ELMS
Gabriel Aubry ousted from Vector Sport: “I’m shocked”
Gabriel Aubry will no longer ride with Vector Sport - Photo: Paulo Maria / DPPI
The news broke this Monday early afternoon. The British team Vector Sport has announced the arrival of Felipe Drugovich for the 2024 European Le Mans Series season alongside Ryan Cullen and Stéphane Richelmi. To understand therefore that the Brazilian, champion of Formula 2 in 2022 and reservist Aston Martin en Formula 1, replaces Gabriel Aubry, previously included in the entry lists of theELMS and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
« I heard the news last week through a phone call, Gabriel Aubry told us. By telling me that the team had signed someone else in my place without any right of reply or possibility of defending myself, all this one week before the first tests. » Vector Sport is indeed racing on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Paul-Ricard circuit after the other ELMS teams entered for the 2024 season. Until now, the French driver was included in the entry list for the European Championship.Endurance as well as for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His name is not even mentioned in Vector Sport's press release this Monday. Consequence: Gabriel Aubry will not ride this season.
« I don't understand how we can go from a relationship like the one we had last week to what just happened, laments Gabriel Aubry. We had no prior discussions. I have tried to offer them various solutions in recent days to stay with them, but the team refuses to see me at the Paul-Ricard circuit during their tests this week. I'm shocked. »
« I'm not naive, I understand how motorsport works, but I regret the way of acting, the timing and the communication, adds the pilot. It's a lack of respect for and everything I was able to bring to the team last year. » Let us remember in particular that Gabriel Aubry came very close to taking pole position during the 6 Hours of Portimão in the LM P2 category, failing by a thousandth of Mirko Bortolotti (Prema).
Aubry was happy to ride again with his former teammate Stéphane Richelmi: “ I was so happy to find the man with whom I was vice-champion in 2019 (with Jackie Chan DC Racing in LM P2. Editor’s note). Especially since I was strongly involved in his arrival in the team for this new season. »
This change comes as the European Le Mans Series season begins on April 14 with the 4 Hours of Barcelona.
ALSO READ > Felipe Drugovich returns to action in ELMS with Vector Sport
Valentin GLO
Journalist. Endurance reporter (WEC, IMSA, ELMS, ALMS) and sometimes F1 or IndyCar.
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