Prema Powerteam has announced the team of drivers that will contest its maiden FIA World Endurance Championship campaign.
The Italian single seater racing powerhouse will make its debut in sportscar racing this year, fielding a single ORECA 07-Gibson in the LMP2 category under the Prema ORLEN Team banner. The endeavour will be a partnership with GT squad Iron Lynx.
Reigning European Le Mans Series champions Louis Deletraz and Robert Kubica will join the Italian squad from Team WRT. They will be joined by F3 race winner Lorenzo Colombo.
“Starting such an outstanding new endeavor with so much potential available does not happen often, and I have to say that the prospect of racing in the World Endurance Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is incredibly exciting,” said team principal Rene Rosin.
“I am proud of the amount of work the team got done in the time available, and I am extremely confident that our driver line-up will rise to the occasion.
“It is amazing to have Robert joining Prema ORLEN Team, and with Louis, we have probably one of the strongest pairings available.”
“In addition, we look forward to working with Lorenzo. We know him from single-seaters as one of the most interesting prospects around, and I am sure that he will climb his rookie learning curve very, very quickly.”
For Kubica, the move marks something of a reunion with Prema. The 37-year-old raced with Prema in the likes of the British Formula 3 Championship and Formula 3 Euro Series in 2003.
“I am happy to join Prema ORLEN Team,” Kubica said. “I already raced with them in the 2003 Formula 3 Euro Series. I know the Rosin family and a few key people from then, and although a lot of time has passed, we all know from single seaters that the team is extremely competitive.
“It is a new challenge for the team and for me as well since I only raced in three FIA WEC events last year, Le Mans and the two Bahrain events. I’m happy to work with Louis, who I know from last year’s ELMS and Le Mans, and Lorenzo.”
“I’m looking forward to this challenge which will require a lot of work and dedication. Hopefully we will be able to start the season strong, without major issues. We have a lot to focus on in front of us and I can’t wait for the season to start.”
Colombo will be the silver driver in the team’s line-up. The 21-year-old debuted in the FIA F3 championship in 2021 with Campos Racing, winning a race at Spa-Francorchamps.
“I’m glad to join in the highest level of racing in terms of endurance championships with Prema ORLEN Team! Lots of new stuff to learn regarding my side, but I do feel very confident about the team and teammates I’ll be sharing the car with,” he said.
“I’m sure they will help me to extract everything I’ve got and become more professional as a racing driver. I simply can’t wait to get it started and deliver my best to get important results for everyone!”
