The LMP1 showdown in the 2015 World Endurance Championship will definitely be a crowd favourite as Nissan will be joining the likes of Audi, Toyota and new-comer Porsche in the battle to the top. Also signalling the return of the Japanese manufacturer into the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, they will also need a team of skilled drivers to drive the new LMP1 machine, the GTR LM NISMO.
Of course, they do not need to look far as they could simply take the previous finalists and winners of their GT Academy program, which they did. The finalists and winners will be given a chance to join Nissan’s LMP1 team, and among the contenders are some American drivers. Former GT Academy winners Bryan Heitkotter (2011), Steve Doherty (2012), Nick McMillen (2013), and a number of past American finalists will be given a shot to impress the LMP1 team’s management.
When we said “impress”, it means that they will not be immediately jumping into the LMP1’s cockpit. They would have to go through an intensive driver training program before driving the new Nissan-powered LMP3 car in 2015. They will then jump into the Nissan-powered LMP2 race cars which includes racing in Le Mans, before finally getting a shot in driving the LMP1 race car.
“It is going to take more than just talent to get them into an LMP1 car, but the opportunity will be there if they are prepared to work for it. Getting experience in prototype machinery will be a critical component of the development process,” said NISMO sales and marketing Chief Darren Cox.
The new LMP1 team will be having a base in the U.S., where they will use the former Indianapolis headquarters of Champ Car team Forsythe Racing as their home. The team will also be run by managers at NISMO’s headquarters in Japan, as well as having a base in Europe.
