Chrysler unveils Le Mans challenger

Lead drivers from the ORECA Chrysler Viper squad, Olivier Beretta and Yannick Dalmas, have been confirmed as the drivers for the lead car, but three Chryslers are to be entered in all. The team has yet to announce the drivers for the other two cars.

The LMP 900 car, which the American marque hopes will challenge for outright victory in the La Sarthe endurance classic in 2002, was launched in Barcelona today (Tuesday). The Chrysler LMP has been built by Hughes de Chaunac's ORECA outfit and Italian racing car manufacturer Dallara.

"We will do everything we can to win Le Mans in 2002," said de Chaunac. "We have to prepare for Le Mans next year - it's too early to say which races we'll do in 2001, but the plan at the moment is to race against a strong level of opposition and the ALMS is where it is at the moment."

Chrysler made a brief foray to Le Mans last year, using a Mopar-engined Reynard 2K/Q chassis and managed to finish in a respectable 21st place. The latest challenger, which features radical rear-end aerodynamics, has been designed specifically for Le Mans and the team is entirely focused on winning motorsport's most famous race.

The ORECA team plans to conduct two tests per month in the run up to Le Mans, including two 24-hour race simulations. The French outfit is known to value the importance of racing and could debut the car at the Sebring 12 hours in March.

"Everything is directed towards Le Mans," said ORECA team manager Pierre Dieudonne, "but Sebring would not be too early and is one consideration. But there will be no decision until we've had a chance to evaluate the cars."