LMP2: Championship Glory for G-Drive at Last
2015 has been a good year for Russian drivers and teams in the FIA World Endurance Championship with SMP Racing lifting the LMGTE Am title and G-Drive Racing finally securing the LMP2 Team and Driver titles at the third attempt.
G-Drive first entered the WEC in 2013 with a single entry with an Oreca03-Nissan. In 2013 the team won four races, took three pole positions and finished 3rd in the championship. In 2014 the team started with a Morgan-Nissan before switching to the new Ligier JS P2 chassis mid season. Again the team took four wins, with an incredible seven pole positions from the eight races and only lost out on the 2014 title due to a crash in the final race in Brazil.
In 2015 Julien Canal, Roman Rusinov and Sam Bird also took four wins and four pole positions, but this time the Anglo-Franco-Russo trio were not going to be denied the glory and duly won the final race of the year in Bahrain to claim the LMP2 title.
Victory in Bahrain has made Roman Rusinov one of two drivers with the most WEC victories since 2012, with twelve; the other driver on 12 wins is Gianmaria Bruni. Unlike Bruni's 12 victories, which were all won in the Ferrari 458, Rusinov's outstanding record of wins in 2013, 2014 and 2015 were completed in three different cars - Oreca03, Morgan and Ligier.
Julien Canal has now been part of two different championship winning teams in two different classes. The French driver was part of the Larbre Competition crew that won the LMGTE Am title in 2012 – there was no LMGTE Am Drivers title in the first year – and is now the LMP2 Champion with G-Drive Racing.
The 2015 season got off to a great start for G-Drive Racing with Bird, Canal and Rusinov taking the win at Silverstone, with the no28 sister car of Pipo Derani, Ricardo Gonzalez and Gustavo Yacaman, which had started from pole position, taking second place.
The no26 car took pole in Belgium and led for most of the 6-hours before an engine problem saw Sam Bird limp back to the pits. The car came out to take the chequered flag so it was classified.
At the 24 Hours of Le Mans the no26 crew had a titanic battle with their rivals in the no47 KCMG Oreca, with the Hong Kong based team eventually getting the upperhand over the Russian team. The no26 car was second and the no28 Ligier was 3rd.
Another second place finish followed in Germany but then Rusinov, Canal and Bird returned to the top step of the podium in Texas after starting from pole position. The G-Drive crew led for all of the final quarter of the race to finish ahead of the KCMG Oreca.
In Japan the no 26 Ligier started from pole position in extremely wet conditions, with the race starting from behind the Safety Car. Once the cars were released the conditions on track had everyone on their guard but the racing action was not diminished. As the track dried the no26 and no47 cars were battling side by side, with some contact just before the KCMG Oreca pitted. The Oreca rejoined but was involved in contact with the no28 that saw the KCMG Oreca retire and the G-Drive Ligier finish 3rd. The no26 G-Drive Ligier took the chequered flag to claim their third win of 2015.
Once again Rusinov, Bird and Canal claimed pole position, this time in Shanghai. However the challenge came from another quarter as reigning ELMS Champions Signatech Alpine won their first ever WEC race, with the G-Drive Ligier coming home in second place.
The scene was now set for the showdown in Bahrain. The G-Drive crew only had one challenger for the two titles, the no47 KCMG Oreca of Matt Howson and Richard Bradley, who had the assistance of 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Nick Tandy. Rusinov, Canal and Bird knew they only had to finish 4th to secure the 2015 crown but someone forgot to remind them as they went all out for victory. At the end of the final they were 25 seconds ahead of their championship rivals and G-Drive Racing could finally celebrate winning a world title after three hard fought seasons.
Sam Bird: "What a year and what a race! The KCMG was pretty strong, they were going to be difficult to beat. But my two teammates played their part really, really well. It's not just me out there, there are two other guys and they put me in a really good position to do my job and bring the car home in first place. It's been an amazing year, I've made some great friends and we've had some great times and to come away with a world title that they should've had last year is very special."
Roman Rusinov: "Finally! It was a great moment and I have a lot of emotion. We've tried for three years and each year we won four races and it is quite nice to win here again to make twelve victories in the WEC. It is a great championship and it is great to be part of it. I'm proud to represent Russia and G-Drive Racing and a big thanks to my teammates and my team. We knew we just had to finish this race to win the championship but as soon as we put the helmet on we forgot that and pushed as hard as possible. It was quite difficult because the KCMG was really fast. Our car was incredible and as a team we did a better job. So thanks to everyone."
Julien Canal: "For me it is just amazing also. I think the WEC is the best championship in the world and the best place for me as a silver driver. It was my goal this year to win this title. Last year we could've won but it wasn't to be. This year we have Sam with us, he has taught me a lot, and driving once again with Roman it has led to us winning the world title. I'm very proud of all of the team and my thanks go to Jacques Nicolet because without him I couldn't have won this championship. A big, big thanks to the whole team."
