The VdeV Series season kicked off this week with a two-day test session on the track of Magny-Cours (France). Funyo prototypes aside, there were just a few cars attending this season’s prologue: five LMP3s, three GTs and two CNs.
LMP3
The LMP3 VdeV Series champion Inter Europol was testing two cars with support of three drivers including Kuba Smiechowski, Hendrik Still and Paul Scheuschner. The Polish team confirmed that it would race in the ELMS and the VdeV Series this season. It also indicated that they had earlier plans to enter a Ligier JSP3 in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. Unfortunately, at least one paying driver was missing to finalise this project.
Oak Racing was also present with two Ligier JSP3s and three drivers including founder Jacques Nicolet.
“I don’t have any specific plans as a driver this year,” said the Frenchman. “I am far too busy with all our cars on the grid.”
The two other drivers were Yann Clairay and Frenchmen Vincent Beltoise. Beltoise will again compete in the Porsche cup this season. He is also investigating other options in endurance racing:
“It is the first time I have had the chance to drive several stints in the Ligier. It is a really good car,” said Beltoise. “I love racing in the Porsche Cup but you tend to become a specialised monotype driver. It is in my interest to find a second program, be it in a CN or an LMP3 prototype.”
Yvan Muller Racing was also testing one Ligier JSP3 with Yann Ehrlacher and Julien Gedet at the wheel. The French team confirmed this week that its driver lineup for the Michelin Le Mans cup would include Frenchmen Laurent Millara and Natan Bihel.
Millara is a gentleman driver who raced for Duqueine Engineering in the the Road To Le Mans last season. He is aiming for the ELMS in 2018. Bihel on the other hand, is a former French Super Touring driver.
GT
Visiom Racing, the 2016 GT championship winning team, was present with their Ferrari 488 GT3. Jean-Paul Pagny, Thierry Perrier and Jean-Bernard Bouvet will compete for a third consecutive title in the VdeV series this season.
Almeras also had two Porsches testing in Magny-Cours including a Porsche 997 GT3 Cup. Jacques Almeras indicated that this car would likely be entered in a few VdeV series races this season.
CN
CD Sport’s Norma was also on track with former Le Mans drivers Jonathan Cochet and Ines Taittinger at the wheel. She will compete in the VdeV series this season alongside Johan Boris Scheier et Kevin Bole Besançon.
Finally, Frederic Sausset, Christophe Tinseau and Team SRT41 were in Magny-Cours with their CN prototype.
“We could eventually race in some of the VdeV events this season yet we won’t be a full season entry,” said Sausset.
After his epic race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2016, the quadruple amputee driver is still working on several projects tied to endurance racing.
