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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Top WEC Drivers Of 2012
SPEED.com ranks the top full-season Prototype and GT drivers from this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship...
The 2012 FIA WEC season saw the rise of Audi's three new star drivers, along with an impressive effort from Toyota. (Photo: LAT)
TOP 10 PROTOTYPE DRIVERS (LMP1 & LMP2):
1. Andre Lotterer — Having enjoyed a storybook 2012 season, which saw three overall victories, including back-to-back Le Mans titles, as well as the Drivers’ World Championship, Andre Lotterer rose to the forefront as one of Audi’s new star drivers. The German was often the quickest in the R18 e-tron quattro, and that speaks volumes when up against the likes of Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen.
2. Stephane Sarrazin — Winner of four consecutive WEC class poles and numerous fast laps, the ex-Peugeot ace was clearly the driver to beat in LMP2. Stephane Sarrazin played a key role in Starworks’ championship-winning season, adapting to the small American squad and proving he’s still one of the best sports car drivers in the world.
3. Alex Wurz — Toyota’s return to top-level prototype racing couldn’t have gone better, with three wins out of six races. Former F1 pilot and ex-Peugeot ace Alex Wurz helped lead the charge, with two poles and impressive pace at the wheel of the TS030 Hybrid, which came to life in the second half of the season.
4. Benoit Treluyer — Teaming with longtime friend Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer also showed his strength in Audi’s e-tron quattro, particularly at Le Mans. Additional wins at Silverstone and Bahrain helped cement the Drivers’ World Championship for the fast Frenchman, who was tough to beat all season.
5. Nicolas Lapierre — Having stepped into a factory drive for 2012, the longtime ORECA ace did not disappoint at the wheel of Toyota’s new LMP1 challenger. Teamed with Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre helped take the Japanese manufacturer to victories in Sao Paulo, Fuji and Shanghai, while also setting fast laps along the way.
6. Olivier Pla — While OAK Racing may have fought bad luck and misfortune, its lead driver did not disappoint in LMP2. Carrying the weight of the high-profile squad, Olivier Pla proved his worth with fast laps and competitive stints, only for its Morgan-badged prototype to often suffer issues nearly every outing. Yet, the Frenchman’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, despite a challenging year by the team, which failed to stand on the top step of the podium.
7. John Martin — Bursting onto the sports car scene, the 28-year-old A1GP and Superleague Formula ace was the star driver in ADR-Delta’s Oreca 03 Nissan, which scored maximum points in four of the eight races in LMP2. While taking poles at Spa and Le Mans, John Martin was always in the thick of the qualifying fight, while leading the British team to an impressive debut season.
8. Allan McNish — Highlighted by poles at Spa and Bahrain, along with a historic win at Sebring with longtime co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello, the fiery Scotsman again proved his ability to win a World Championship, but arguably lived in the shadow of his teammates from the No. 1 Audi. A late-race accident at Le Mans came as a crucial blow and was likely the turning point in the title race.
9. Marcel Fassler — While perhaps regarded as the quietest driver of the World Championship-winning trio, Marcel Fassler undoubtedly pulled his own weight in the No. 1 Audi, which enjoyed a consistent season, unlike the sister No. 2 entry, which saw a mid-season switch back to e-tron quattro configuration. Teamed with Lotterer and Treluyer, Fassler helped make for the strongest trio of drivers in 2012.
10. Neel Jani — While not fighting for overall honors, the efforts of Neel Jani were not overlooked. The Rebellion Racing driver led the charge for the Anglo-Swiss squad, which took six LMP1 Privateer victories in eight races, including the class championship.
TOP PROTOTYPE AM DRIVER:
Tor Graves — The U.K.-based Thai racing driver impressed in his first full season of sports car competition, pulling the weight as the Silver-rated driver in ADR-Delta’s Oreca 03 Nissan. Consistently the quickest “amateur” driver in the field, Graves nearly didn’t put a wheel wrong all season, which helped propel the team to three class victories and runner-up in in the LMP2 championship.
1. Andre Lotterer — Having enjoyed a storybook 2012 season, which saw three overall victories, including back-to-back Le Mans titles, as well as the Drivers’ World Championship, Andre Lotterer rose to the forefront as one of Audi’s new star drivers. The German was often the quickest in the R18 e-tron quattro, and that speaks volumes when up against the likes of Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen.
2. Stephane Sarrazin — Winner of four consecutive WEC class poles and numerous fast laps, the ex-Peugeot ace was clearly the driver to beat in LMP2. Stephane Sarrazin played a key role in Starworks’ championship-winning season, adapting to the small American squad and proving he’s still one of the best sports car drivers in the world.
3. Alex Wurz — Toyota’s return to top-level prototype racing couldn’t have gone better, with three wins out of six races. Former F1 pilot and ex-Peugeot ace Alex Wurz helped lead the charge, with two poles and impressive pace at the wheel of the TS030 Hybrid, which came to life in the second half of the season.
4. Benoit Treluyer — Teaming with longtime friend Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer also showed his strength in Audi’s e-tron quattro, particularly at Le Mans. Additional wins at Silverstone and Bahrain helped cement the Drivers’ World Championship for the fast Frenchman, who was tough to beat all season.
5. Nicolas Lapierre — Having stepped into a factory drive for 2012, the longtime ORECA ace did not disappoint at the wheel of Toyota’s new LMP1 challenger. Teamed with Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre helped take the Japanese manufacturer to victories in Sao Paulo, Fuji and Shanghai, while also setting fast laps along the way.
6. Olivier Pla — While OAK Racing may have fought bad luck and misfortune, its lead driver did not disappoint in LMP2. Carrying the weight of the high-profile squad, Olivier Pla proved his worth with fast laps and competitive stints, only for its Morgan-badged prototype to often suffer issues nearly every outing. Yet, the Frenchman’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, despite a challenging year by the team, which failed to stand on the top step of the podium.
7. John Martin — Bursting onto the sports car scene, the 28-year-old A1GP and Superleague Formula ace was the star driver in ADR-Delta’s Oreca 03 Nissan, which scored maximum points in four of the eight races in LMP2. While taking poles at Spa and Le Mans, John Martin was always in the thick of the qualifying fight, while leading the British team to an impressive debut season.
8. Allan McNish — Highlighted by poles at Spa and Bahrain, along with a historic win at Sebring with longtime co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello, the fiery Scotsman again proved his ability to win a World Championship, but arguably lived in the shadow of his teammates from the No. 1 Audi. A late-race accident at Le Mans came as a crucial blow and was likely the turning point in the title race.
9. Marcel Fassler — While perhaps regarded as the quietest driver of the World Championship-winning trio, Marcel Fassler undoubtedly pulled his own weight in the No. 1 Audi, which enjoyed a consistent season, unlike the sister No. 2 entry, which saw a mid-season switch back to e-tron quattro configuration. Teamed with Lotterer and Treluyer, Fassler helped make for the strongest trio of drivers in 2012.
10. Neel Jani — While not fighting for overall honors, the efforts of Neel Jani were not overlooked. The Rebellion Racing driver led the charge for the Anglo-Swiss squad, which took six LMP1 Privateer victories in eight races, including the class championship.
TOP PROTOTYPE AM DRIVER:
Tor Graves — The U.K.-based Thai racing driver impressed in his first full season of sports car competition, pulling the weight as the Silver-rated driver in ADR-Delta’s Oreca 03 Nissan. Consistently the quickest “amateur” driver in the field, Graves nearly didn’t put a wheel wrong all season, which helped propel the team to three class victories and runner-up in in the LMP2 championship.
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