Richard Mille Racing Moves Up to WEC LMP2 Ranks

Richard Mille Racing Team will step up to the FIA World Endurance Championship next season with an LMP2 entry for Beitske Visser, Tatiana Calderon and Sophia Floersch.

The French entry, which is supported by watchmaker Richard Mille and the FIA Women in Motorsport initiative, will join the WEC with the No. 1 Oreca 07 Gibson after racing in the European Le Mans Series last year.

Visser, Calderon and Floersch are all new to the WEC, although the Silver-rated trio teamed up for last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans where they finished ninth in LMP2.

Calderon and Floersch were original members of the Richard Mille squad and were due to contest the 2020 ELMS with Katherine Legge, but a testing crash ruled Legge out of the season and prompted the signing of W Series competitor Visser for a handful of events.

The returning lineup will form one of two all-female teams on next season’s WEC grid, along with the No. 85 Iron Lynx Ferrari crew of Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Manuela Gostner which is also moving up from the ELMS to the global stage.

Visser is a BMW-affiliated driver while Calderon is confirmed to drive in Super Formula this year. Floersch raced in FIA Formula 3 last season alongside her sports car debut.

Signatech will continue to operate the Richard Mille entry, meaning the French outfit will be active in both WEC prototype divisions.

In addition to the Richard Mille Racing LMP2 effort, Signatech is also running the Alpine Endurance Team LMP1 program in the new Hypercar category.

Richard Mille Racing’s graduation to the WEC in its second year of operation comes after prior indications that it would be returning to the ELMS in 2021, as part of a two-year commitment declared upon its arrival on the LMP2 scene last February.

“We are really pleased to continue the Richard Mille Racing Team adventure,” said Philippe Sinault, head of Signatech Automobiles.

“It’s an extremely motivating project as it transcends the sporting dimension by generating a lot of emotion and enthusiasm.

“We are taking a step forward in joining the FIA World Endurance Championship. But we are confident, given the skills and the learning curve of our three drivers.

“There will be some new things to figure out, notably with a new package and an operating balance different from last year, given the rule changes in LMP2, but we have great ambitions.

“We’ve all seen that a great dynamic is developing within the team and that motivates us all the more to go for the best possible results.”