Ricky Taylor Lands LMP2 Ride with Larbre for LM24

Photo: John Dagys

After getting his first taste of the legendary endurance race last year, Ricky Taylor is now set to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a race-contending prototype entry.

Sportscar365 has learned that the 24-year-old rising star has secured a drive with Larbre Competition in the French squad’s Morgan-Judd, which was just recently awarded an entry for the race.

The GM factory driver made his Le Mans debut last year in one of Larbre’s Corvette C6.Rs but will now step into the highly competitive LMP2 class.

“Last year was a great opportunity for me to go to Le Mans and learn the track, which is such a daunting place to learn,” Taylor told Sportscar365. “Larbre was such a welcoming team and Jack [Leconte, team principal] was great to me and giving me all sorts of advise.

“To go back this year, although it will be with a completely different car and with new teammates, the team environment will be the same. It will be a different class that I’m more used to with the prototype.

“I think we have a good shot to win with the Morgan LMP2 car. It’s a great car and engine combination so we’ll be in good shape.”

While the Onroak Automotive-built prototype scored a 1-2 class finish at Le Mans last year, Taylor will have to come to grips with the LMP2 car for the first time. 

Ironically, he and brother Jordan Taylor, who will be in one of the factory Corvette C7.Rs in GTE-Pro, compete against the P2 cars in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with their Corvette DP.

“I feel like a spy, like I’m going in to figure out all of the secrets!” Taylor joked. “It’s an interesting dynamic but I think it’s going to be much closer to what I’m used to with the DP car. Le Mans last year was my first ever GT experience.

“Coming from a more open-wheel background, I feel like I’m more suited to a prototype as it has better downforce. I feel like this will be easier to get up to speed with, given we’re not able to do a private test day this year.”

Taylor will instead get his first laps in the car during the official Le Mans Test Day on June 1, after taking an overnight flight from the Detroit TUDOR Championship race the day before.

While Le Mans is the only confirmed race so far, Taylor is hopeful for additional outings in Larbre’s Morgan-Judd, having already briefly discussed the possibility of taking part in the FIA WEC round at COTA in September.

“I think it’s nice to have a team other than my Dad’s that I can race outside the U.S. a bit,” he said. “It would be nice to do other WEC races but that’s the only one we discussed right now.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John