Panis-Barthez Announces Asian LMP2 Program

Panis-Barthez Competition will expand into the Asian Le Mans Series later this year with a single-car LMP2 entry.

The French outfit, which has only previously raced in the European Le Mans Series, will enter a Ligier JS P2 Judd into the 2018-19 championship.

Silver-rated brothers Matthieu and Jean-Baptiste Lahaye will partner bronze-rated Francois Heriau for the four-round series, which gets underway in November.

The trio currently co-drive an Ultimate-run Norma M30 Nissan in the ELMS LMP3 class and recently finished on the podium at the 4 Hours of Silverstone.  

“We are glad to bring the Panis-Barthez Competition team in ALMS,” said team principal Olivier Panis.

“The team, after three years of activity, is now well experimented and has always improved its level of performance in ELMS and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Being able to show our performance overseas is very positive for us, especially with such a line-up, whom will give all it has to succeed in this new challenge”.

Of the team’s ALMS crew, only older Lahaye brother Matthieu has prior LMP2 experience having driven for OAK Racing in the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship.

He was also previously team-mates with Panis-Barthez co-manager Simon Abadie in the Megane Trophy Eurocup.

“It is really an amazing news for us to have been able to reach an agreement to be able to participate to the ALMS with Panis-Barthez Competition,” said Lahaye.

“With [team managers] Sarah and Simon Abadie, it is a friendship story lasting for over 15 years and we have shared a lot on and off-track.

“We have followed them since the creation of the team, we know the high level of performance of the team and we know that we have the optimal conditions to have good results in Asia.”