PREMA Racing has announced the full driver line-ups for the Italian team’s expanded 2 car 2023 LMP2 entry for the FIA WEC.
The #9 car will feature the already announced Ecuadorian-American Juan Manuel Correa who will be replaced in the clashing fixtures for his parallel F2 season by Lamborghini factory driver Andrea Caldarelli.
Caldarelli is confirmed for Sebring with other early season outings also looking likely as the F2 calendar awaits final confirmation. The Italian has already been announced as one of the development drivers for Lamborghini’s HyperCar/ GTP programme (with Iron Lynx/ Prema) for 2024. He was a single seater driver with the team easier in his career.
The #9′ s full-season crew will be completed by 20-year-old Silver-ranked Romanian Filip Ugran and by 23 year old Gold-ranked Dutchman Bent Viscaal.
Ugran will make a full-time step to prototypes after racing in Formula 4, FIA Formula 3, and Euroformula Open earlier in his career with promising and winning results to his credit.
Viscaal partnered with Correa in the post-season rookie test at Bahrain International Circuit and will run for the full season under the PREMA banner. He transitioned from single-seaters to prototypes last year, claiming an impressive podium on his ELMS debut at Le Castellet with Algarve Pro Racing.
The sister #63 Oreca sees Danny Kvyat and Mirko Bortolotti join French Iron Dame Doriane Pin for the full season.
A veteran of 110 Formula 1 starts, Daniil Kvyat will make the switch to prototype racing a year later than planned after his initial programme with G-Drive racing fell foul of the sanctions imposed on the Russian energy company.
The 28-year-old claimed three podium finishes throughout his F1 run, scoring a grand total of 202 points after experiencing a successful junior single-seater career. Knowing his outstanding resume and renowned work ethic, the team is eager to start the work together.
Mirko Bortolotti will join PREMA and bring a wealth of experience, having achieved considerable success ranging from single-seaters to touring cars and GT including the Italian F3, Mégane Trophy, FIA Formula Two, and GT World Challenge Europe titles. A Lamborghini Squadra Corse Factory Driver, Bortolotti will bring his expertise as a key asset to the team following a positive 24 Hours of Le Mans debut in 2022.
The season starts with a 2-day collective test session at Sebring Raceway, which will be followed by the 1000 Miles of Sebring on March 17th.
#9 Andrea Caldarelli: “I am very happy to race back with PREMA in this new adventure. I have such good memories with the team from having raced with them in 2007 and 2010 and they were my second family at that time, so I am really looking forward to being back racing with them. It is going to be a new challenge for me, so I am hoping that my already existing knowledge and experience will guide me through this. I would like to thank Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Iron Lynx for allowing me to race in this program.”
#9 Filip Ugran: “I’m delighted to announce that I am joining PREMA Racing in World Endurance Championship! I’m very happy to work with such a competitive and victorious team, with a great history, a team recognised for the ambition to win. Looking forward to a great season with great achievements together with the Team! Ready to race in the 2023 FIA WEC!”
#9 Bent Viscaal: “I’m very honoured and very pleased to join PREMA for the 2023 FIA WEC season. It’s a championship I have always been looking up to as a kid, with the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans that I already entered last year. This will be my first full WEC season and I’m very much looking forward to the challenge ahead, especially with PREMA as it is one of the best and most successful teams in the world. I’m confident we can achieve great results together.”
#63 Mirko Bortolotti: “I’m delighted to be joining PREMA in the FIA WEC this year. The Team has proven competitive straight away in the championship, so the aim is to continue the good work this season as well as to prepare for the LMDH programme. Big thanks to PREMA and Lamborghini Squadra Corse for the trust and opportunity.”
#63 Daniil Kvyat: “It’s a very exciting part of my career to join PREMA and compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship together. The team is very notorious for previous success, and it’s now looking to conquer the world of Endurance racing as well. I’m very excited to be part of it and very motivated to give my absolute best to try put ourselves in the top positions.”
