LMP1 driver speculation

[Hawkwood]

Is Tsugio Matsuda a Nissan guy?
He's pretty rapid.

I'd like to see him in more international races.

[J Jay]

If Pla hasn't been tempted by the other factory teams until now, I'm not sure what Nissan have/can offer that would make him drive for them?

If there's any chance of it happening though I would not blame them for trying.

Originally Posted by Joe4

If I was Toyota I'd definitely think about replacing Lapierre with Mike Conway or swapping him with Nakajima, he made a massive error this year which basically cost the #8 the race & made a similar error the year before in similar conditions

I wouldn't be so quick to condemn drivers for making mistakes (and I agree, it was a big mistake). There was another French driver who put a [Pescarolo] Peugeot into the wall in a big way and was subsequently dropped. He's now won his third Le Mans. For Audi.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Lots of people lining up to put ageing drivers into these LMP1s.

The Sacred Monster is like a fine wine, he gets better with age!!

[Nordic]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Lots of people lining up to put ageing drivers into these LMP1s.

If Nissan are serious about taking the fight then these drivers have to be able to go toe to toe with a Lotterer or a Davidson.

Because it will help pay the bill and generate interest it makes sense to have a driver already in the public eye. Nissan is maybe the most pr savvy team out there, if Chris Hoy had a few more years experience I am sure he would in the mix as well!

There is a long history of ageing F1 drivers in sports cars, ickx, bell, Mass, stuck, brundell, boutsen, and many more. Most turned out to be rather good and I am sure the current crop of ex f1 drivers would not be fazed by Lotterer or Davidson, (who is also a failed and now ageing ex F1 driver)

[TF110]

In daily sportscar's Austin lmp1 preview, they echo the Mike Conway at Toyota full-time rumor. What does this mean for its current full time drivers? Or does it mean 3 cars perhaps at Spa/LM?

[Mike E]

Vergne not ruling out non-F1 options. Of course he might have no choice but to consider sports cars or something else. Nissan?
http://m.autosport.com/news/report.p...1-options-open

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Mike E

Vergne not ruling out non-F1 options. Of course he might have no choice but to consider sports cars or something else. Nissan?
http://m.autosport.com/news/report.p...1-options-open

Wise from JEV, given there isn't going to be a seat for him when the music stops. I think he could be a strong sportscar driver. He might have to fight off fellow STR alumni Jaime Alguesuari for seats.

[Simmi]

How long before Tincknell gets a P1 test then? I'm guessing Audi have first option. But right now they've got more drivers than seats.

Maybe they could try to get him in the WEC next year somehow so he can learn the tracks/paddock.

[J Jay]

As long as McNish is with him I can see Tincknell being more patient than expected. I suppose his, and the other drivers' fates hang on what TK decides to do.

Short of a 3 WEC entrants or Jota taking part, I can't see Tincknell moving up without someone else going first.

[Christian Mogami]

Simon Pagenaud to Nissan.

[Victor_RO]

Originally Posted by Christian Mogami

Simon Pagenaud to Nissan.

Is this speculation or something that's about to be confirmed? His SPM Indycar contract runs out on Oct 1, and all the rumours that I've heard so far pointed at an Andretti Autosport Indycar drive.

[Christian Mogami]

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Is this speculation or something that's about to be confirmed? His SPM Indycar contract runs out on Oct 1, and all the rumours that I've heard so far pointed at an Andretti Autosport Indycar drive.

You need to keep up with the rumors,they change daily

Latest rumor is he is going to Penske and the rumor before that was Ganassi.
Pagenaud has already said his goodbyes to his friends at HPD and the writing was on the wall that he was leaving the Honda camp when the Andretti and SPM sports car deals fell thru.

But Penske has never ran 4 cars for a season.

So a good insider friend of mine been telling me for a while that Nissan wants him because he is very good at setting up new cars and he will race some races for Penske next year in Indy.

[Mike Hedlund]

Originally Posted by Christian Mogami

So a good insider friend of mine been telling me for a while that Nissan wants him because he is very good at setting up new cars and he will race some races for Penske next year in Indy.

He's one of the smartest mofos around.... how that brings value? I guess it depends what you need.

-mike

[Mike E]

'
He said that there would be at least one former winner of Nissan's GT Academy, which points to a seat for GP3 frontrunner Jann Mardenborough (pictured) at least for Le Mans.
Drivers believed to have secured Nissan seats for 2015 include WEC LMP2 frontrunner Olivier Pla and Satoshi Motoyama, who was part of Nissan's Garage 56 campaigns with the DeltaWing and the ZEOD RC in 2012 and '14.
Others linked to full-season and Le Mans drives include Nick Heidfeld, Jean-Eric Vergne, Joao Paolo de Oliveira and Tsugio Matsuda.
Nissan is also understood to have approached a number of drivers who are with existing LMP1 manufacturers.
The firm has announced that it is aiming to have an American driver culled from its GT Academy programme in one of its cars at Le Mans in 2016.
It plans to evaluate six drivers including US Academy winners Bryan Heitkotter, Steve Doherty and and Nick McMillen.
It is also likely that 2011 finalist and Porsche Supercup driver Sean Johnston will be part of the programme.'


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115942

[Mike E]

'He said that there would be at least one former winner of Nissan's GT Academy, which points to a seat for GP3 frontrunner Jann Mardenborough at least for Le Mans.
Drivers believed to have secured Nissan seats for 2015 include WEC LMP2 frontrunner Olivier Pla and Satoshi Motoyama, who was part of Nissan's Garage 56 campaigns with the DeltaWing and the ZEOD RC in 2012 and '14.
Others linked to full-season and Le Mans drives include Nick Heidfeld, Jean-Eric Vergne, Joao Paolo de Oliveira and Tsugio Matsuda.
Nissan is also understood to have approached a number of drivers who are with existing LMP1 manufacturers.
The firm has announced that it is aiming to have an American driver culled from its GT Academy programme in one of its cars at Le Mans in 2016.
It plans to evaluate six drivers including US Academy winners Bryan Heitkotter, Steve Doherty and Nick McMillen.
It is also likely that 2011 finalist and Porsche Supercup driver Sean Johnston will be part of the programme.'


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/115942

[Simmi]

The average age of the guys who drove works LMP1s this year is 33. Just thought that was interesting to note.

A lot of the rumoured drivers seem logical choices. Honestly the American driver concepy baffles me. Not the fact they want an American, but the manner in which they are going about it. Maybe their primary goal isn't necessarily winning races?

[Koenigsegg]

Originally Posted by Simmi

The average age of the guys who drove works LMP1s this year is 33. Just thought that was interesting to note.

A lot of the rumoured drivers seem logical choices. Honestly the American driver concepy baffles me. Not the fact they want an American, but the manner in which they are going about it. Maybe their primary goal isn't necessarily winning races?

I guess the American driver is only for the 3rd car and the North American WEC rounds.

[Simmi]

Interesting to hear on the WEC coverage that Tincknell has been behind the wheel of an R18 during the recent journalist test. He's been embedded with Audi at CoTA. Sounds like it's just a matter of time.

[J Jay]

I've only just realized that Matsuda is in the KCMG P2 ... in that case I'm not sure he's quite ready for a Nissan P1 drive yet!

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by J Jay

I've only just realized that Matsuda is in the KCMG P2 ... in that case I'm not sure he's quite ready for a Nissan P1 drive yet!

How do you figure? He's 35, the quickest guy in that car, gathering WEC circuit experience, he's still reasonably quick in GT500, has got experience in high level single seaters (two championships, though he looks past his best lately). Not my first choice, but what else would he need to add to his resume?

[Simmi]

If Nissan want a Japanese driver from their roster he's probably the obvious choice. Okay he made a mistake in the race but so did a lot of guys.

[Mike E]

.@autohebdo believes that Pla and Sarrazin have a full season contract for Nissan P1 drive. Mardenborough would do LM but not full season.

Tweet from Mat Fernandez.

[TF110]

Like I figured. If Toyota were to let one guy go, itd be Sarrazin. Hes a good pick up, should be able to help with development if he goes.

[Rodger Davies]

From RLM hints about Conway in the COTA race, I assume Sarrazin is a done deal for Nissan.

[joeb]

I might be going out on a limb here, but I think Colin Braun would be a good pick up for an LMP1 team. He has been fast in anything he races and often just drives through the LMPC field. Maybe a seat with Rebellion, or another LMP1-L team would be appropriate.