French outfit GRAFF has named the driver trio for its 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours LMP2 Pro/Am entry. The team will compete with François Hériau, Giedo van der Garde and Patrick Pilet.
With the line-up GRAFF has assembled for its #39 ORECA 07 Gibson, Hériau feels the team has the clear aim of winning the Pro-Am LMP2 class in June.
“I am delighted to be part of the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with two teammates who are fast and nice as well,” he said. “I am glad to be with Giedo again, this time in Europe. He won the 6H of Portimao so there is no need to talk about his speed.
“I am also very happy to have Patrick in the team where he made his (single-seater and GT) debut. He was one of the fastest drivers in LMP2 in recent years. It is difficult to hide our ambition which is to battle for the win in LMP2 Pro-Am.”
For van der Garde, who currently competes with Hériau in IMSA with TDS Racing, this year’s start at Le Mans will be his sixth. His previous starts have all been in LMP2. His first came with G-Drive Racing in 2016, before he moved to Racing Team Nederland and competed at La Sarthe from 2017-2021.
Pilet meanwhile, continues his lengthy streak of Le Mans starts with this drive. The Frenchman has competed at Le Mans every year since 2009, with his best result coming in 2013 when he finished second as part of Porsche’s factory GTE Pro crew. It also marks his return to GRAFF, the team which he secured the 2007 Porsche Carerra Cup France title with.
