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TDS reverts from Ligier to ORECA for 2015 European Le Mans Series

The French TDS Racing squad is swapping back to the ORECA marque for its attempt to regain the European Le Mans Series title it won in 2012

TDS ran the ORECA 03 from its entrance into endurance racing in 2011 until moving to a Morgan LMP2 and then a Ligier JSP2 coupe, both built by Onroak Automotive, for last season.

It has now renewed its relationship with ORECA with the purchase of one of the first batch of the Paul Ricard-based constructor's new 05 LMP2 coupes after failing to mount a challenge for the title last season, despite winning the series opener at Silverstone.

TDS team manager Xavier Combet said: "It's with great pleasure that we are returning to collaborate with ORECA.

"When we had to make a choice on the new car, ORECA quickly made its way to the top of the list."

ORECA boss Hugues de Chaunac explained that TDS was "the kind of team we'd rather have with us than against us".

TDS regular Pierre Thiriet, who has raced with the team in the ELMS since 2011, and Ludovic Badey will be two-thirds of the team's driver line-up in the Nissan-powered ORECA 05.

A third driver for the programme, which will include an assault on the Le Mans 24 Hours, will be announced at a later date.

De Chaunac has revealed that ORECA will deliver four 05 coupes ahead of the start of the season and that the first chassis should be given a shakedown in March.

"Four cars before the start of the season was always the target, because we could not do more," he said.

Further 05 coupes could be delivered over the course of the season.

Chinese World Endurance Championship entrant KCMG will take delivery of the first car.

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