2016 FIA World Endurance Drivers Champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Neel Jani will join the European Le Mans Series this season, racing in LMP2 for the Duqueine Team alongside Austria’s Rene Bunder and young Chilean Nico Pino, who will make his LMP2 debut this season.
Jani made his endurance debut in the Le Mans Series and last competed in the series for Rebellion Racing in LMP1 Lola-Toyota before heading to the World Endurance Championship the following season. In 2014 he joined Porsche as a works driver with the LMP1 programme and took the world title in 2016 with the German manufacturer alongside Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb.
“It is great to be back in ELMS, especially since I started my endurance racing career in the Le Mans series, which was the predecessor of ELMS,” Jani said. “The 2023 grid looks very competitive and there are so many talented lineups! The overall level of competition among P2 teams is remarkably high.”
So, what does he see as the main challenges for the season ahead? “The key challenge will undoubtedly be to optimize every detail as a team and work closely with my teammates Nico and Rene,” he said “Unlike LMP1, where teams can make technical adjustments to their cars, all the cars in LMP2 are identical, which makes maximizing performance even more critical.”
Neel Jani heads to the ELMS to race for the French outfit Duqueine Team, so how well does he know his new team and his two teammates?
“I was familiar with the team but did not have a personal relationship with them. I only had the opportunity to meet them on the grid at Le Mans in previous years. However, I had a link with the team through my long time physio, Helmut Fink, who has been working with the team for the last two years.
“While I did not previously know Nico, he impressed me during testing, and I am excited to have him as a teammate. On the other hand, I have known Rene for a long time now. He has always been a valuable asset to every team, and he has huge experience in LMP2! I am thrilled to finally have the opportunity to share the car with him.”
The ELMS will visit six of the best circuits in Europe this season, with his vast experience it was only right to ask Neel what his favourite one was.However, his answer was not what we were expecting, “I don’t think I have a favourite track; I am honestly looking forward to all of them,” he said. “Over the years, I’ve learned that every track of this season has its own challenges.”
In an LMP2 field packed with top teams and top drivers, the 2023 ELMS is going to be one of the most exciting for many years.Where does the former World Champion think the biggest challenge will come from on the 18-car grid? “Teams such as Cool Racing, United, and APR have incredible line-ups, as do many other teams in LMP2. I believe that success will hinge on which one can consistently perform at a high level and maximize their points finishes at every race. Ultimately, the team that can best piece together the puzzle and maintain consistency throughout the season is likely to come out on top.”
