FRESNO, Calif. — PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports announced its Michelin Endurance Cup driver lineup for the No. 52 Wynns/Max Connect/RainX/Client Command/Apex Protect Oreca 07 LMP2 entry on Friday.
Returning champion Ben Keating, two-time ELMS LMP2 champion Paul-Loup Chatin and British open-wheel rising star Alex Quinn will co-drive the No. 52 next season. For the 61st edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, the lineup will be joined by four-time Le Mans 24 Hours class winner Nicolas Lapierre for the third consecutive year.
The driver lineup for the sprint races of the IMSA WeatherTech Championship events will be announced soon.
“It’s been a very exciting time for the team since our last event,” said team principal Bobby Oergel. “We’ve had a unique opportunity to test some great drivers and are more than happy to have Ben (Keating), Paul (Loup Chatin), Alex (Quinn) and Nico (Lapierre) in the seats for the program.
“We know we can count on Ben’s speed and reliability, while Alex has learned very quickly about the LMP2 car and shows great things are to come as he grows his experience in sports cars. We’ve raced against Paul for a few years and I’m very happy we won’t have to compete against him again, he has been great to work with in our tests and we really look forward to a successful season ahead.
“Having Nico back with us for a third Rolex 24 is very special as well, he’s such a pleasure to work with and brings so much experience and speed to the team.”
The team will continue with its 2022 livery design showcasing the colors of the team main sponsor, Wynns.
“Although many things about this Rolex 24 will be the same as they have been for the past three years, there will be many changes for 2023,” Keating said. “I have a renewed energy to perform even better than ever before. I am very excited about the engagement I have had with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports in the off-season and all of the things we have done to improve from our championship winning performance.
“It looks to me like 2023 will be the most competitive field the LMP2 class IMSA has ever had. And we will be ready to be at the top.”
Lapierre added, “This year, the field will be tough. There will be a lot of cars overall. Traffic will be challenging. The LMP2 field is going to look very strong as well. But we are ready to fight and we can’t wait to start.”
The Roar Before the Rolex 24 will be the official start of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship activities for the season.
PR1/ Mathiasen Motorsports is coming into the Roar Before the Rolex 24 after winning the 2022 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Championship title in the LMP2 category. The team will use the event to acclimate themselves with their new driver lineup, the car and track.
The four PR1 drivers will share the wheel of the No. 52 Wynns/Max Connect/RainX/Client Command/Apex Protect LMP2 for the first time at the three-day event in preparation for the Rolex 24.