Bertrand Baguette, Martin Plowman and Ricardo Gonzalez will drive the #35 OAK Racing Morgan LMP2 car in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Former IndyCar driver Baguette remains at OAK following his endurance racing debut with the team in 2012, driving one of the French team’s LMP1 cars in the WEC. He also drove a Morgan LMP2 car in the 2012 European Le Mans Series, including a winning performance at Donington Park.
“I am delighted and proud to once again be part of the OAK Racing family in 2013.” said Baguette “I would like to thank Sébastien Philippe and Jacques Nicolet for the trust they have placed in me. With Ricardo and Martin, we are a highly-competitive crew able to challenge for podiums and victories. OAK Racing has two high-calibre line-ups that are among the best in the field. This will be a boost to everyone and push us forward. I feel a great motivation within the team. I will give total commitment in order to achieve a successful season with our Morgan LMP2.”
Plowman, like Baguette, also made his endurance debut in 2012, having raced in IndyCar. Plowman also had several class victories and pole positions behind the wheel of a Morgan LMP2 in the American Le Mans Series, gaining valuable knowledge he now brings to the OAK squad.
“It has been a long off-season for me and I am extremely grateful to OAK Racing for showing their belief in my abilities by bringing me into the team.” said Plowman “Last year I had a successful debut season with their chassis in the American Le Mans Series, so to get the call from the factory team to race in the World Endurance Championship is a huge honour. There will be a lot of hard work ahead to prepare for the season but I will be surrounded by a very strong engineering team and, of course, partnered with two very strong drivers who I respect. I can’t wait to get to work, especially as we look towards the Le Mans 24 Hours. It is one of the top three races on my bucket list, so to finally be able to take part in such a historic race will be a dream come true.”
Ricardo Gonzalez is the only of the three drivers to never have driven the Morgan LMP2, but has a strong pedigree in endurance racing, having won the American Le Mans series in 2011 before switching to the WEC’s LMP2 class for 2012.
“This will be my second year in the FIA World Endurance Championship,” said Gonzalez “so now that I have more experience under my belt and know all the tracks it’s time to go to every event with nothing but a win in mind. Today we are beginning our testing programme and it will be a good chance to get to know the team and my team-mates, and start preparing for the first race at Silverstone. I can’t wait to drive the Morgan LM P2 for the first time and to get back behind the wheel after such a long off-season.”
The trio join the already announced squad of the #24 car, Olivier Pla, Alex Brundle and David Heinemeier Hansson. One final squad, that of the #45 car, is still to be announced.
