Sébastien Loeb in the running at Le Mans

Sébastien Loeb was present at the Test Day of 24 Hours of Le Mans in the company of Nicolas Marroc and Jean-Karl Vernay to prepare for a future entry in the Sarthe event. If the Alsatian team is still young, the Oreca 03-Nissan n°19 which is registered in ELMS this year ended the day credited with the fifth fastest time in the LMP2s and first in the Oreca with a time of 3'42"248 to the credit of the eight-time world champion. Even though he hadn't driven at Le Mans since 2006, the boss-driver didn't take long to get used to the behavior of the prototype again.

“At first, it’s not easy to get back into a prototype when you don’t ride regularly in this discipline”, comments the world champion. “I did a test session at Magny-Cours at the start of the week: it was my first laps with an LMP2. I haven't driven at Le Mans since my experience in 2006. Is it a weird feeling behind the wheel? The rope points, I see them once I pass! I had a little trouble getting my bearings this morning but the good feelings have returned and it's really nice. Our objective was to go there gradually, without taking big risks while trying to improve the settings and above all to be confident with the car. The results are good, bet won! »

Dominique Heintz, the team's Team Manager, is impatient to see his team register for the 24 Hours of Le Mans even if he admits that the commitment for next year is not yet final. “Participating as quickly as possible in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is obviously the objective that we set ourselves with Sébastien. The fact of being present today already brings us closer to this race but that does not mean that we will be there in 2013. Even if this remains our dearest wish, a project of this type is being prepared and above all requires partners. The next few months will be decisive. »

Our special correspondents will return in detail on the Test Day of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the next issue of AUTOhebdo, available from Tuesday in digital version for iPad, PC and Mac, and from Wednesday on newsstands. The official program for the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be available digitally from June 6 and in paper version from June 11.