24 Hours of Le Mans

Olivier Panis will drive for Team Oreca-Matmut

© DPPI

The French Formula 1 driver joins the programme launched by Hugues de Chaunac and the Oreca-Matmut Team: Olivier Panis will drive one of the two sport-prototypes from the French squad in 2008.

Olivier will drive, in all Le Mans Series events and, for the first time, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new prototype Courage-Oreca currently under development.

Olivier Panis : «After F1, I wished to involve myself in a project of a high technical level, with a very motivated team but still having a human dimension, and capable to take on a real challenge. The Oreca project perfectly fits that goal, even more so due to the fact that it is based on a mythical race : every driver is sensible to the magnetic attraction of the Le Mans 24 Hours. I have been totally seduced by the enthusiasm of Hugues and his team around this superb project.»

Hugues de Chaunac : « To sign such a high profile driver as Olivier Panis is a major asset to reach the ambitious goals that we have settled. Above the talents of the driver and of the man, the technical experience inheritated from his many F1 years will be an ideal interface to optimize the work from our engineers. We are impatient to start testing and, as soon as in January, we shall announce the other drivers who will be part of our commando ».

_{(Team Oreca-Matmut)}