Jeannette Hopeful TF Sport Tie-Up Will Lead to Le Mans Berth

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Gunnar Jeannette is hoping AO Racing’s newly formed partnership with TF Sport will “yield the results” of securing an entry for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Announced earlier this month, the American team and Polish oil giant ORLEN have joined forces with the Tom Ferrier-led TF squad for the newly named ORLEN Team AO by TF operation in the LMP2 class of the European Le Mans Series.

While not featuring any AO Racing drivers, such as team owner PJ Hyett, in its ELMS lineup, it’s understood that Bronze-rated Hyett could be in the frame for a drive at Le Mans should it be one of the cars accepted by the ACO selection committee.

Hyett and Jeannette have recent history in Le Mans, with AO having joined forces with Team Project 1 for last year’s FIA World Endurance Championship in GTE-Am.

“We very much want to be back at Le Mans,” Jeannette told Sportscar365. “Having a partnership with TF in the ELMS, we hope will yield the results we’re that we’re looking for.”

Jeannette said the proposed lineup remains in flux, with multiple drivers from both teams not available for the race due to existing WEC commitments.

Robert Kubica, who will team with Louis Deletraz and Jonny Edgar in the six-round ELMS season, will be in AF Corse’s Ferrari 499P at Le Mans, while AO Racing IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship driver Paul-Loup Chatin is set to race for Alpine, also in Hypercar.

“Until we have an entry, everything’s TBD,” Jeannette said.

Despite its removal from the WEC, the ACO has pledged for at least 15 LMP2 cars, largely comprised of ELMS entrants, to be on the grid at Le Mans.

The entry list for the French endurance classic is typically released at the end of February.

Jeannette said AO’s partnership with TF came about through “lots and lots of stuff.”

“You never know what simple meetings or introductions could do,” he said. “We tested with TF with the Corvette back in August as a potential WEC thing and we just started chatting about stuff there.

“It started from there. I met Louis through Rodrigo [Sales] and we just sort of started talking about stuff and was like, ‘Well there might be a cool opportunity to do something which then leads into bigger things.’

“We have one of the TF engineers [in the WeatherTech Championship] engineering the P2 car through the year. That’s where the partnership comes in.

“A lot of that stems from Gary Davies now being with TF in as the technical director because a lot of our guys have worked with Gary before.

“Lots of pieces coming together to, ‘Oh, this could be a real interesting thing to do together.'”

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