Race Performance with Hirschi and Welti

Renault Clio S1600 Rally, Aston Martin DB9 or Ford GT in Blancpain Endurance Series, Lotus Evora GTE in ILMC, Ford GT in FIA GT1 and Oreca 03-Judd in LMS, the versatile Jonathan Hirschi will have spent his 2011 jumping from one car to another. But it was surely the Oreca 03 that caught his attention the most. During the closing event of the Le Mans Series in Estoril, Portugal, the young Swiss did very well in the colors of the Race Performance team. For 2012, Michel Frey, the Director of the Swiss team, has therefore decided to hire the native of St. Imier full-time, who will therefore be at his side in the European Le Mans Series and in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, since the team was invited by the ACO a third time in a row. In 2012, the objective will be to do better than 6th in Sarthe, the place where she finished the last two seasons.

“Our objectives are revised upwards, says Michel Frey on Oreca-manufacturer.com. Judd proposed a good evolution of the engine from Silverstone, we are confident at this level. I will be driving with Jonathan Hirschi, who showed his potential at Estoril. The third driver is not yet confirmed. Ralph (Meichtry. Editor’s note) could join us at Le Mans. He is a friend, the team knows him and knows that he is both fast and reliable. He has been by our side from the start so it is a possibility. After receiving our invitation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we can now really work to do better than last year. We finished 6th twice, but there will be 18 LMP2s at the start. The category will be very competitive, even more so than in 2011. We will have to be reliable and improve the management of refueling. If we manage to achieve all this, I think we will be able to aim for the podium. »

To see his wishes come true, Michel Frey also recruited an engineer, in the person of Othmar Welti, seen in the FIA ​​GT1 world championship with the Swiss Racing Team. Undeniably, Race Performance wants to continue to climb the ladder, and sees the long term. Because if you enter the Endurance Championship this year “was not possible, this is clearly one of our missions in the future” concludes Michel Frey.

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