Automotive: the Gardois take a stand at Le Mans

Entered in the two races of the “Road to Le Mans”, Nîmes driver Dino Lunardi will drive a Ligier LMP3 prototype. DR

At the start of the 24 Hours or its supporting races, the Duqueine team, Dino Lunardi and Loris Cabirou will be on track on the legendary Sarthe circuit.

At the start of the 24 hours or its ancillary races, the Duqueine team, Dino Lunardi and Loris Cabirou are preparing to face the legendary Le Mans circuit.

The Duqueine team always faithful to the meeting of 24 hours

Tricolor flag in hand, Zinedine Zidane will give the official start of the Le Mans classic on Saturday June 15 at 4 p.m. Among the sixty-two cars that will set off, an Oreca prototype with a Gibson V8 engine, coming from the Alès Mechanical Center, which will, except by chance, carry the number 30. A prototype that will seal the sixth consecutive participation of the Duqueine team in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In the LMP2 category, the Duqueine team will line up for the sixth consecutive time at the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. DR

Now accustomed to the difficult exercise of the double round of the clock at Sarthe, the team has already obtained great satisfaction there, last year taking third place in the very competitive LMP2 category. It is still at this level that the hopes of the team led by Max Favard are concentrated, even if the 2024 crew is less homogeneous than last June.

With the Australian pro James Allen associated with the young Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer and the American gentleman driver John Falb, the Gard team will rather, this year, aim for first place among the Pro/Am crews within this famous LMP2.

At the same time and for the first time, the Duqueine team is deployed in the premier Hypercar category, the Italian manufacturer Isotta Fraschini having called on it for the racing operation of its car . Bringing the latter to the finish on Sunday afternoon would already be a great source of pride for the Gard staff.

Dino Lunardi ready for the “Road to Le Mans”

Dino Lunardi is preparing for different deadlines. As a prelude to the 24 Hours, the Nîmes pro will be at the start of the two races (Thursday June 13 and Saturday June 15) of the “Road to Le Mans”. A faithful participant in this curtain-raising event since 2018, he will once again drive a Ligier LMP3 prototype as a crew with Patrice Lafargue, the boss of the Idec Group, well known for his sponsorship involvement in the sport and also in the running for the 24&nbsp ;hours.

"It’It’is a little frustrating, obviously, to drive on the great circuit of Le Mans without having the opportunity to participate in the 24 hours. Despite everything, it remains an extraordinary experience, unique in its kind, says the very experienced pilot from Gard. There is a very special atmosphere here that cannot be found anywhere else. The circuit itself is radically different from all the others. We drive excessively fast, it’s a constant source of adrenaline. The magical side of Le Mans is in no way a legend."

Loris Cabirou and the “Lamborghini Super Troféo”

This Thursday, June 13, then Saturday, June 15, almost identical timing awaits Loris Cabirou. The 19-year-old Alésien will also be at the start of two races offered as a prologue to the 24 Hours, on a legendary circuit that he is discovering. He will take part in the “Lamborghini Super Troféo”, a very popular discipline in which the Gard hopeful is competing this year in the European championship and, at the same time, that of the United States.

Alésien Loris Cabirou will participate in the two races of the Lamborghini Super Troféo. DR

At Le Mans, Loris Cabirou will have a car chartered by his friends from the CMR team, based at the Alès Mechanical Centre. A Lamborghini Huracan strictly identical to those of its opponents, as required by the regulations.

"After the good results obtained last year in this type of event, I am playing the Lamborghini card to the fullest, explains the one that the Italian manufacturer has already enrolled in its Junior academy. The brand is present at the highest level in motor racing, particularly in endurance and here, at Le Mans. Despite my young age, I definitely already have this in the back of my mind for the rest of my career…"

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