Signatech-Nissan doubles-up at Spa
After the disappointment of the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Signatech-Nissan team will be present in force at the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Philip Sinault and Didier Calmels' team will have two cars on the grid for the 'dress rehearsal' of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
During the first round in Florida, a patch of oil was the downfall of the LM P2 class winners of the Le Mans 24 Hours 2011. Young French driver Olivier Lombard ended up in the tyre barrier, ending the hopes of his team-mates; the experienced Franck Mailleux, architect of the 2011 ILMC title in the LM P2 class, and rookie Jordan Tresson, winner of the Nissan GT Academy 2010.
The two driver crews will be keen to shine in the Belgian Ardennes ahead of the French round of the Championship. The Oreca-Nissan #23, (a lucky number of the Japanese manufacturer), will be supported by a second car, as in La Sarthe, with an unprecedented trio of drivers. French speaking Russian driver Roman Rusinov, who was with the Spartak Racing Lamborghini in the Le Mans Series and Team Modena at Le Mans in 2009, he returns to racing a prototype after his victory in the LMP2 class at the 1000 km of Le Mans in 2003.
Pierre Ragues raced for Signatech in 2010 but last year was with OAK Racing, while Nelson Panciatici comes directly from single seater series, including Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2.
Philippe Sinault & Didier Calmels : " I would like to welcome Pierre, Roman and Nelson, as we are effectively doubling our numbers for this event. We have programmed two sets of tests next week, which will allow us to work on fuel consumption, aerodynamics and the tyres. We have nine hours less running than the cars that went to the end of the 12 Hours of Sebring, further to our retirement. We have to catch up the lost time, and to adapt our set-up to the very fast Belgian circuit, so that we can be at the front."
Ticket office for the WEC Spa Francorchamps 6 hours is HERE
Cecile Bonardel (quote from team press release)
Photo: SEBRING (FLORIDA, USA), SEBRING CIRCUIT, Sebring 12 Hours, Tuesday, March 13, 2012, PRIVATE TESTING. Signatech-Nissan line up a second car at the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps.