Graff Signs Toyota LMP1 Reserve Laurent for 2020

Graff has signed FIA World Endurance Championship regular and Toyota LMP1 reserve driver Thomas Laurent to its European Le Mans Series LMP2 lineup for 2020.

The 21-year-old will co-drive the French team’s Oreca 07 Gibson in the six-round championship with Australian James Allen and Swiss racer Alexandre Cougnaud.

Further to its ELMS entry, Graff also plans to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June but is likely to need a replacement for Laurent, who competes full-time in the WEC for Signatech Alpine Elf.

The Frenchman drove for LMP1 outfit Rebellion Racing in the 2018-19 ‘Super Season’ prior to his signing with Toyota as its backup driver for the current 2019-20 campaign.

He also finished second overall at Le Mans in an LMP2-class Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca on his debut in the race three years ago.

Allen, meanwhile, returns to the Graff squad with which he made his ELMS debut in 2017.

The 23-year-old spent two years with Graff – including one with its G-Drive Racing effort in the season before last – before moving to DragonSpeed for 2019.

Laurent and Allen effectively replace the outgoing Jonathan Hirschi and Tristan Gommendy, who have moved to Duqueine Engineering for the new season.

This leaves Cougnaud as the only returning member of last year’s Graff LMP2 lineup.