Duqueine has announced its drivers for the upcoming European Le Mans Series, blending youth and experience into an all-new lineup for the black and green #30 ORECA 07-Gibson LMP2.
Reshad de Gerus returns to Duqueine for the first time since his ELMS debut in 2022. The Frenchman has raced full-time in LMP2 at COOL Racing (now CLX Motorsport) and IDEC Sport over the past two seasons and has scored two podium finishes in the category.
At 21, De Gerus will be the team’s lead driver alongside two endurance racing newcomers. Second-generation driver Roy Nissany begins his LMP2 career after a year out of racing. The former Williams F1 test driver made 119 starts in the FIA Formula 2 Championship from 2018 to 2023. He also spent three seasons in the Formula V8 3.5 Series from 2015 to 2017.
20-year-old Italian Francesco Simonazzi will also make his LMP2 debut, after moving up from the Euroformula Open Championship – where he finished runner-up in the 2024 standings behind Brad Benavides.
“I am very happy to be back with Duqueine Team. I made my endurance debut with the team in 2022 and it’s a great feeling to be back,” said De Gerus. “Duqueine Team has shown over the last years that they are capable of winning races. I am looking forward to bringing my contribution to the project, alongside Roy and Francesco. The competition is getting harder each year in ELMS, and the level is just unbelievable. We will stand on the starting line with humility and ambition, with the goal to contend for the championship.”
“I’m delighted to join the Duqueine family,” said Nissany. “We’ve already done some good testing together, and we’re getting on well. I like new challenges, and even if LMP2 and endurance racing are new to me, I can still contribute a lot with my past experience in the car.”
“I’m proud to announce my debut in ELMS with Duqueine Team,” added Simonazzi. “It’s a big step forward for me, and I’m ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead. I’m looking forward to starting the season with a very competitive grid.”
Together with its new drivers, Duqueine hopes to improve on last year’s modest results: In six races, the team only managed a best finish of sixth place in the 4 Hours of Le Castellet (Paul Ricard), and finished 13th in the LMP2 Teams’ Championship with Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, Niels Koolen, and James Allen leading the charge.
Images © Duqueine Team
