Sean Gelael, runner-up last season in the WEC LMP2 Championship and at Le Mans with Jota will be joined by Audi Sport factory drivers Robin Frijns and René Rast for the 2022 WEC season with Team WRT.
In car #41, entered under the REALTEAM by WRT, the previously announced Rui Andrade who won the 2021 Pro-Am title with G-Drive by APR in his maiden ELMS LMP2 season, will have as teammates Ferdinand Habsburg and Norman Nato.
Dutchman Robin Frijns is a former F. Renault 3.5 champion, is still active with single-seaters, in Formula E, in parallel with a very successful career with GTs and sportscars. With Team WRT, he has won two Blancpain GT titles (one overall and one Sprint) and will now defend the FIA WEC and Le Mans crowns taken last year.
Germany’s René Rast is a triple DTM champion and a multiple endurance race winner (including the 2014 Spa 24h with Team WRT). He has debuted in LMP2 racing in 2014 and finished 2nd of the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Habsburg is a former F3 and DTM racer, and arrives in 2022 having won both the FIA WEC and Asian Le Mans Series titles, on top of clinching the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Nato is another driver whose single-seater success has continued with Formula E. He has been in LMP2 racing since 2018 with a second place at Le Mans and a third place in the Championship in the WEC. Nato too is not new to Team WRT, having raced with the Belgian squad in the 2019 Blancpain GT Endurance Cup.
Vincent Vosse: “We are delighted to reveal our complete 2022 FIA WEC line-ups and to add such heavy names; all drivers with great CVs, great skills and familiar with the team. We have a challenging task ahead of us, as repeating the success we had in our first FIA WEC campaign, won’t be easy. These strong line-ups will be useful to face the anticipated strong competition, as the game is rising dramatically in the FIA WEC ahead of 2023.”
Robin Frijns: “I really look forward to a 2022 season together with Team WRT. We had great success last year winning the LMP2 title in the FIA WEC and the goal now is to do it all over again. Team WRT became my racing family, we go along very well and I can’t wait to get going. I wish to thank Envision Racing for allowing me to defend my WEC LMP2 title.”
René Rast: “I am very happy to be in the WEC with the champion team. Obviously, I know Team WRT very well and I know how good they are. I look forward to work with them again and with my teammates, Sean and Robin, who are two excellent and fast drivers. Hopefully, we can have great success together and repeat what was achieved by the team last year.”
Ferdinand Habsburg: “If it’s working, why change it? WRT became like a second family for me in the past two years, so it was a no-brainer to carry on with them to defend our titles together, and there is no better option to choose than the reigning champions. We set the bar high last year but I know what they are capable of. I am grateful to my sponsors REMUS Sportexhaust and AVL Racing for their continued support, allowing me to do what I love the most at the highest level. I am really excited to share REALTEAM’s car with Rui and Norman and can’t wait to get going in Sebring!”
Norman Nato: “I am really pleased to continue REALTEAM’s adventure joining WRT for the 2022 FIA WEC season. After such a successful year in 2021 for the team, we will have to push hard to keep this level of performance. The 2022 grid is stronger than ever, I can’t wait to get started!”
Esteban Garcia, owner of REALTEAM Racing: “I know Norman Nato from driving with him in the WEC last year. I like his involvement in making motorsport more sustainable, especially through the Mission H24 hydrogen project. Ferdinand Habsburg is also very involved in sustainability. Supporting such drivers who allow our sport to evolve positively is an obvious choice for REALTEAM Racing. With them and Rui Andrade, we will have a very competitive team and we will live an exciting season with REALTEAM by WRT!”
