Duqueine Joins Forces with R-ace GP in LMP2

Duqueine Team has revealed that it is entering into a partnership with successful single-seater squad R-ace GP in the European Le Mans Series this year.

Duqueine has been a stalwart of the ELMS’ LMP2 ranks, first joining the category in 2018, and one of the team’s highlights came with a class podium finish in the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours.

However, the squad has struggled in recent years and finished bottom of the ELMS standings last term.

It has therefore decided to partner up with R-ace GP, which has a history of single-seater glory in categories such as the Formula Regional European Championship and its Formula Renault Eurocup predecessor.

The team ventured into endurance racing for the first time in 2024 in the LMP3 division of the Michelin Le Mans Cup, fielding a Duqueine D08 and then took the class title last year.

It was already moving into the LMP3 division of the ELMS for 2026 – with Hugo Schwarze, Fabien Michal and Pierre-Alexandre Provost recently revealed as its drivers – but R-ace GP’s involvement in the series will now increase to include LMP2.

“We needed a partner capable of meeting ambitious objectives within a controlled framework,” said Gilles Duqueine, president of Duqueine Team.

“Thibaut de Mérindol [R-ace GP founder] and his team embody this culture of excellence, combining rigor with a constant quest for performance.

“Their entrepreneurial approach, already successful in single-seaters and LMP3, is a major asset for our LMP2 project.

“I am convinced that this synergy will enable us to build a structure where every detail will be optimized to achieve our sporting ambitions.”

De Mérindol added: “At the end of 2023, convinced by Gilles and his team’s sporting ambitions and technical expertise, we decided to collaborate with Duqueine Automotive to launch our LMP3 program. 

“It is clear that we share the same passion for the fundamental values ​​of motorsport: competitiveness, technical expertise and team spirit, so it was only natural that the idea of ​​an association with the aim of creating an ambitious LMP2 program was born.” 

Duqueine had previously revealed that Giorgio Roda and Richard Verschoor will be behind the wheel of its Oreca 07 Gibson in the ELMS this year and will be joined by a yet-to-be-announced third driver.