Racing Team Nederland Withdraws from Petit Le Mans

Photo: Rick Dole/IMSA

Racing Team Nederland has withdrawn from this weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans, citing team owner/driver Frits van Eerd’s ongoing “personal situation.”

The TDS Racing-run LMP2 operation was due to field its Oreca 07 Gibson for van Eerd and co-drivers Giedo van der Garde and Dylan Murry, which currently sit second in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup points standings ahead of Saturday’s season finale.

Van Eerd was arrested earlier this month as a suspect in a money laundering case in The Netherlands, which is understood to not involve either his sports car racing team or Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo, where he serves as CEO.

While having been released from custody last week, van Eerd is still understood to be under investigation and per Dutch law, unlikely able to leave the country.

“Following Frits van Eerd’s decision to focus on his personal situation in the near future, Racing Team Netherland will not participate in the IMSA race this weekend in Atlanta,” read a statement posted on social media on Tuesday.

“We understand and respect his decision and guarantee him our support.”

The team’s withdrawal will result in a six-car LMP2 class for Saturday’s ten-hour enduro at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta and 47 cars overall for the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale.

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