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Newsletter #19

“We end the first three months of the year with a marvellous performance in the United States – our second victory in the Sebring 12 Hours with Tequila Patron ESM! This result is a great  reward for all the work invested by Onroak Automotive and its partners. We're now looking forward to the start of the other championships in which our sports prototypes are competing. We will also be present in the United States with our Ligier JS F4 single-seaters, and, for the first time, with our Ligier JS F3s. In addition, we're paying close attention to the debut of the first rallycross car designed and built by Onroak Automotive that will race in WRX!”

Jacques Nicolet

 

NEWS

Design of a Peugeot 208 for the World RX

While it's a first for Onroak Automotive, it's not the case for its workshops in Amilly. Since taking over the activities of Tork Engineering in September 2017, Onroak Automotive has benefitted from all the experience accumulated by the company that's required for the design and production of touring cars. A Peugeot 208 RX fully conceived and produced in house by Onroak Automotive has been delivered to Sébastien Loeb Racing, which will enter it for the full 2018 World RX season driven by Grégoire Demoustier.

Onroak Automotive will also provide a development and support programme before and during the season that kicks off on 14 – 15 April in Barcelona in Spain.

The Ligier JS P4 eligible for several series 

While the Ligier JS P4 development programme is coming to an end, numerous series have already announced that they will accept the new sports prototype. Thus, Ligier JS P4 owners have a wide choice of destinations and race formats to choose from:

  • LM P3 Cup Championship: six events in England comprising two 1-hour races,
  • V de V Endurance Series: six 4-hour races and one 6-hour event in Europe,
  • 24 Hours Proto Series: four 9-hour races and two 12-hour events in Europe, the USA and Dubai,
  • 3 ORE Endurance Championship: two 2-hour 30 mn races, three 3-hour events and one 6-hour race in Italy,
  • Gulf Sportscar Championship: five events comprising two 1-hour races in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,
  • Gulf 12 Hours of Abu Dhabi: one 12-hour race in Abu Dhabi,
  • China Endurance Series, the new name of the FRD LMP3 Series: 5 events comprising two 1-hour races in China,
  • SCC – Sportscar Challenge: six events in Europe.

Onroak Automotive is holding several test days in the spring. To come and discover the JS P4 on the track, please contact Christophe Profit (c.profit@onroak.com).

Ben Waddell, from the Ligier JS F4 to the Ligier JS P3

In 2017, Ben Waddell drove a Ligier JS F4 in the F4 U.S. Championship for which the Ligier JS F4 is the exclusive chassis. This year he is moving up to sports prototypes becoming the first driver to change from a JS F4 single-seater to a JS P3 sports prototype. He made his debut at Sebring on 16th March in the IMSA Prototype Challenge presented by Mazda behind the wheel of the #3 entered by Extreme Speed Motorsports. Ben Waddell and his team-mate, Max Hanrathy, finished eighth overall.

Historical cars restored by Onroak Automotive on sale on racecarsdirect.com

From April 2018 onwards, several historical cars restored in Onroak Automotive's workshops will be on sale on the internet site racecarsdirect.com. 2007 Pescarolo LM P1, Martini MK37, MGC Sebring Alu: consult our offers on the Onroak Automotive page.

The Ligier Paddock Club

This year again Onroak Automotive offers an exceptional immersion in the heart of the Le Mans 24 Hours with the Ligier Paddock Club. Come and share our passion for endurance with your company and your guests in our reception venue in the MMArena with its unbeatable view on Tertre Rouge and the Hunaudières straight and our double lounge above the pits. To find out what goes on behind the scenes of this iconic race you enjoy exclusive services: trackside access at strategic points, private shuttles, discovery of the paddock and pits, visit to the Onroak Automotive workshops, etc.

Consult our packages on our internet site www.ligiersportscars.com and contact us at: events@onroak.com or on +33 272 880 440.

 

TRACKSIDE

IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship – another victory in the Sebring 12 Hours!

After their win with the Ligier JS P2 in 2016, Onroak Automotive and Tequila Patron ESM scored their second success in the Sebring 12 Hours with the Nissan DPi on 18th March. The #22 Nissan DPi emerged victorious in the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship beating the #10 and #31 Cadillac DPis after a flawless race.

United Autosports brought their #32 Ligier JS P217 home in an encouraging fifth place on their maiden outing in the Florida classic.

The #52 Ligier JS P217 entered by AFS/PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports made a great start to the race leading the LM P2s before losing precious time after a contact with a GT LM, which damaged an electric harness in the alternator.

Next round on 13 – 14 April in the streets of Long Beach with a short race format of 1h40mn.

IMSA Prototype Challenge – 2nd victory on the bounce by a Ligier JS P3

In the wake of ANSA Motorsports' victory at Daytona in January, another Ligier JS P3 won the second round of the IMSA Prototype Challenge at Sebring thanks to Charles Wicht Racing. Its  #7 Ligier JS P3took the chequered flag after 1h 45mn racing more than 5 seconds in front of the #47 Norma M30 entered by Forty 7 Motorsports. Third place on the podium went to the Extreme Speed Motorsports Ligier JS P3.

Despite being the last LM P3 on the grid the #26 K2R Motorsports Ligier JS P3 finished fourth followed by the #17 and #42 Ligier JS P3s entered by P1 Motorsports.

Next round: 19 – 22 April at Barber.

F3 Americas Championship

The calendar of the new F3 championship in the United States exclusively reserved for Ligier JS F3s has just been revealed.  The season will comprise two test weekends and five race weekends consisting of 30 mn free practice, a qualifying session and 30 mn racing. Follow this championship at:

  • 4-5 August: Pittsburgh International Raceway Complex,
  • 9-11 August: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course,
  • 14-16 September: New Jersey Motorsports Park,
  • 21-23 September: Road Atlanta,
  • 13-14 October: Nola Motorsports Park.

V de V Endurance Series

The season began in Barcelona on 23-24-25 March with the #4 and #94 Ligier JS P3s entered by Cool Racing and Team Virage respectively locking out the front row of the grid. It was a difficult opening round for the teams and cars as the race was run behind the safety car because of the continuous rain. At the finish the #77 Graff Ligier JS P3 and the #22 Inter Europol Competition Ligier JS P3 filled first and second places in front of the #39 Norma run by Graff.

The Ligier JS 2 BP entered for the Tour Auto Optic 2000

The 2018 Tour Auto will begin on 23rd April in the Grand Palais in Paris and will finish five days later in Nice. After a full restoration in the Onroak Automotive Magny-Cours workshops, the 1973 Ligier JS 2 BP driven by Guy Lacroix and Gérard Bertinetti will be one of the 230 cars at the start. Don't miss this event!

Forthcoming events

The next few weeks will be marked by the restart of several championships:

  • 6-7 April at Paul Ricard (Le Castellet): Prologue, the FIA World Endurance Championship official test session with the Ligier JS P217 entered by Larbre Compétition. The first round will take place at Spa between 3-5 May.
  • 9-10 April at Paul Ricard (Le Castellet): European Le Mans Series official tests with the Ligier JS P217s entered by United Autosports, Panis Barthez Compétition, Algarve Pro Racing and IDEC Sport. The kick-off to the season will be given on the same circuit the following weekend with the Le Castellet 4 Hours on 15th April.
  • 11th April at Paul Ricard (Le Castellet): Michelin Le Mans Cup official tests before the first race on 13 – 14 April.