Lurking silently in an otherwise near empty Spa pit garage is an important part of the recent history of this fixture. Jota Sport have brought the now entirely rebuilt and restored ‘Mighty 38’ Gibson Nissan LMP2 car to the event as an effective handover of the baton to the new #38 Oreca 07 they now campaign on behalf of Jackie Chan DC Racing.
The Gibson’s record is impressive, ever present as a guest entry at this race for the first five years of the FIA WEC with two class wins and a further pair of podium finishes. The ELMS title last year was likely more than enough compensation for a slightly disappointing 6th place class finish here in its final year. Add to that little lot a Le Mans win (and five appearances at the great race) all for the same chassis and there’s more than an inkling as to why Simon Dolan has chosen to hang on to the car!
The team used its appearance here to hold a brief ceremony featuring Jota favourite, and now Ford Chip Ganassi UK factory driver, Harry Tincknell handing over the ‘keys’ to the Mighty 38 moniker to 2017 FIA WEC driver for Jackie Chan DC Racing Ho-Pin Tung.
Will the Oreca 07, including, of course its Gibson engine, have anything like the racing career of the grand old lady? Time will tell.
