LMS: First test of the new ORECA 03

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From the ORECA press release

The new ORECA 03 sport prototype destined to endurance racing was tested earlier this week on the Paul-Ricard HTTT circuit in Southern France.

Photo: ORECA

The new LMP2 class car ran on Tuesday and Wednesday, first driven by Nicolas Lapierre, then by Soheil Ayari.

The two drivers completed more than 1000 kilometres in two days, making it more than just a shakedown for the ORECA 03, motorised in this case by a Nissan V8 engine.

“To see a new ORECA prototype take to the track is always a very special moment,” said team boss Hugues De Chaunac.

“This was already the case with the ORECA 01 and it is the same now with the ORECA 03, which shows our growth as a constructor. This is the first car designed specially for customers running in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Le Mans series. We were excited about it and I’m happy to say that the first tests were very conclusive.”

On Tuesday, after beginning the morning with a systems check, the technical team began their development program of the ORECA 03 in earnest. Important work was completed on the aero package, where several different configurations were tested. At the same time, chassis settings for mechanical grip were also explored.

For Wednesday, Nicolas Lapierre and Soheil Ayari continued along the same vein and also took advantage of testing to fine-tune the new Michelin tires as the two men completed both short and long runs.

Photo: ORECA