An important test day awaits the ORECA 03

Although the ORECA 03 has already made several appearances – notably at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 6 Hours of the Castellet – it will be making its first public outing in official Team ORECA-Matmut colours. Wearing the No. 48, David Hallyday, Alexandre Prémat and Dominik Kraihamer will have driving honours. During the Test Day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the car will complete an extensive program…

In addition to the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP in LMP1, Team ORECA-Matmut will also enter an ORECA 03 in LMP2 alongside Signatech-Nissan and Race Performance. It’s a presence that falls under ORECA’s ‘constructor’ involvement. “Our objective at the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be to obtain the best result possible in LMP2, regardless of the team,” confirmed David Floury. “We want to show the potential of the car, but even more we want to gain the maximum amount of experience with the ORECA 03 to evolve the car for 2012 and offer the best package to our customer teams."

In fact, David Hallyday, Alexendre Prémat and Dominik Kraihamer will be undertaking a big day of work during the Test Day. “David has already driven the ORECA 03, but he still needs to get more comfortable with it at Le Mans. It will be totally new for Alexandre. As for Dominik, he is the only one to have driven the car in a race, but he is discovering Le Mans for the first time. With these tests, we are hoping to define the basic setup for the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” continues the Technical Director at ORECA. “Our work is totally transparent. Firstly, our car will be totally identical to those run by our customer teams. And secondly, we will be like an open book with them. We want to help them, and the presence of Dominik, Boutsen Energy Racing driver, confirms this idea. Our goal is to offer different presets, whether it be mechanical or in the aero package.” Therefore, the Test Day will be particularly important, as David Floury explains: “Because of the system of cost management, the regulations are restrictive but it allows us to offer a Le Mans kit. One of our missions will be to confirm its effectiveness and to finalise its definition.”

It’s a medium-term goal, but a long-term one as well as David explains: “History has proven that no amount of simulation can replace Le Mans. Running on that track allows you to take away a good amount of information, which is generally essential to the development of the car. Reliability, performance, but also specifics such as downforce, top speed…We want to gather this data this year to continue improving the ORECA 03!”

First rendez-vous will be Sunday, April 24, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.