Fidani “Way Better Prepared” for Return Le Mans Assault

Image: 13 Autosport

Orey Fidani feels that he and his 13 Autosport team will be “way better prepared” for a return visit to the 24 Hours of Le Mans after an eye-opening debut last year.

The Canadian squad, which ran as AWA in 2025 but now under the ownership of the 39-year-old businessman-turned racer, secured IMSA’s Bob Akin Award for a second consecutive year, which provides an auto-invite to the French endurance classic in the LMGT3 class.

Fidani made his Le Mans debut last year alongside longtime co-drivers Matt Bell and Lars Kern, finishing 13th in class in his Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.

Speaking with Sportscar365, Fidani said preparations for this year have been going to plan, which has been made easier given that the same crew Andrew Wojteczko-led crew are running the car, again with the support of TF Sport.

The team released the livery for its Corvette entry on Thursday (pictured above), which remains largely unchanged from its popular Canadian Maple Leaf design that debuted in the French Endurance classic in 2025.

“It’s pretty smooth because nothing has changed, other than me taking over the team,” said Fidani. “It really hasn’t affected much.

“The car is pretty much ready to go and ready to ship. We’re shipping it on April 1.”

Fidani confirmed it they will bring the same chassis, No. 022, back to France, which appeared in a striking red maple leaf livery.

“We’ll be running with TF again, with the support of their tools and all their stuff. It just makes more sense.”

When asked what lessons they can take from last year’s debut, Fidani said there are a number of areas the team feels better prepared.

“That’s why we’re super excited to go back for a second time around,” he said. “We feel like it will be more of a fair shot because the first time, you’re out there, but there’s so much to learn between driver and crew.

“Everything from the rules to this and that.

“We just feel we’re way better prepared having done it last year to come back this year. We also now have a lot of data too. It should help us pretty good for this year.”

Given the depth of the LMGT3 field, which is predominately made up of full season FIA World Endurance Championship entries, Fidani said he hasn’t laid out any real specific performance targets for his second go-around.

“There’s no real target,” he said. “I’m just going to get in and go and enjoy myself and have fun and soak in the experience again. We’ll see how it goes.

“You want to win it.”

Having won the Akin Award for two years running, and currently leading the standings following the recent Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, Fidani said IMSA’s initiative for FIA Bronze-rated drivers remains one of the team’s primary targets during the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.

“After the first time doing it, I was like, ‘I want to win the Akin Award every year because I want to go back every year,'” he said.

“There’s a few more cars in the field, so it should be fun.”

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John