Team SARD Morand: Targeting victories and podiums

Benoit Morand came to Paris a few days ago for the press conference of the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans with SARD General Manager Hideki Noda and the French driver Pierre Ragues. On that occasion he reiterated the team’s ambitions for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

A tough battle is expected throughout the eight rounds of the 2015 FIA WEC, and Benoit Morand showed confidence in the potential of Team SARD Morand, the team’s drivers and their two Morgan EVO SARDs.

Benoit Morand (Team Principal): “The LMP2 grid is simply outstanding in the FIA WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well, the standards in the category have never been that high before. Competition will be very tight but this is what we expected. Facing such competitors, we now will have to carry out our programme without making any mistake.”

Team Sard Morand will be the only team to enter the Morgan chassis in the FIA WEC this year. What makes it the best option compared to the other manufacturers involved in the category?

“Considering the evolutions homologated on the 2015 version of the Morgan, I think that we have a great potential and I also am sure that with the SARD engine, this is a good combination for Team SARD Morand. Furthermore, we are competing with the Morgan chassis since the team’s debut in the LMP2 class so we know it perfectly. For SARD CEO Kato-San and General Manager Noda-San and also for me, our aim in 2015 is to win races.”

Will the Japanese round of the FIA WEC at Fuji be a special event Team SARD Morand?

“It is obvious that it will be a different race for our Japanese friends, but the other rounds will also be special. The partnership with SARD is planned for at least three years and is established on a long-term basis. For them in Japan, the birth of Team SARD Morand is really an important stage in their history, and so it is for us in Switzerland. SARD founder Sato-San will be coming to a few rounds of the FIA WEC, and of course to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

For Team SARD Morand, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be the climax of the 2015 endurance season, with 20 cars in the LMP2 category. This will be even more competitive than in the other rounds of the 2015 FIA WEC…

“Compared to 2014, competition will more or less be the same at Le Mans, but with the evolution of the various LMP2 cars and manufacturers, everybody will be even faster on the race track. As I mentioned before, the standards will be higher than ever. We are working as hard as our competitors in each and every department, with the ambition of a podium finish.”

The two Morgan EVO SARDs entered by Team SARD Morand in the LM P2 category are driven by Christian Klien, Koki Saga (#39), Pierre Ragues and Oliver Webb (#43). The third drivers for each car will be announced shortly.

Team SARD Morand