Derani, Menezes, Giovinazzi Selected for WEC Rookie Test

Photos: IMSA/Alpine/Dagys

The FIA WEC announced on Saturday that it has selected Pipo Derani, Gustavo Menezes and Antonio Giovinazzi to take part in its post-season Rookie Test in Bahrain in November.

The second annual test, scheduled for the day after the Six Hours of Bahrain, will see the standout LMP2 drivers try their hand in factory LMP1 machinery for the first time.

Rolex 24 at Daytona and Twelve Hours of Sebring winner Derani will trade his Tequila Patron ESM Ligier JS P2 Nissan for a Toyota TS050 Hybrid, while 22-year-old American Menezes, a rookie standout with Signatech-Alpine, will test for Porsche.

Giovinazzi, who currently leads the GP2 championship and makes his WEC debut in this weekend’s Six Hours of Fuji with ESM, has been selected to test an Audi R18.

“The Rookie Test is a fantastic opportunity for these three up-and-coming endurance drivers to test an LMP1 prototype, the most technologically advanced race cars in the world,” said WEC CEO Gerard Neveu.

“We looked in depth at drivers from within the world of endurance racing before making the selection, and believe that Pipo Derani, Antonio Giovinazzi and Gustavo Menezes fully deserved the opportunity to demonstrate their talent and potential.”

Each LMP1 manufacturer will have at least one car at the test and will be require to give the selected drivers a minimum of 30 laps each.

Additional teams from LMP1 Privateer, LMP2, GTE-Pro and GTE-Am are also eligible to take part in the test, with an initial entry list set to be released next week.

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