Three Morgan LM P2s in the Belgian Ardennes

The Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours, the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, will take place on Saturday 4th May in Belgium.

The three Morgan LM P2s, #24, 35 and 45, entered by OAK Racing are designed by the French team’s race department, Onroak Racing, powered by the Nissan VK45 engine and shod with Dunlop tyres.

#35 Oak Racing Morgan Nissan: Bertrand Baguette, Ricardo Gonzalez, Martin Plowman

Photo by: James M. Holland

To achieve this it can count on its cars and drivers. In car #24 Frenchman Olivier Pla, Brit Alex Brundle and David Heinemeier Hansson from Denmark who came second in the first round will drive #24 car.

In car #35 Belgian Bertrand Baguette teams up with Martin Plowman from England and Mexican Ricardo Gonzalez.

Baguette knows the Ardennes layout like the back of his hand. He is the only Belgian entered in all the WEC events and he will make it a point of honour to give his team-mates the benefit of his Spa experience. This will also help the gentlemen drivers in car #45, Jean-Marc Merlin and Jacques Nicolet.

Sébastien Philippe, OAK Racing Team Principal: “We came back from the Silverstone 6 Hours feeling frustrated in terms of our performance and results despite second and fourth-place finishes. The team and its drivers are all determined to show their true potential at Spa.

The circuit with its sweeping curves and long straights should suit the Morgan LM P2, which has a high top speed. I hope that the weather will be better at Spa than at Silverstone and that we’ll be able to show our true potential.”

David Heinemeier Hansson, #24 Morgan-Nissan LM P2: "We had a great start to the season at Silverstone and we are eager to go one better at Spa. I already drove the Morgan-Nissan at Spa last year and it was quick so we should be in good shape to fight right to the end and bag a large haul of championship points.”

Bertrand Baguette, #35 Morgan-Nissan LM P2: “Spa is a very special event for me all the more as I’m racing on home turf in front of my home crowd. In car # 35 all the drivers are determined to finish in the top three and as for our mechanical problems at Silverstone, they’re now behind us. I know the track inside out, and I’ll give Ricardo and Martin as much advice as I can so that our team’s as competitive as possible.

Spa is also the last race before the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the last time we can show what we’re made of before THE event of the season. This is just a way of saying that we’re all extremely motivated at the idea of going to the helter-skelter in the Ardennes to score the best result possible.”

Jacques Nicolet, Team Owner/driver of #45 Morgan-Nissan LM P2: “The Silverstone 6 Hours wasn’t the easiest start for us as the weather was very tricky. We still managed not to make any mistakes and we’re counting on Spa to continue our fight to the front in view of the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

Note that the meeting takes place over two days only and that the race starts at 14:30 on Saturday 4th May. Another change is that after the Silverstone 6 Hours, because of the length of the circuit, qualifying lasts 30 minutes, ten more than in England so that each of the two drivers can do his/her obligatory timed laps.

OAK Racing