Stéphane Sarrazin with Oreca at Le Castellet

Stéphane Sarrazin with Oreca, this does not fail to amaze. A fine connoisseur of Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, with which he achieved pole three years in a row at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Cévenol will drive that of the Oreca team during the 8 Hours of Castellet, supporting Nicolas lapierre and Olivier Panis. Stéphane Sarrazin will thus be able to share his experience of the 908 with his weekend partners.

« This decision was taken naturally after a discussion with Olivier Quesnel » explains Hugues de Chaunac, president of the Oreca group. “ At Castellet, the bar is set high with the presence of an Audi which promises to be ultra competitive. In this context, the arrival of Stéphane will be an obvious asset for the entire team. Thanks to him, the technical team will discover their new mount even faster. Stéphane's knowledge will be particularly useful in racing conditions. It will also be a significant contribution for our drivers, Stéphane having spent thousands of kilometers in the seat of the 908 HDi FAP. We will thus be able to assimilate the car from the start of the season and optimize its use in a short period of time. »

While it is surprising to see the Peugeot driver join Oreca for a race, the Alès native is not arriving in unknown territory. “ I am used to working with David Floury, who was my engineer in 2003, and I already worked with Olivier Panis at the time of the F1. I know that Nicolas Lapierre is quick and friendly; I think we will form a great trio. It’s a great opportunity for me to prepare for the season. The objective is always to win: it would be an excellent result against the new Audi, but my first wish is to put myself at the service of the team and my teammates. I will try to bring my knowledge of cars and share little things that can help the team at Le Castellet and also for the future. »