Realteam Racing has announced that it will enter the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship with operational support from TDS Racing.
The Swiss outfit, a race winner in the European Le Mans Series, will enter a single ORECA 07-Gibson in the championship’s LMP2 category.
Driver and team owner Esteban Garcia will be joined for the full season by Norman Nato and Loïc Duval.
“We are very happy to take this extra step by entering an LMP2 in the World Endurance Championship and to be able to claim the FIA LMP2 Pro / Am Endurance Trophy,” said Garcia. After two full seasons in ELMS with David (Droux), a victory and the championship podium, it was time for us to achieve this goal of participating in the WEC as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“TDS Racing will continue to bring us all of its experience in this program. I am very enthusiastic about the idea of sharing the wheel with two drivers as experienced as Loïc and Norman!”
Nato joins the team after his tenure as part of Rebellion Racing’s LMP1 effort came to an end in 2020. The Swiss driver debuted in the WEC with TDS Racing during the 2018/19 Super Season and took two overall race wins and four podiums with Rebellion during the 2019/20 campaign.
“I am very happy to join Realteam Racing,” said Nato. “I know TDS Racing well having raced at home a few times in ELMS and once in FIA WEC. With Esteban, who brings along his good humor, his desire to progress and achieve good results, and Loïc’s experience, we have a complete crew.
“With Loïc, we will accompany Esteban for his passage from LMP3 to LMP2 without forgetting to have fun. The fun will come when we step onto the podium. I can’t wait to attack with the team.”
Duval, meanwhile, returns to the championship for the first time since racing with TDS Racing during the 2018/19 Super Season. The Frenchman spent most of his WEC career with Audi, taking six race wins including the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, the same year he won the championship.
” am delighted to come back to FIA WEC, with the 24 Hours of Le Mans at its peak, after a year of absence,” said Duval. “I’m happy to do it again with TDS Racing, with whom I raced for two years as well as with Esteban for this Pro-Am project.
“For me, that represents the very essence of the 24 Hours of Le Mans since there have always been amateurs associated with professionals. It’s a great human adventure.
“I am also very happy to share the wheel with Norman, whom I know a little bit, and of whom I know what he is capable of! We have a lot of room for improvement, but we know where the three of us want to go with the team in terms of performance.
“I hope that we can live our passion and especially share it with the spectators. “
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