After their historic debut in 2013, KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) returns to France in June for the 82nd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours. In preparation for the world’s greatest endurance race the squad – which became the first Chinese outfit ever to compete there 12 months ago – travels to Circuit de la Sarthe next weekend (June 1) for the event’s official Test Day.
Although teams and drivers have been preparing for many months, the Test Day signals the unofficial start of Le Mans with two days of administrative checks and scrutineering taking place on May 30/31, followed by two four-hour test sessions on June 1. With the unique 8.4-mile Circuit de la Sarthe comprising a mixture of permanent race track and public roads, this will be the only chance teams have to hone their set-ups ahead of race week.
KCMG’s strong start to this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship campaign suggests they should be amongst the front-runners at Le Mans, the only double points-paying WEC race on the calendar. Indeed, its Nissan-powered Oreca 03, driven by Richard Bradley, Alexandre Imperatori and Matt Howson, currently lies second in the overall standings after two rounds.
Imperatori and Howson made their Le Mans debuts last year when KCMG set the momentous milestone of becoming the first Chinese team ever to take part in the legendary test of endurance. Unfortunately, a damaged fuel cell forced them into retirement after an otherwise impressive 19 hours, which included leading the race.
Meanwhile Bradley, who will be making his Le Mans debut on June 14/15, is no stranger to success with KCMG after helping to claim their first WEC pole position with Imperatori at Spa-Francorchamps last month. The 22-year-old Briton also represented the team at the World Championship’s six-hour round in Japan last year and, most notably, was also part of its winning line-up at the 3 Hours of Fuji Asian Le Mans Series round last season.
Richard Bradley: “To race at the Le Mans 24 Hours is something I’ve been aiming for since 1999. This is the event I’ve been most looking forward to since I joined KCMG for their 2014 WEC campaign. It will be my first time competing in a 24-hour race or driving an LMP2 in the dark, but I’m ready to tackle the new challenge that lies ahead. Judging by our performance at Silverstone and Spa – where we managed to secure our first pole position – we have a good chance of a strong result at Le Mans.”
Matt Howson: “We head into our second Le Mans 24 Hour challenge with a great deal of expectation. The Oreca chassis has been superb on shorter circuits and along with our better understanding of the Dunlop tyre, gives us reason to be confident of challenging for LMP2 victory this year. Last years Le Mans winners only narrowly beat us in the first two WEC rounds, but we are aware the circuit is unique so we must tune the car for the long straights and low grip surface. Having Alex Imperatori again is a pleasure and we will both help Richard Bradley as much as possible as he experiences Le Mans for the first time.”
Alexandre Imperatori: “I can’t wait to be back at Le Mans for the 24-hour race. It’s one of those places that have such a special feel to it and we are all very eager to again measure ourselves against such a massive challenge! We arrive much better prepared than last year and on the back of strong displays in the first two WEC rounds, so we’re aiming for a strong finish. Nonetheless, I will never forget how tall the order is to be successful at this event. We have a healthy amount of respect for the track and are acutely aware of how strong the competition is in LMP2. With the whole team and particularly Matt and Richard, we are doing everything we can to make China proud in this world class event!”
Paul Ip, KCMG Managing Director: “The Le Mans 24 Hours is the highlight of KCMG’s calendar and we have been carefully planning and preparing our return to Circuit de la Sarthe this year. The competition is very tight in the LMP2 class but, so far, we have produced encouraging results during the first two WEC events in the Oreca 03. With a strong driver line-up and a competitive package, the entire team is confident of a successful outing at Le Mans in June.”
To find out more about the event, visit www..24h-lemans.com.
For more information about KCMG visit www.kcmg.com.hk. To keep track of latest updates, please like KCMG’s Facebook page or follow @KCMotorgroup on Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright: Jakob Ebrey Photography
