The first 2020 racing programme to fall victim to the COVID-19 crisis was revealed today as the Association SRT41 Garage 56 effort for the Le Mans 24 Hours was postponed until 2021 (subject to agreement from the ACO).
The effort, which was set to field an adapted ORECA 07 Gibson LMP2 car for three physically impaired drivers: Takuma Aoki, Nigel Bailly, and Snoussi Ben Moussa, coached by Frédéric Sausset, had been granted an entry by the ACO but with the current global shut down the team have found themselves with no adequate guaranteed opportunity for testing and/ or race practice (unannounced but likely to have targeted ELMS rounds) before Le Mans.
The effort was due to pick up the reins from the success of Sausset’s original SRT41 Garage 56 programme from 2016 where the quadruple-amputee, supported by a pair of able-bodied drivers, managed to complete the Le Mans 24 Hours in an adapted Morgan LMP2 car.
Since then Sausset has established an academy for physically impaired drivers with the proposed Le Mans trio racing in 2018 and again last year in an adopted Ligier LMP3 car in the VdeV and Michelin Ultimate Cup Series ahead of the announcement of the now postponed 2020 LMP2 effort.
In an announcement from the team Frédéric Sausset explained:
“After much discussion with my drivers Takuma Aoki, Nigel Bailly, and Snoussi Ben Moussa, Team SRT41, the heads of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the ELMS, the presidents of the FIA and the FFSA, and everyone contributing to the success of our extraordinary project to be the first team of disabled drivers to ever race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the legendary race this coming September 19 and 20 due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“The upheaval and interruption of our scheduled plans caused by the lockdown in France mean that we would not be able to adequately prepare for and compete in such a challenging race in optimum conditions.
“After having carefully weighed all of our options, taken into account the human and financial costs of this terrible crisis, and considered the values that I have strived to uphold since the beginning of the SRT41 adventure, I have come to the conclusion that withdrawing from this year’s race is the sensible thing to do.
“I have immediately submitted to the ACO our request to compete in the 2021 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I am hoping that by then this pandemic will be behind us and that the challenging new era ahead will be one in which sports, human achievement, and the exhilaration of regained freedom will be shared by all!
“We will continue to keep everyone who has supported our unique project informed about our progress through regular updates on social media.
“Take care of yourselves and your loved ones. We will be in touch again soon.”
The driving trio have already tested in the adapted ORECA 07 Gibson LMP2 car that they were set to race this season.
Early March saw the team, with support from ORECA (pictured top) test at Paul Ricard with all three drivers performing well according to a very reliable paddock source.
The first reserve listed initially by the ACO for the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours is the #55 Spirit of Race Ferrari in GTE-Am with Duncan Cameron the first named driver.
Confirmation is awaited from the ACO that this entry will be elevated to the list proper but DSC understands that the team is ready to race.
