Richard Mille Racing – previously known as an all-women project in the WEC paddock – has presented its driver trio for the 2022 WEC season. The team relies on top-class and above all male reinforcement.
In the meantime, they have said goodbye to the regular trio of the previous year. Neither Sophia Flörsch, nor Beitske Visser nor Tatiana Calderon will start for the team in the upcoming WEC season. So your cockpit search continues.
“All drivers say that they want more inclusion by finding their place in mixed teams. Their dream comes true when men want to drive next to them in the same team,” says Amanda Mille, explaining both the separation from the previous trio and the Decision for a mixed-gender trio of drivers.
Instead of Flörsch/Visser/Calderon, the eight-time World Rally Champion, Sebastien Ogier, is a very prominent name at the wheel of the LMP2-Oreca. Ogier is thus gaining a foothold in the FIA World Endurance Championship environment. Most recently, he took part in the rookie test in Bahrain, driving Toyota’s hypercar, the GR010 Hybrid.
LMP2 change: That’s what Sebastien Ogier says
Ogier then flirted with a possible move to the LMP2 class. “I know it’s a big challenge but I was looking for a program that would motivate me more than the easy option,” says the Frenchman.
“Until now I’ve been focused on my rallying career, but I’ve long thought that endurance racing could be a good challenge. All drivers tend to be a little self-centered, but there comes a time when you’re more want to share if you’re lucky enough to have a successful career.”
“The LMP2 category is a fantastic category and the best way for me to reach the highest level of endurance racing and improve in this discipline. I’m certainly a newbie but I want to have fun while exploring what’s possible , and see how close I can get to the best.”
This year, Ogier will at least be joined by one of the best LMP2 drivers of the past season. One of his teammates will be shooting star Charles Milesi, who last year won his class with WRT at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and, together with Ferdinand Habsburg and Robin Frijns, also prevailed in the overall LMP2 ranking of the WEC.
“Like last year, I’m competing in a new team with two endurance newcomers. I’m confident that we will learn from each other to perform well despite the increasingly high level of the LMP2 category,” said Milesi.
Lilou Wadoux makes prototype debut
The driver trio is completed by a woman, namely 20-year-old French Lilou Wadoux, who has been promoted to the WEC from an Alpine one-make cup. “It’s a big step, but I’ve learned a lot in a short time, especially in areas I didn’t know like downforce, refueling and driver changes,” explains Wadoux.
She is already looking forward to working with her future teammates: “LMP2 is unlike anything I’ve experienced before, so I’m preparing myself physically and mentally for the challenge. I’ve always been interested in endurance racing for the team spirit and I will Working with two top riders should speed up my learning curve.”
The 2022 WEC season starts in mid-March with the 1,000 miles of Sebring and includes a total of six races. The highlight of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is scheduled for mid-June. Ogier, Milesi and Wadoux meet 14 other trios in the LMP2 class.