IDEC Sport has had to swap one of their drivers, even before the race weekend itself really has gotten started.
Kyle Tilley had to call his Le Mans participation off since he has got a shoulder injury, that kept him out of the NASCAR race at Indianapolis last weekend too.
Era Motorsport, who runs under the IDEC Sport banner in the European Le Mans Series and at Le Mans, has contacted Thomas Laurent, who has been without a racing seat at all this year, after having an amazing rise through the categories from 2015 to 2020.
Photo: JJ Media
The young French driver went all the way from LMP3 to LMP2 and finished up in LMP1 in just a few years, and having success at all levels. He has unfortunately missed out on a seat so far in the Hypercar category, but there will be more drivers needed for the coming months and years.
Laurent will share IDEC Sport #17 with Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel. The mechanics have already been busy this week, since Merriman tubbed a car on the Sunday test day, so they had to build a brand new car. The same thing happened in 2020, where Merriman injured his back, so he wasn’t able to participate himself, getting replaced by Patrick Pilet. That has turned into a full season ELMS and Le Mans seat for Pilet in the other IDEC Sport car.
The first official practice for the Le Mans race will run today from 14.00 to 17.00 CET, with qualifying being tonight from 19.00 to 20.00, and another practice session from 22.00 to 00.00.
