Rebellion Racing confirms its return to LM P1

We announced it to you last week (see Ah n°2143), Rebellion Racing will make its return to LM P1, with top-notch pilots. The Swiss team will return to the premier endurance category which it left at the end of 2016.

Titled in WEC in LM P2 this year under the name Vaillante Rebellion with Julien Canal and Bruno Senna, the team will enter two prototypes for the 2018-2019 WEC Super-Season.

Confirmed pilots Besides Senna, are the Frenchman Thomas Laurent, the Swiss Neel Jani and Mathias Beche, the German André Lotterer and the American Gustavo Menezes.

Rebellion will thus be able to count on two big names in LM P1 with Jani and Lotterer, from the program Porsche. “I can’t wait to return to where my endurance career began nine years ago, admits Jani, 2016 WEC world champion, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans that same year and former Rebellion between 2009 and 2013.

Rebellion Racing played a big role in my career and helped me become a Porsche driver. After the news of Porsche stopping in LM P1, it was clear to me that I wanted to return to Rebellion Racing. Hopefully we can get a podium at Le Mans and hopefully multiple podiums this season. »

“The LM P1 project is very exciting and continuing the challenge of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the WEC is something I did not want to miss under any circumstances. » underlines Lotterer for his part.

Thomas Laurent, competing in LM P2 with Jackie Chan DC Racing in 2017, and who was able to try his hand at driving the Toyota TS050 Hybrid at the Rookie Tests in Bahrain at the end of the season, will be able to compete in the LM P1 category in racing in 2018.

“I can’t wait to get to know the whole team and the other drivers, indicates the French. Also looking forward to seeing the car and getting in it for the first time! It's a dream come true to race in a championship in the LM P1 category. I think the team will do everything to play at the forefront, so it's up to us to be up to the task. »

Both cars will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show next March, but Rebellion could evolve in partnership with Oreca.