Oreca formalizes its return to LMP1 with Rebellion

Oreca has formalized its return to LMP1 by announcing a new partnership with Rebellion Racing. As Hugues de Chaunac, the president of the French firm, revealed to us in issue 2050 of AUTOhebdo, the Var manufacturer is making its return to the premier category of WEC for the 2018-2019 Super Season by creating a chassis based on the Oreca 07 LMP2 which will ultimately be named Rebellion R 13.

“Designing a new prototype in LM P1 is a formidable challenge, comments Hugues de Chaunac. When the design office embarked on the design of the Oreca 07, we wanted to take a real step forward compared to the Oreca 05. The successes achieved this year motivate us to attack this very tough premier category. Equipped with a naturally aspirated engine, the challenge remains great for our LM P1 in the face of hybrids. But the Rebellion R 13 will be a very motivated challenger. »

CARhebdo also revealed last week that this Oreca LMP1 chassis would be powered by an improved version of the Gibson V8 with which the LMP2s are equipped.

Rebellion Racing will field choice crews this year with Neel Jani, Thomas Laurent, Gustavo Menezes and André Lotterer who will join Mathias Beche and Bruno Senna.

This will not be the first time that an Oreca chassis will compete in LMP1 since the French manufacturer has already produced the Oreca 01 which took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2010 and the Rebellion R-One which drove in Sarthe in 2014.