Tuesday 17 January 2012

Race - Morgan at Le Mans

Charles Morgan with Jacques Nicolet (Photo: Jan Sedlacek)
Each year thousands of race fans head off to Le Mans in June for the annual 24 Hour race including a heckuva lot of folk from up here. The good news is that there will be another British team to cheer on.

Morgan Motor Company and OAK Racing are joining forces to enter a Morgan badged team. Built by Onroak Automotive, OAK Racing’s constructor department, which is based at the Technoparc des 24 Heures in Le Mans, the 2012 OAK-Pescarolo LMP2 cars will compete as Morgan LMP2s.

OAK Racing will enter one Morgan LMP2 in this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship where they will seek to emulate the achievement of the Morgan Super Sport that took class victory at the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hours. 2012 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of their success. 

Charles Morgan, Chairman and CEO of Morgan Motor Company: “Whilst Morgan sports cars enjoy a great history we have also gained a reputation for pioneering new technology, and I believe LMP2 represents a superb proving ground in which to develop innovative new methods.

“Our partnership presents the opportunity for the next generation of Morgans to embrace new technological advances, particularly with the implementation of materials such as carbon fibre and top level aerodynamics, elements that are key to LMP2 cars. What’s more, we now have the chance to develop efficient, high-end performance machinery.”

Jacques Nicolet, President of OAK Racing: “In Morgan I feel the same passion that has inspired me since childhood, as well as the 'family spirit' that I hope I have been able to create at OAK Racing. Who better than Morgan to embody the gentlemen drivers’ spirit needed for LMP2 competition?

“What really cements this union is our common interest in both the Le Mans 24 Hours and endurance racing as a whole. The 2012 running of the 24 Hours will not only represent the fiftieth anniversary of Morgan’s class win at the race but also a celebration of our new partnership.”

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