Kubica, Magnussen, Ilott… the rookies to watch at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

Robert Kubica: the experienced beginner

• LM P2, 36 years old, Team WRT #41 with Louis Delétraz and Yifei Ye

Ten years after his terrible accident at rally Round of Andorra near Genoa (Italy), Robert Kubica will discover the 24 Hours of Le Mans despite a right arm which still bears the after-effects of February 6, 2011. Then pilot of Formula 1 in Renault, the winner of the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix with BMW saw his promising career in the premier class come to a sudden end. However, the Pole was able to overcome this physical handicap to return to motor racing. Firstly in rallying, but also by regaining a starting place in Formula 1 in 2019 at Williams. At 36, the man who is still a reserve pilot at Alfa Romeo, discover this season theEndurance with Team WRT in the European Le Mans Series. A championship where the Belgian team has achieved two successes in four races. Within a young team, the experience of this workaholic, despite being young in this discipline, is a great source of motivation: “ I had never seen a pilot put as much pressure on himself as Robert, explained Thierry Tassin, the sporting director of Team WRT. He has enormous experience, but he asks questions all the time, all the time... He never stops, they are always extremely relevant. With him, the debriefings supposed to last 20 minutes become an hour. » Robert Kubica will be supported in the LM P2 category by Louis Delétraz and Yifei Ye.

Kevin Magnussen : learning alongside the father

• LM P2, 28 years old, High Class Racing #49 with Anders Fjordbach and Jan Magnussen

After Haas, Kevin Magnussen bounced back in Endurance (© Florent Gooden / DPPI)

Away from the Haas team and Formula 1 at the end of last year, Kevin Magnussen found refuge in Endurance with Chip Ganassi Racing in IMSA but will also discover the 24 Hours of Le Mans with High Class Racing. The Dane will have as teammate his compatriot Anders Fjordbach but also and above all his father Jan Magnussen. Aged 48, the latter will compete in the double round of the clock for the 22^e times since 1999. Five-time winner with Corvette (2004 in GTS; 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 in GT1), Jan will be able to pass on all his knowledge of the legendary event to his son. “ He helps me a lot, it's true. We talked about all these events and I had already attended some alongside him. I think that, without realizing it, I have already assimilated a lot of information from our discussions, particularly on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But nothing prepares you like the real race. The reality of a 24-hour race only really hits you then, when you experience it. That’s what I felt at Daytona and that’s what still awaits me at Le Mans.”, confided Kevin Magnussen in AUTOHebdo magazine number 2322. An experience which will be beneficial to him for the future since the former teammate of Romain Grosjean will join the program soon Peugeot 9X8.

Callum Ilott: a first step towards Ferrari in a Hypercar?

• GTE Am, 22 years old, Iron Lynx #80 with Matteo Cressoni and Rino Mastronardi

Callum Ilott hopes to prove himself in Endurance (© Florent Gooden / DPPI)

Unlike Robert Kubica and Kevin Magnussen, Callum Ilott has not yet had the chance to discover Formula 1. Present in Formula 2 for two seasons and runner-up in this discipline in 2020, the Briton joined Scuderia Ferrari this year as a test driver and also drives for Iron Lynx in GT World Challenge Europe. A team whose colors he will defend this week in Sarthe. “ It’s a true honor to have been chosen to drive for Iron Lynx and Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and an opportunity I couldn’t refuse! There is a great tradition of successful British drivers there, and I will try to make my own contribution to the history of Le Mans.", confided the 22-year-old driver after his appointment at the wheel of one of the three Ferrari 488 GTE entered by the Italian team in LM GTE Am. These 24 Hours of Le Mans could be an opportunity to show off with a view to the program of the Prancing Horse in Hypercar.

Antonio Fuoco: Ferrari's other protégé

• GTE Am, 25 years old, Cetilar Racing #47 with Roberto Lacorte and Giorgio Sernagiotto

Ferrari protégé, Antonio Fuoco hopes to be part of Ferrari's Hypercar program (© Ferrari)

Another Ferrari protégé will discover this 89^e edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a 488 GTE EVO, that of Cetilar Racing. F1 simulator driver for Ferrari, Antonio Fuoco has already distinguished himself this season by contributing to his team's victory at the 8 Hours of Portimão. Great Italian hope during his single-seater years, the Calabrian is also eyeing a steering wheel in the future Ferrari Hypercar. The 25-year-old is also living alongside Calum Ilott throughout the season at Iron Lynx in GT World Challenge Europe. Previously, Fuoco was also Italian GT Endurance champion in 2019 and 2020. As Le Mans approaches, he spoke about his future participation in the double round of the clock: “I dreamed of it as a kid and I’m happy it’s about to come true. I've always wanted to do it at least once and I'm glad it's this year, even though I'm still very young”. His speed and consistency make him a driver to follow during this 2021 edition.

Ferdinand Habsburg: the ecological pilot

• LM P2, 24 years old, Team WRT #31 with Robin Frijns and Charles Milesi

Ferndinand Habsburg will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Team WRT (© Instagram Ferdinand Habsburg)

The Team WRT team has taken the gamble of fielding several rookies for this 89^e edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Apart from Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye in the number 41, the sister car #31 will also field neophytes Robin Frijns and Ferdinand Habsburg. The Austrian stands out in the paddock for his ecological fiber. The Salzburger thus initiated the campaign “ Drive Fast, Act Faster » visible on the sides of the Oreca 07-Gibson #31. While the IPCC recently warned of the acceleration of global warming, the speech of the 24-year-old pilot echoes the sad news of the moment: “ During the last offseason, I traveled a lot. Over the last year, many things have become very clear. Fires around the world have intensified. As someone who loves being in the water, in the ocean, I realized that when we went to surf somewhere, we could find ourselves surfing on plastic. I said to myself that there was certainly something to do that did not contradict my job”. An approach in line with the philosophy of the ACO which, on the occasion of these 24 Hours of Le Mans, will award a prize rewarding the competitors' commitment to social and environmental responsibility (CSR), in particular the progress made. from one year to the next.

Sarah Bovy: in the name of the father

• GTE Am, 32 years old, Iron Lynx #85 with Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting

Sarah Bovy will also participate in her first 24 Hours of Le Mans (© Instagram Sarah Bovy)

Second all-female team in the 89 field^e edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Richard Mille Racing Team of the trio Tatiana Calderón, Sophia Flörsch and Beitske Visser, Iron Dames will welcome a neophyte of the double clock tower in the person of Sarah Bovy. The 32-year-old Belgian discovered the Sarthe Classic in 2009 while admiring her compatriot Vanina Ickx racing in LM P2. “ At the time, the prototypes were open, she remembers for AUTOHebdo. I will always have a little regret of not being able to drive in this type of car. [...] In the stands, I said to myself: ''It must be a dream to compete in this race! ''” For the Liégeoise, participating in Le Mans is also a way of realizing the dream of her father, who had tried to qualify in a Spice in 1990, without success. “ If I start on Saturday afternoon, it would already be considered a victory for my family (laughs)”, jokes the pilot.

Glickenhaus: the beginner stable

• Hypercar, #708 and #709

The Glickenhaus team created a surprise by achieving the best time of the Test Day of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (© Joao Filipe / DPPI)

If the Hypercar category does not have any rookies in terms of drivers for this edition, the novelty of this season is on the side of the teams with the Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus. The new American team will be the sensation during this double round of the clock with its two cars lined up, including three French people at the wheel: Franck Mailleux and Olivier Pla in the 708 and Romain Dumas in the 709. Jim Glickenhaus, the shareholder and founder of the team, will live his childhood dream by seeing his prototypes on the Le Mans track.