Lowndes Targeting LM24 Debut in 2014

Australian motorsports star Craig Lowndes is targeting to make his debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans next year. (en Français)

The three-time V8 Supercars champion, who currently drives for Triple Eight Race Engineering, competed in this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour in an Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Lowndes will make the switch to a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 entered by Maranello Motorsport, alongside drivers Mika Salo, John Bowe and Peter Edwards, for the Australian enduro in February.

His presence with the Italian brand could help the Red Bull Australia-backed driver to fulfill his longtime dream of competing in the 24-hour endurance classic.

“The two options are in the GT class, so its a matter of which one,” he told Speedcafe.com. “The whole purpose of why we are doing the Maranello thing at the Bathurst 12 Hour is hopefully that it will lead in to an opportunity at Le Mans with them (Ferrari).

“For me its a two-fold approach. Either team will be in a Ferrari outfit but its just a matter of which one.”

For the second consecutive year, there is no clash between V8 Supercars rounds and the Le Mans test day and race weekends.

“I don’t know the track and I need to learn it, but I just don’t want to go there and circulate,” he added.

Lowndes intends to use Le Mans as a springboard to competing in LMP1 the following year.

Fellow countryman and V8 star Jason Bright made his Le Mans debut in 2013 aboard an 8Star Motorsports Ferrari.