Breaking news
European Le Mans
Chatin and Hirsch form the third ORECA-FLM 09 driver line-up
The Signatech-Alpine junior driver and the promising Swiss will drive the third ORECA-FLM 09 entered by Team Endurance Challenge. The two men join Alex Loan/Matthieu Lecuyer and Soheil Ayari/Anthony Pons.
Edited: Mar 26, 2013, 7:51 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
As the European Le Mans Series competitors prepare to meet for the first day of the Official Test at the Paul Ricard Circuit, Team Endurance Challenge has finalised their driver line-ups for the 2013 season.
After Alex Loan and Matthieu Lecuyer as well as Soheil Ayari and Anthony Pons, the youngsters Paul Loup Chatin and Gary Hirsch join the French team that will compete in the LMPC class with three ORECA-FLM 09 cars.
A young and ambitious duo!
This Swiss-French pair will be represent youth : 21 years of age for Paul Loup Chatin and 25 years for Gary Hirsch, who will both be making their endurance debut.
#47 Team Endurance Challenge ORECA09-FLM
Photo by: DPPI
Recently named reserve and junior driver for Signatech-Alpine, Paul Loup Chatin has until now shown his speed in single-seater racing. Winner of the EuroFormula and third of the Eurocup F4 (2 wins) n 2010, he continued on to take part in two seasons of Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup (1 win) and Formula Renault 2.0 Alps, finishing both years in third for the championship (4 wins).
"I am excited to start the season with a program that fits perfectly with my role as reserve driver at Signatech-Alpine," admitted the young Frenchman, member of the French national Circuits team in 2012.
" I will be able to prepare for my objective, which is to start driving with that team starting next year. To be joining Team Endurance Challenge is an opportunity to progress in a professional atmosphere and to discover endurance racing.
I’ll be learning, but I want to aim for the win as early as my first race. I think that with Gary, we have the chance to fight at the top.
I want to show that I’m able to be quick without making errors, all while gaining experience in a new discipline for me. And the presence of experienced driver, such as Nicolas Minassian, the team’s mentor, will be a positive advantage."
Born in Geneva, Gary Hirsch has lived a bold rise. After competing in Formula Ford 1600 BRDC (2 wins), several races in Formula Renault 2.0 and Formula Asia, he showed a his potential in 2010 in the Ferrari Corse Clienti events, including with a Ferrari 599XX. In 2011, he also raced in the FIA GT3 European Championship.
"I’m really happy to be putting a foot into endurance racing, particularly with an organization such as ORECA, well-known for his know-how since many years," he explains.
"I’m hoping to be part of it for a long time. I will have a race after race approach, showing my pace and my consistency. I am also convinced that the tandem we form with Paul Loup will allow us to chase first step of the podium.
My goal is to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014 and I hope it will be with a team managed by ORECA. The environment provided by the team is completely suitable for learning a new discipline, which is an excellent news."
Although two ORECA-FLM09 will be present at the European Le Mans Series Official Tests, Team Endurance Challenge will enter three cars beginning with the first round at Silverstone in the LMPC class.
ORECA Technology
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Morand Racing will race with the Morgan LM P2
Next article Morand Racing Morgan fastest on day one of Paul Ricard testing
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Nicolas Minassian
Top 10: Ranking the best F3000 non-champions
General
General
Top 10: Ranking the best F3000 non-champions
Spectacular season finale: 25 nationalities present for inaugural 24H COTA USA
Endurance
Endurance
24 Hours of Cota USA
Spectacular season finale: 25 nationalities present for inaugural 24H COTA USA
Minassian joins G-Drive for next two ELMS races
European Le Mans
European Le Mans
Spielberg
Minassian joins G-Drive for next two ELMS races
More from
Signatech
Could Alpine-Geely deal to save WEC hypercar programme fall through?
WEC
WEC
Barcelona
Could Alpine-Geely deal to save WEC hypercar programme fall through?
Alpine boss Philippe Sinault on Hypercar exit and what it means for WEC
WEC
WEC
Alpine boss Philippe Sinault on Hypercar exit and what it means for WEC
Alpine's Lapierre deflated by two-lap deficit to Toyota
WEC
WEC
Fuji
Alpine's Lapierre deflated by two-lap deficit to Toyota
Latest news
MotoGP to stage demo at F1 United States Grand Prix
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP 31 min
MotoGP to stage demo at F1 United States Grand Prix
WRC star Thierry Neuville makes successful historic circuit racing debut
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
WRC star Thierry Neuville makes successful historic circuit racing debut
Christian Horner: Kimi Antonelli has 'earned' the right to be Mercedes' number one
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
3 h
Christian Horner: Kimi Antonelli has 'earned' the right to be Mercedes' number one
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe