Currently leading the European Le Mans Series, and following its podium finish in the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours, what can the French team dream of for its 10th anniversary and ninth participation in this unique race? With two cars entered in the LMP2 category, #28 and #18, and an unprecedented partnership with Genesis Magma racing, IDEC SPORT Racing is gearing up for the 93rd edition, which gets underway on June 14 at 4pm.
A total of 62 entries, including 17 LMP2, will compete on the famous 13.626 km track. Paul Lafargue, Job Van Uitert, and Sebastian Alvarez in car #28, and Jamie Chadwick, Mathys Jaubert and André Lotterer in the #18, will glide in a shiny display of red and orange colors within this demanding track whose challenges include unexpected external parameters.
“It is not just a race, but THE annual event that embodies passion, progress and endurance. The founding values – innovation, human challenge, team spirit and openness to the world – are perfectly in tune with what IDEC SPORT is all about,” states Patrice Lafargue, founder of IDEC SPORT.
A human test of endurance and self-transcendence
While technical skills are put to the test, so are all men and women involved. The 24 Hours of Le Mans require the drivers and every member of the team to push their physical and mental limits beyond the threshold of what one would consider possible. Sleep deprivation, constant pressure, altogether with the need to maintain optimum performance in all circumstances make the Le Mans event an incomparable challenge.
Team spirit and sharing
“There is no motor racing without a team. Beyond the individual event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is above all a story of collaboration. Drivers, engineers, mechanics and strategists work hand in hand, sharing the same determination to win this race that can sometimes be merciless. It’s a collective adventure, where team spirit is crucial if we are to cross the finish line in the best possible way“, confides Patrice Lafargue, before being joined by his Team Principal, Nicolas Minassian: ”Indeed, from the technical side to the cross-functional positions, from osteo to catering, from material management to logistics, during Le Mans nothing is left to chance.”
Le Mans, where it all comes together
For the man who is about to participate in his twenty-sixth 24 Hours of Le Mans (seventeen as a driver and nine as Team Principal), it’s all about being as comfortable as possible during these – almost – two weeks, which are always very intense: “You prepare for Le Mans all year round. It’s almost like a championship. Key words are: preparation and anticipation, whatever the function within the team and whatever the theme. When we arrive in the Sarthe area, we “normally” have everything planned. We’re in the process of executing everything we’ve planned upstream.
Unconsciously, Le Mans brings a certain amount of pressure. That’s why I advise everyone to rest as much as possible, as soon as possible. For example, there’s no need to plan a huge program of work on the cars if you don’t have to.
As for the drivers, there’s a lot to do in addition to driving. However, they must also think about stress and fatigue management. There are crucial moments when you mustn’t over-play your hand, for example at the end of the night, or in the early morning hours. The race has been underway for over 12 hours, confidence is building and it’s at this precise moment that mistakes can happen. Dialogue is at the heart of the team. I’d rather be told, “I’m having a slump, give me a few more moments”, than take any chances.
We’re a solid team, and everyone knows what they have to do, even if we keep repeating it to ourselves. And, although we have three rookies this year, there’s a great chemistry going on with the other three experienced drivers. Everything is in order to complete the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the best possible conditions. Meanwhile Le Mans remains Le Mans!“
New format for the Hyperpole
A few important changes have been installed this year, most notably, the new format of the Hyperpole. The top 12 LMP2 cars will move up to Hyperpole at the end of the first 30-minute qualifying session, on Wednesday June 11. In addition to this numerical change, the Hyperpole will be split into two sessions, H1 and H2, on Thursday June 12. On the LMP2 side, the 12 qualifiers will benefit from 20 minutes in H1, before the 8 best cars move to H2 to determine, after an intense 15-minute session, the pole and the first positions on the starting grid.
Let’s meet at Le Mans on June 14 and 15, 2025, from 4 pm !
