Tockwith Confirms Shanghai, Bahrain Entry

Photo: Vision Sport Agency

Tockwith Motorsports team principal Simon Moore has confirmed that his team will return to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the final two rounds of the season in Shanghai and Bahrain, while considering additional programs for the winter months.

The team runs its Ligier JS P217 Gibson in the European Le Mans Series but is present in the WEC paddock this weekend for the Six Hours of Nürburgring after already competing at Spa-Francorchamps in May and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

As reported by Sportscar365 earlier this year, the British squad had been looking to enter selected post-Le Mans WEC races.

Moore admitted that he would like to have done more of the WEC flyaway races although ELMS rounds on adjacent weekends make the remaining events too difficult.

“We’re doing Bahrain and Shanghai, that’s it at the moment,” he told Sportscar365. “We’d love to do Mexico but it’s not feasible.”

While Karun Chandhok joined the team at Spa, it was in preparation for his Le Mans drive, and so the team has reverted to a two-driver lineup in Nigel Moore and Phil Hanson this weekend, and intends to do the same for the other six-hour races.

“We’ve got young drivers we’re bringing along and it pays to get as much track time as possible,” Moore said.

“A third driver only dilutes the situation. For financial reasons, we’re OK, so there’s no need for a third driver at the moment.”

In addition to what will be in total a five-race WEC program as the only Ligier in the series, Moore is also evaluating a return to the Asian Le Mans Series over the winter months, to defend its LMP3 title.

The Asian series’ LMP2 class is only open to previous-generation chassis, something that Moore says he has “no interest at all” in running, and so he would focus on the LMP3 ranks with up to two Ligier JS P3 Nissans.

“I personally want to do it, so we’re just trying to stitch it all together now,” he said. “I also want to try and get my daughter (Sarah) out, so there could be two cars going out there. Both will be P3s.”

Furthermore, Moore has suggested they could round out the season with the Gulf 12 Hours, which will run to ACO LMP3 regulations for the first time, while also evaluating a debut at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January in LMP2.

“We’re looking at Abu Dhabi if it fits in, for the Gulf 12 Hours, and at Daytona,” he said.

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.