The WEC Rookie Test is go!

Thirteen WEC cars are taking to the track today for the annual official WEC Rookie Test at Bahrain International Circuit.  There are five hours of testing available to the 25 drivers on the entry list, split into two sessions (10:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 16:00 local time).

Among the cars are three LMP1 hybrids, two from Toyota Gazoo Racing and one from Porsche LMP team – the car taking to the track in an official WEC session for the last time.

F1 star and self-confessed sportscar racing fan, Fernando Alonso, will make his LMP1 debut alongside Sébastien Buemi in the No.8 TS050 HYBRID, while the rookie nominated by the WEC Promoter – Thomas Laurent (FRA) – will drive the No.7 under the tutelage of Mike Conway.

World Series Formula V8 3.5 Champion Pietro Fittipaldi is under the wing of Timo Bernhard in the No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid.

Five LMP2 cars are on the entry list including newly crowned Champions, Vaillante Rebellion, who will test Matevos Isaakyan (RUS) who finished second in World Series.  Fellow Russian Konstantin Tereschenko will be in the No.28 TDS Racing car, and Mahaveer Raghunathan (IND) will make his WEC debut in the No.26 G-Drive Racing ORECA 07 Gibson.

Young French driver Gabriel Aubry has the experience of Nicolas Lapierre to guide him in the No.36 Signatech Alpine Matmut A470, in the same way that Ho-Pin Tung will be doing at Jackie Chan DC Racing with young Dutchman Rinus Van Kalmhout and Canadian Garett Grist in the No.38.

LMGTE Pro winners AF Corse will test the third placed World Series driver, Alfonso Celis Jr, alongside Miguel Molina in the No.51 488 GTE, and there are three further GTE Pro entries (No.71 Ferrari and both Porsche GT Team 911 RSRs) which will complete development testing today.  

Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber will re-familiarise themselves with the GT car in preparation for whatever Porsche has in the pipeline for them in 2018.
Finally, the No.61 Clearwater Racing entry will see veteran Ferrari driver Olivier Beretta at the wheel with Japanese driver Ishikawa Motoaki.

The entry list is HERE