Sebastien Loeb Racing to produce LMP3 prototype for ELMS

Multiple World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb's team has joined forces with German design house ADESS AG and French composites group SORA Racing to create LAS Motorsport, which is aiming to put its new Nissan-powered LMP3 on the grid for the start of next year's European Le Mans Series.

The Loeb team will be in charge of the development and assembly of a car, ADESS (which was responsible for the 2013 Lotus T128 LMP2) the design and homologation and SORA production of the composite components, including the monocoque.

ADESS boss Stephane Chosse, whose company started working with SORA on the car in March, told AUTOSPORT: "We were trying to find a way to make the economics of the project work, so a joint venture with Sebastien Loeb Racing made sense and brings a new competence to the partnership.

"They are an established team with experience in prototypes who will enable us to develop the car quickly."

The new company's P3 design, which has yet to be given a name and type number, is expected to run in February when the spec Nissan five-litre V8 and Xtrac gearbox will be made available to the constructors.

Chosse did not rule out a track day version of the design, to be known as the 'Challenge' car, hitting the track ahead of the LMP3.

Loeb, which raced in LMP2 in the ELMS in 2012 and '14, will not field its own P3 entry.

"We don't want to race against our customers: there are advantages and disadvantages of running a works car, but what do you say to your customers if you are half a second quicker?" explained Chosse.

SORA, which builds a Group CN chassis of its own design, took over control of the Pescarolo LMP1 squad for 2009 before closing the team the following year after which founder Henri Pescarolo relaunched as Pescarolo Team for '11.