OGIER ANNOUNCED AS WEC DRIVER

Eight-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier has been announced as a full-time FIA World Endurance Championship driver with LMP2 squad, Richard Mille Racing Team.

The Frenchman will drive the #1 Oreca 07 Gibson alongside two youngsters Lilou Wadoux and Charles Milesi.

The Richard Mille Racing Team began racing in 2020, stepping into WEC for the first-time last year and is confident of success with its announced driver line-up.

Ogier, a 54-time WRC round winner has dabbled in circuit racing before, as a guest he contested rounds of Porsche Supercup and DTM, both with reasonable success.

More recently he drove a Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar in the post-season Bahrain test late last year, however the upcoming Sebring 12 Hour event will be his first race in any WEC car.

“Up until now, I have focused on my rally career, but it has been on my mind for a long time that endurance racing could be a good challenge,” Ogier said.

“LMP2 is a fantastic category and the best way for me to reach the highest level of endurance racing and improve in this discipline.

“I am a novice for sure, but I want to enjoy myself while assessing what’s possible and seeing how close I can get to the best.”

Ogier will be joined by Wadoux, the first female race winner in the Alpine Elf Europa Cup and Milesi who won three races in LMP2 with Team WRT last year including the 24 Hours of Le Mans on his debut WEC season.

Milesi also assisted the Belgian squad win the LMP2 teams’ championship last year, and was selected by WEC to test Toyota’s Hypercar in its ‘Rookie Test’.

Ogier expressed that they all come from all different backgrounds, and knows he has a lot to learn.

“Everyone is excited about it. Charles, Lilou and I come from three different worlds, and it will be interesting to combine our different experiences with Richard Mille, who has been by my side for several years now,” Ogier said.

“This adventure is enticing, but I am aware that I have a lot to learn and a lot of experience to gain. I have always had a good capacity to adapt in rallying, so I hope that this will also be true on race tracks!”

The trio of French drivers will be able to count on the experience of the Signatech team, a structure that has won two LMP2 world titles and three Le Mans crowns over the past six years.

Signatech Director and Team Manager Philippe Sinault is excited to see what this trio can do.

“We are delighted to continue this exciting adventure with the Richard Mille Racing Team,” Sinault expressed.

“In all our projects, we have always had a people-oriented approach, and this trio fits perfectly with that spirit. Sébastien expressed his desire to try his hand at endurance racing, and he has tremendous experience in a specific area of our sport.

“He has a demanding nature, a culture of performance, a thirst for learning and humility that inspires us with confidence.”

The 2022 WEC season will get underway at Sebring for the Prologue, before the opening round, the 1000 Miles of Sebring from March 16-18.

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