Le Mans – Nissan seeks its American star

Nissan gave a press conference this evening, on the sidelines of the 6 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas, concerning its LM P1 program. Darren Cox, director of Global Motorsport for the Japanese firm, said he was in the process of setting up a detection and training program aimed at putting an American who participated in the GT Academy across the Atlantic in the seat of the GT-R. LM Nismo in 2016. Thus, the former winners of the GT Academy US, namely Bryan Heitkotter (2011), Steve Doherty (2012) and Nick Millen (2013), as well as a certain number of finalists, will be offered the opportunity to show what they are worth behind the wheel of the car.

“All the American winners of the GT Academy have tasted victory in various major professional championships all over the world, explained Darren Cox. But we have also been amazed each year by other incredible talents. Some of these guys, who didn't win, went on to pursue motorsport careers after using the GT Academy as a springboard. We have our eye on some drivers that we would like to put to the test again and see if any of them have what it takes to drive the GT-R LM Nismo in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Once we have identified the most suitable alumni, we will put them through an intensive program with the aim of putting them into an LM P3 (category for which Nissan will be the sole engine supplier. Editor’s note). LM P2 at Le Mans should be the next step. We will make all the development tools we have available to take them to the next level. Putting them in the LM P1 seat is a process that will last more than a year. But if they are willing to work hard to get there, then the opportunity will come to them. Gaining experience behind the wheel of a prototype will be a critical phase of the development process. We already have various GT Academy Europe winners eyeing the LM P1 program, and many of them have already driven in an LM P2. »

As a reminder, the last American to have registered his name on the 24 Hours of Le Mans prize list is Davy Jones. It was in 1996 on a TWR-Porsche fielded by Joest Racing shared with Manuel Reuter and Alexander Wurz.