OAK Racing

History

Founded by Serge Saulnier in 1980, the team began life in the French Formula 3 championship as Promatecme before becoming Saulnier Racing in 2000 when it entered the World Series by Nissan and, later, its successor the World Series by Renault. In 2006 they switched their attention to sports-prototypes and the Le Mans Series, competing in the LMP1 category.

Nicolet assumed control of the team in late 2006, remaining in the LMS with a switch to the LMP2 class for the following season. In 2008 OAK Racing embarked on a more ambitious programme by fielding a pair of Pescarolo-Judds, one in LMP1 and another in LMP2. This was rewarded with a third place LMP2 class finish at the Le Mans 24 Hours where the team ran one of the youngest crews ever to contest the race at an average age 24, and also fielded the first Chinese driver ever to enter the event.

The team officially became OAK Racing in 2009. A partnership with Mazda Automobiles France was formed at this time with OAK Racing entering two Pescarolo-Mazda LMP2s in the 2009 Le Mans Series and Le Mans 24 Hours as well as participating in the two Asian Le Mans Series events at Japan’s Okayama circuit. By the end of the season the team had achieved six podiums from eight races, including a top-three LMP2 finish at the Le Mans 24 Hours and a victory in the Asian Le Mans Series.

In December 2009 OAK Racing reached an agreement with Pescarolo Sport to take over the manufacturing side of its business. Consequently, the development and construction of the chassis, bodywork and spare parts of the Pescarolo prototypes was assumed by OAK Racing, as well as all commercial activities.

In 2010 the team fielded two LMP2-spec Judd-powered OAK-Pescarolos in both the Le Mans Series and the Le Mans 24 Hours whilst also entering the ACO’s new Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Their efforts were rewarded with numerous titles and podium finishes, including a third consecutive top-three finish at the 24 Hours in LM P2 (taking second and fourth places), four podiums from five LMS events, the ILMC LMP2 class title and the Michelin Green X Challenge trophy in the LMS and ILMC.

On 15 October 2010, during the asset sale of Pescarolo Sport, OAK Racing owner Nicolet and Prestige Racing’s Joël Rivière joined forces to purchase the lots, later presenting them to Henri Pescarolo and thus allowing him to revive his team.

For the 2011 season the team entered two OAK-Pescarolo LMP1 prototypes and capped the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup season with a third place overall finish at the 6 Hours of Silverstone. OAK Racing entered as well one OAK-Pescarolo, LMP2 in the ILMC and an additional LMP2 for the Le Mans 24 Hours. Meanwhile, the team also finished 2nd overall in the LMP2 class standings.

For 2012 OAK Racing split the design, manufacturing, and sales divisions of the team into an independent company named Onroak Automotive. Onroak launched a revised LMP2 that, as well as being raced by the team, would be made available for sale to privateer outfits ahead of the 2012 season. Following a partnership with the Morgan Motor Company, the car was branded as Morgan LMP2.

After a 20-year absence an FIA-sanctioned World Endurance Championship was revived in 2012. OAK Racing initially entered a single car in both prototype classes and saw its #24 Morgan-Judd 2012 LMP2 take pole position and finish second on debut at the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring.

A second, Nissan-engined Morgan 2012 LMP2 (#35) was entered at the subsequent Spa, Le Mans 24 Hours, Silverstone, São Paulo and Bahrain rounds in a move that ultimately saw the #24 car also switch to Nissan power from the British round onwards. Meanwhile, numerous engine reliability issues prompted the team to withdraw its LMP1 car from the championship after Le Mans. Following the installation of a new HPD engine the car made its competitive WEC return for the two last rounds in Asia.

At the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, OAK Racing took the LMP2 class victory with a 1-2 finish (7th and 8th overall). Car No.35 first place, drivers Martin Plowman, Ricardo González and Bertrand Baguette. Car No. 24 second place, drivers Olivier Pla, Alex Brundle and David Heinemeier Hansson. Car No. 35 covered a total of 329 laps in the Circuit de la Sarthe. Car No. 24 one lap behind. The race was run in very difficult weather conditions and several serious accidents bringing out a record of twelve safety car caution periods.

OAK Racing earned both titles in the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship, first and second places in the LMP2 Drivers and Teams Endurance Trophies class. Car No. 35 (Plowman, González and Baguette), first place and car No. 24 (Pla, Brundle and Hansson), second place.

For 2014, the team joined the newly formed United SportsCar Championship in the United States with full season drivers Olivier Pla and Gustavo Yacaman, winning their first race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.

Drivers

1980–2006: Serge Saulnier as president

Since 2007: Jacques Nicolet as president

Racing CV

As Promatecme

Single-seater

1992: French F3 champion with Franck Lagorce

1997: British Formula 3 Championship: 2nd (eight wins)

1998: British Formula 3 Championship: 2nd (six wins)

1999: British Formula 3 Championship: 3rd (three wins)

As Saulnier Racing

Single-seater

2001: French F3 champion with Ryo Fukuda

2004-2005: World Series by Renault

Endurance Racing

2006: Le Mans Series, 4th (two podiums) - As Swiss Spirit

2007: Le Mans Series, 4th in LMP2 (one podium) - Courage-AER LC75

2008: 24 Hours of Le Mans, 3rd in LMP2 and 12th in LMP1 - Pescarolo-Judd

2008: 5th in LMP2 (one podium) and 12th in LMP1 - Pescarolo-Judd

As OAK Racing

2009

Le Mans 24 Hours: 3rd in LMP2 - Pescarolo-Mazda

Asian Le Mans Series: winner in LMP2 (two wins) - Pescarolo-Mazda

Le Mans Series: 6th (two podiums) and 7th (one podium) in LMP2 - Pescarolo-Mazda

2010

Le Mans 24 Hours: 2nd and 4th in LMP2, 7th and 9th overall — Pescarolo-Judd

Le Mans Series: 3rd (one podium) and 4th (three podiums) in LMP2 - Pescarolo-Judd constructors’ title in LMP2

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup: winner in LMP2 (three podiums) - Pescarolo-Judd

Michelin Green X Challenge (Le Mans Series and ILMC): winner — Pescarolo-Judd

2011

Le Mans 24 Hours: 5th in LMP2 - OAK/Pescarolo-Judd

6 Hours of Silverstone: 3rd and 5th overall — OAK/Pescarolo-Judd

6 Hours of Zhuhai: Michelin Green X Challenge for the #24 LMP1 - OAK/Pescarolo-Judd

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup: 5th in LMP1 class, 2nd in LMP2 class (team ranking) - OAK/Pescarolo-Judd

2012 LMP2 Trophy

24 Hours of Le Mans results

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship wins

Timeline

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bar:FF3 text:"French F3 Championship" bar:BF3 text:"British F3 Championship" bar:WSN text:"World Series by Nissan" bar:WSR text:"World Series by Renault" bar:ELMS text:"European Le Mans Series" bar:ALMS text:"Asian Le Mans Series" bar:ILMS text:"Intercontinental Le Mans Cup" bar:WEC text:"World Endurance Championship"

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bar:FF3 from:start till:31/12/2002 color:singleseater bar:BF3 from:01/01/1996 till:31/12/2007 color:singleseater bar:WSN from:01/01/2000 till:31/12/2003 color:singleseater bar:WSR from:01/01/2004 till:31/12/2006 color:singleseater bar:ELMS from:01/01/2006 till:31/12/2011 color:endur_p bar:ELMS from:01/01/2016 till:31/12/2016 color:endur_p bar:ALMS from:01/01/2009 till:31/12/2009 color:endur_p bar:ALMS from:01/01/2013 till:31/12/2014 color:endur_p bar:ILMS from:01/01/2010 till:31/12/2011 color:endur_p bar:WEC from:01/01/2012 till:31/12/2015 color:endur_p

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References

References

1. (23 June 2013). "Race — Final Classification". [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest]].
2. "Toyota wins WEC finale in Bahrain with Buemi, Davidson, Sarrazin".
3. Dagys, John. (December 2013). "OAK Racing Claims LMP2 World Championship – Sportscar365".
4. (8 December 2009). "OAK Racing takes over as Pescarolo Sport LMP1/LMP2 constructor". OAK Racing.
5. (23 June 2013). "Statistiques 24ème Heure / 24th Hour Statistics". [[Automobile Club de l'Ouest]].
6. (23 June 2013). "Le Mans 24 Hours: Kristensen, McNish, Duval clinch Audi victory".
7. "OAK Racing Team Total in the running for the 2013 Asian le Mans Series title « OAK Racing".
8. (3 March 2006). "Swiss Spirit launched in Geneva". [[Motorsport Network]].
9. Salisbury, Matt. (29 January 2007). "Lola-Audi for Swiss Spirit".
10. "2007 Le Mans - Entry List".
11. Dagys, John. (5 May 2016). "Tequila Patron ESM, RGR Sport Form Technical Alliance". John Dagys Media.
12. Dagys, John. (11 June 2017). "Eurasia Targeting End-of-Year WEC Campaign". John Dagys Media.
13. Kilshaw, Jake. (11 June 2018). "Cheng: Four-Car Split Approach an "Advantage" for DC Racing". John Dagys Media.