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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: OAK’s LM24 Driver Lineup Complete
Bas Leinders, Maxime Martin and David Heinemeier Hansson to pilot team's No. 35 Morgan-Judd LMP2...
OAK Racing's purple and black Morgan LMP2 will be one of the contenders for class honors. (Photo: DPPI/ELMS)
In addition to its season-long FIA World Endurance Championship entries, OAK Racing will campaign an additional LMP2 machine in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the driver lineup having been confirmed Wednesday by the French squad.
Belgian star drivers Bas Leinders and Maxime Martin will join Danish-born programmer-turned racer David Heinemeier Hansson in OAK's No. 35 Morgan-Judd LMP2 for the twice-around-the-clock classic, with Leinders and Hansson also confirmed for next month's Six Hours of Spa-Franchoramps in May.
All three boast varying levels of experience in prototype machinery. Leinders and Martin, fresh off a victory in last weekend's Blancpain Endurance Series season-opener in Monza, finished seventh overall in last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of a LMP1-class Lola-Aston Martin.
Leinders, who is captain of the RACB National Team will be making his third start at La Sarthe, with Martin set for his second attempt. It will be both drivers' first with OAK Racing.
"It’s a well organized program and one that allows for significant testing before and after the Spa event which will also be sound preparation for the 24 Hours," Leinders said.
"I have a good feeling about joining the LMP2 class, which will be a new experience for me even though I raced in LMP1 in 2011. It is with much excitement that I am returning to La Sarthe with a superb car.”
Martin added: "We have a good car and I am convinced that we are capable of scoring a strong result. I would like to thank [Marc VDS team owner] Marc van der Straten who has renewed his confidence in me and without whom I would not be here.”
Heinemeier Hansson, who will be making his Le Mans debut, completes the lineup, fresh off a career-best second-place finish in last weekend's Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, where he led the opening stages of the race at the wheel of Conquest Endurance's Nissan-powered Morgan.
"It has been my dream to race at Le Mans for many years and I could not have wished for a better team and car to do it in," Heinemeier Hansson said. "The Morgan 2012 LMP2 has already shown incredible pace at the 12 Hours of Sebring and most recently at the Long Beach race.
"It's also fantastic that I can continue driving the same car that I'm already very familiar with from the Conquest Endurance program in the ALMS. So with a great driver line-up, great car and a great team, I think we have everything in place to be a serious contender for the podium in both races."
Both Leinders and Martin will get their first taste of the Morgan in a test at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit tomorrow, ahead of their debuts at Spa and Le Mans, respectively.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
Belgian star drivers Bas Leinders and Maxime Martin will join Danish-born programmer-turned racer David Heinemeier Hansson in OAK's No. 35 Morgan-Judd LMP2 for the twice-around-the-clock classic, with Leinders and Hansson also confirmed for next month's Six Hours of Spa-Franchoramps in May.
All three boast varying levels of experience in prototype machinery. Leinders and Martin, fresh off a victory in last weekend's Blancpain Endurance Series season-opener in Monza, finished seventh overall in last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of a LMP1-class Lola-Aston Martin.
Leinders, who is captain of the RACB National Team will be making his third start at La Sarthe, with Martin set for his second attempt. It will be both drivers' first with OAK Racing.
"It’s a well organized program and one that allows for significant testing before and after the Spa event which will also be sound preparation for the 24 Hours," Leinders said.
"I have a good feeling about joining the LMP2 class, which will be a new experience for me even though I raced in LMP1 in 2011. It is with much excitement that I am returning to La Sarthe with a superb car.”
Martin added: "We have a good car and I am convinced that we are capable of scoring a strong result. I would like to thank [Marc VDS team owner] Marc van der Straten who has renewed his confidence in me and without whom I would not be here.”
Heinemeier Hansson, who will be making his Le Mans debut, completes the lineup, fresh off a career-best second-place finish in last weekend's Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach, where he led the opening stages of the race at the wheel of Conquest Endurance's Nissan-powered Morgan.
"It has been my dream to race at Le Mans for many years and I could not have wished for a better team and car to do it in," Heinemeier Hansson said. "The Morgan 2012 LMP2 has already shown incredible pace at the 12 Hours of Sebring and most recently at the Long Beach race.
"It's also fantastic that I can continue driving the same car that I'm already very familiar with from the Conquest Endurance program in the ALMS. So with a great driver line-up, great car and a great team, I think we have everything in place to be a serious contender for the podium in both races."
Both Leinders and Martin will get their first taste of the Morgan in a test at the Le Mans Bugatti circuit tomorrow, ahead of their debuts at Spa and Le Mans, respectively.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
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