ORECA buys Courage-Competition !!!!

[Tom206wrc]

Hi,



The most stuning news from Silverstone LMS round was this one:
http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=4169&mode=&order=0&thold=0


Amazing !!! :eek:
Can't wait to see the 2008 LMS/Le Mans Courage-Oreca LMP1 :bounce:

[Erki]

And what will happen to the Saleens? Both go to Racing Box? And still ran by ORECA? That would be pretty good IMO. Love both Saleens and the new LMP1. Pesca has got a mighty competitor then. ;)

[Sleeper]

I'm surprised, I thought ORECA already had the expertise to build their own race cars (dont they build tourers and rally cars?), though not the experience at this level of sports cars. I'm guessing that they didnt have certain tools and/or equipment to produce their own LMP, and buying out Courage was the cheapest way to get them.

[harvick#1]

I wish they would've bought a customer audi R10

[Erki]

I wish they would've bought a customer audi R10

A brand new car is much more exciting. :)

[Tom206wrc]

A brand new car is much more exciting. :)



Depends of the engine they will use now... :mark:

[harvick#1]

A brand new car is much more exciting. :)

hasn't Courage been around since 2000 or 2001 :)

[Erki]

hasn't Courage been around since 2000 or 2001 :)

More like 198....4?? :)

The R10 looks frankly a bit boring. I hope ORECA-Courage comes up with a coupe. :bounce:

[racefanfromnj]

Can anyone go out and buy an R10?

[Tom206wrc]

From the latest interview of Hugues de Chaunac and Yves Courage I've read on http://www.endurance-info.com The ORECA-Courage program for 2008 would be LMS season + Le Mans in LMP1 with a barquette(opened prototype) and either a JUDD or AER engine, and from 2009 they would build a Coup&#233 ;( closed prototype)with engine of a big constructor(they would be currently discussing with 3 makes)... ;)

De Chaunac added that from 2009 there'll be 75% chance their engine would be gasoline :p :

They also will see if they take part to ALMS also(but too early for the moment, they said) :)

[Sleeper]

Are they still going to run the Saleens next year?

[bubster1982]

i heard somewhere that pesca had been bought out. something with suliner racing???????

[Tom206wrc]

And what will happen to the Saleens? Both go to Racing Box? And still ran by ORECA? That would be pretty good IMO. Love both Saleens and the new LMP1. Pesca has got a mighty competitor then. ;)



The ex-Oreca Saleens will run next year LMS/Le mans under the Larbre-Compétition team colours(official news) ;)

[Tom206wrc]

OFFICIAL !!! The Oreca-Courage LMP1 barquetta will be powered by a 5.5l V10 Judd next year... ;)

[Tom206wrc]

OFFICIAL from today!!!! Ex-F1 driver(Prost, Toyota)Olivier Panis will be one of the drivers of Oreca for Le Mans 2008 !!!! :eek: :eek:


Fantastic news !!! :bounce:

[Osella]

:up: Great to finally see Olivier at Le Mans! Can't wait for that :D

[Tom206wrc]

Very interesting news !!!!

Frank Montagny, definitely out from the Formula 1 circus now, told in the radio he will drive for a top french team in Le Mans next year :D

He will make the announcement on next 10th january...

Some rumours say it would be for Peugeot, but personnally I don't believe them :p :

Recently Hughes de Chaunac expressed his hope Montagny would be part of the ORECA-Courage adventure along with Olivier Panis, and I believe it will be the case :)

Other possibility(why not), would be a return at the Pescarolo team...

[Tom206wrc]

Stunning news from L'Equipe magazine of today !!!!

Oreca-Courage is testing this week-end at the Paul Ricard circuit with four drivers: Olivier Panis, Nicolas Lapierre, Soheil Ayari and Stéphane Ortelli :eek:

That confirms almost all the drivers of the team this season ;)

The magazine also writes Montagny will soon confirm he will drive for Peugeot at the 24H of Le Mans, not Oreca...

[Tom206wrc]

Official !!!! The four 2008 LMS season drivers for Oreca will be Olivier Panis, Nicolas Lapierre, Soheil Ayari and Stéphane Ortelli !!! :bounce:

A promising line-up :up:

Tomorrow should be unveiled Oreca's 2008 program and the two drivers for the 24H Le Mans race... ;)

[100%hondafan]

so what was the news in the end ?

[Tom206wrc]

No news yet in fact :mark:

Just opening of Oreca's new blog with pics of the recent tests and news we already know :rolleyes:

http://www.blogoreca.fr

[Tom206wrc]

The ORECA-COURAGE team had the official presentation this evening !!!! :D :D


Livery of the cars for LMS and Le Mans

http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=5258&mode=&order=0&thold=0

:eek:

[Scuderia ferrari]

Quite a weird livery, but a nice one nother-the-less.

[Tom206wrc]

As nobody updated my thread yet i do it :p :

Official: japanese engine preparator AIM(who works on a Judd basis)will be unique ORECA partner for 2009 and 2010 !!!!! :D

It's very sad news for british Creation who worked with AIM until now though :(