COOL Racing has finalised the driver line-up for its #37 ORECA 07 which will compete in the LMP2 Pro class of the ELMS in 2024.
Malthe Jakobsen, Team Peugeot TotalEnergies junior driver will race alongside Spanish driver Lorenzo Fluxa and Toyota Gazoo Racing Hypercar reserve driver Ritomo Miyata.
For 20-year-old Jakobsen, this programme will see him return for a third season with the Swiss-flagged team, which he won the 2022 ELMS LMP3 class title with before stepping up to LMP2 in 2023.
This year he competed in LMP2 Pro/Am with COOL Racing, alongside his testing and simulation commitments with Peugeot, winning races at Spa-Fracorchamps and Portimao.
“I am particularly excited to be continuing my collaboration with COOL Racing after two seasons together already in ELMS,” Jakobsen said. “I know the team well, including the technical staff and I am happy to be continuing in this great atmosphere, which is both very professional on a sporting level, and excellent on a human level.
“It is a new step for me, going from LMP2 Pro/Am to LMP2 Pro. We form a solid driver line-up, with Ritomo, Lorenzo and myself. So together, we will have one objective: the LMP2 championship title.”
With this trio COOL Racing team has opted to assemble a trio of young, aspirant drivers. Miyata is 24, Jakobsen is 20 and Spaniard Fluxa is just 18-years-old.
“I’m happy and proud of the trio of drivers we’ve been able to assemble for the #37 ORECA 07,” said Nicolas Lapierre, COOL Racing co-founder.
“”We want to progress from year to year and always do better. The level of competition in the European Le Mans Series is looking to be even higher next season so we’re trying get the best elements together, both with the drivers and the technical staff.
“We know Malthe well and we count on him and his capacity to continue his upward trajectory. The 2023 season confirmed all of the qualities we saw in him. We’re continuing the adventure together, and I’m thrilled.”
Next season COOL Racing hopes to return to the ELMS with three cars. In addition to its #37 ORECA 07, it has applied for a second LMP2 ORECA and a Ligier JS P320 to defend its 2023 LMP3 class title.
