KEO Racing to Expand into LMP2 with Dallara

Danish squad KEO Racing has announced that it will join the European Le Mans Series LMP2 ranks next season with a Dallara P217 Gibson.

The team, which has existed for over a decade but only started running prototypes in recent years, is set to combine the new venture with its existing LMP3 program.

KEO is currently contesting its first season in the Michelin Le Mans Cup with a Ligier JS P3 Nissan, and achieved a pole position at Monza back in May.

Its previous racing experience has largely been in junior single-seaters, primarily in the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series which KEO won in 2010.

The team, run by Kim Olsen, has yet to announce the drivers for its LMP2 expansion, with the lineup to be determined following a series of winter tests.

“We are looking forward to finding the perfect lineup and fighting for good results in the series,” said Olsen. “The whole team is very excited about our entry to the LMP2 class.”

KEO Racing is also finalizing its LMP3 program options for 2020, which could include either a continuation in Michelin Le Mans Cup or a move to the Ultimate Series.

The team’s LMP2 announcement effectively ensures the presence of a Dallara on next season’s ELMS grid, after the Italian manufacturer fielded only one car this year.

Dallara project manager Jos Claes recently explained that it has struggled to get the most out of its 2017-spec LMP2 car because of strict rules on development in the class.

The dominance of the Oreca 07 Gibson has made this the chassis of choice in ELMS, with 14 out of 18 teams siding with the French constructor in 2019.