Rising talents primed to shine in Bahrain Rookie Test
The entry list for the forthcoming FIA World Endurance Championship Rookie Test has been released, revealing the identities of the drivers that will to take to the track at Bahrain International Circuit on 3 November.
It has already been announced that Valentino Rossi, Dan Harper and Max Hesse will join BMW M Team WRT for the day, while Team Peugeot TotalEnergies will run rising young French talents Théo Pourchaire and Clément Novalak.
Elsewhere in the pit-lane, defending world champions TOYOTA GAZOO Racing will field LMGT3 regular and 2024 European Le Mans Series runner-up Esteban Masson, with Alpine Endurance Team set to assess Alpine Academy driver and FIA Formula 2 Championship race-winner Victor Martins. Both are enthusiastic about the opportunity that lies ahead.
“I’m super-excited and super-grateful to be able to drive such a good car with Toyota,” acknowledged Akkodis ASP Team ace Masson. “To be able to stay for the Rookie Test after Bahrain will be amazing. I’m looking forward to working with the team for the first time, to getting my first taste and to enjoying the day.
“I’ll be doing a lot of sim work in preparation, watching some videos and working with the engineers so I can get the most out of the test that I can. I don’t have any specific goals; I just want to learn as much as possible and prepare for the future.”
“I’m super-happy for this opportunity, and very grateful to Alpine Endurance Team for allowing me to continue learning in the world of motorsport,” echoed countryman Martins. “It’s a chance for me to build my experience with new engineers and a new car, as well as to show my potential.
“I hope we will maximise the day, both on my side for learning, but also to allow the team to collect good data as part of the A424’s development. I can’t wait to discover this Hypercar, which looks very fast!”
Championship leaders Porsche Penske Motorsport will run Mathieu Jaminet – who will participate in selected WEC events in the #5 963 next year – with Ferrari development driver Arthur Leclerc set to climb into the cockpit of Ferrari AF Corse’s race-winning 499P.
Charlie Wurz – son of two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Alexander Wurz – will try out for Proton Competition, with Cadillac Racing offering an opportunity to TF Sport LMGT3 team-mates Charlie Eastwood and Daniel Juncadella, as well as Mercedes Formula 1 reserve driver and ELMS podium-finisher, Frederik Vesti.
“It’s a nice starting-point because I know Bahrain and it will be some good driving to get going with the Cadillac,” commented the Dane, who will contest the Rolex 24 At Daytona in IMSA’s GTP class with the American outfit next year. “I’m looking forward to getting my first real experience with the car.”
In LMGT3, British duo Tom Gamble and Alex Sedgwick will sample United Autosports’ McLaren 720S, while Aurélien Panis – son of 1996 Monaco Grand Prix hero Olivier Panis, and a winner of both the Gold Cup and Silver Cup in the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup – will drive Akkodis ASP Team’s Lexus RC F GT3, as Michelle Gatting and Célia Martin get a taste of the title-winning Manthey Purerxcing Porsche.
Gillian Henrion – a double race-winner in ELMS’ LMP3 category in 2024 – will join them behind the wheel of the dominant 911 GT3 R after being selected by WEC for his performances this season. Fellow WEC nominee Reshad de Gerus – a front-runner in LMP2 in ELMS – will take to the track in the championship-winning Hypercar, provided by either Porsche, Toyota or Ferrari.
To see the full Bahrain Rookie Test entry list, click here.
