3H Hungaroring : The ORECA 03 to make it three in a row?
After a fanfare start to the season with three victories in the spring, the ORECA 03 chassis continued their winning ways after the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Two races and two wins, at the Red Bull Ring in July and Sao Paulo on September 1 in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Now, teams turn their attention to the penultimate round of the European Le Mans Series at the Hungaroring in Budapest (September 13-14). In Hungary, five ORECA 03 entries will be looking to make it three in a row. The Alpine A450, designed and developed by ORECA, will also be on track.
Thiriet by TDS Racing could clinch the championship…
Defending champ, winner of the last two races and podium finisher in every round of the 2013 ELMS season, Thiriet by TDS Racing currently leads both the Teams et Drivers classification, with Pierre Thiriet leading his teammate Mathias Beche. The French team has its fate in its own hands and could clinch the championship in Hungary. In order to accomplish this, the No.1 ORECA 03 must win the race with Signatech-Alpine finishing third or worse. « We go to Budapest with only one objective, victory. » admits Xavier Combet, team manager. « We haven’t run the car since the 3 Hours of the Red Bull Ring, but because of our drivers and our place in the championship, that’s our mission. We know we can take the title with this race, but our priority remains to finish the race while avoiding any problems. We’re expecting a major battle, with tight competition. That said, I’m convinced that the race will not be decided on performance alone at the Hungaroring. Traffic will be complicated to manage with GT entries that will be difficult to pass. Strategy and pitstops will also be important. More than ever, the smallest details will make the difference. »
Currently third in the championship thanks to three top five finishes, including a podium at Silverstone, Race Performance will again entrust its Judd-powered ORECA 03 to Michel Frey and Patrick Niederhauser. The Swiss team will be looking to conserve its place in the top three of the Teams classification and improve to the top three in the Drivers points as well. With a driving squad that has shown itself to be solid and consistent, mixing experience and youth, Race Performance will be one to watch.
Murphy Prototypes only thinking of victory!
Unlucky since the start of the season, Murphy Prototypes has however shown their competitiveness. Two fastest race laps, both signed by Brendon Hartley, are proof. In Hungary, Greg Murphy’s team, who completed a test session at Snetterton in August, are only thinking of one thing : reach the top step of the podium. « With Brendon, we form a great duo » explains Jonathan Hirschi who will be racing for the Irish team for the second time. « Quite simply, we want to win. We were already in a position to do so at the Red Bull Ring, and this time we don’t want to miss out. The team is very professional but with a family like atmosphere, which I really like. I love this winding track, and it will be full of traps running with the GTs. The traffic will be the key to the race. »
While Boutsen Ginion Racing will be racing with a new trio comprised of Alex Kapadia and Khaled Al Mudhaf joining regular driver John Hartshorme, SMP Racing will be making its second start in LM P2. After an impressive entry into the category, Serguey Zlobin and Maurizio Mediani will be looking to continue their rise through the ranks with their Russian team.
ORECA’s engine department, based at Magny-Cours, prepares the Nissan V8 engine for four of the five ORECA 03 entered, as well as the Alpine A450. On the Hungarian track, very rhythmic and where the hot weather often plays havoc, ORECA will be looking for overall victory both as a constructor and engine preparer.