FIA WEC squad ARC Bratislava has announced that it has opted to switch from Ligier to ORECA machinery for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Slovakia-based outfit was one of the last remaining teams campaigning Ligier’s JS P217-Gibson in an LMP2 field dominated by cars built by rival firm ORECA.
It was one of only just two Ligiers entered for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the only one running in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Team boss Miro Konopka, however, has said that the performance deficit to the other teams, as well as the lack of factory support, had prompted it to look elsewhere.
“It was already clear to us after the race in the Portuguese Algarve, that it would be very difficult or even impossible to finish the 24 Hours with Ligier, without technical support from the factory. And so we had to start addressing this situation very quickly.
“Fortunately, we managed to do it. We will start the Le Mans 24 Hours with the ORECA 07 Gibson.”
Konopka went on to confirm the team’s line-up for the French endurance classic, stating that his son Mato will be making his Le Mans debut alongside Oliver Webb and the elder Konopka.
“‘This year I tried to get another paying driver in the car to join me and Oliver, but with the Ligier’s performance this season it was very difficult. And if someone without a budget is going to drive for us, I’d rather give someone from Slovakia a chance.
΅And my Mato has been showing for a long time that he has matured as a rider. And somehow I would like to symbolically hand over the scepter to the younger generation.”
The team has been entered into the upcoming Six Hours of Monza still using the Ligier. At Le Mans, however, only the Eurasia-operated Racing Team India entry will campaign Ligier machinery, with the other 24 cars being ORECAs.
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