer and Judd. The goal in 2014 is to win races and we intend to fight for the title. It will undoubtedly be as competitive, and perhaps even more so, than in 2013, but we are very well armed. »

This year, the 30-year-old Austrian, author of 51 starts in F1, will be there again. “I think we will fight for victory and the title this year,” admits the latter, who will be supported by the 26-year-old Swiss Gary Hirsch. “Gary and I met once, continues Klien. He won the LM PC category in ELMS last year (on an Oreca 09 FLM shared with Paul-Loup Chatin. Editor’s note), he is a good pilot. I'm sure we'll make a great duo. » A duo which could turn into a trio, since the identity of the third man brought to lend them a hand should be revealed shortly. A request for an invitation to the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 14-15) has also been submitted to the selection committee. “I think we put all the chances on our side to fight for the lead. » confirms Gary Hirsch.

“Given the work done together at the end of the 2013 season, we wanted to keep Christian, concludes Benoît Morand. As for Gary, he has always been one of our priority options. In addition to the Swiss identity of the team that we wish to maintain, we are convinced that the Klien-Hirsch duo will be competitive. »

First element of response on April 18 and 19 at Silverstone, where the curtain will be raised for the WEC, the first of five rounds on the program for the 2014 European Le Mans Series.