A new year often brings with it new challenges to face and new goals to achieve. For us, 2024 has brought the aim of fighting for overall victory in the European Le Mans Series. To turn this vision into reality ORLEN Team AO by TF has lined up three aces to drive the #14 Oreca 07 Gibson that will race in the LMP2 class of the upcoming European Le Mans Series.
Formula One and sportscar legend Robert Kubica will be one of the drivers ready to make his way through a very crowded field of 22 LMP2 cars. The Pole, who has 99 starts and 12 podiums in Formula 1 including a win at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2008, will bring his speed and experience to the team.
At Kubica's side will be Louis Delétraz, who has already played an important role in building the team's success. The Swiss driver made history in 2023 with TF Sport by taking a magnificent overall victory in the 4 Hours of Barcelona of the European Le Mans Series, the first and only ever by a Pro/AM car. Louis and Robert are no strangers to success in LMP2: together they won the 2021 European Le Mans Series and are the current World Endurance Championship LMP2 champions.
The two experienced drivers will be joined by a young, talented and fast driver. Jonny Edgar will complete the line-up of the ORLEN Team AO by TF LMP2 #14. The Englishman, who throughout his career has shown great speed in Formula cars and was a member of the Red Bull Junior Team for five years, will be the ideal addition to a perfectly matched line-up. With the right combination of experience, speed and talent, the three drivers are set to make their mark in the 2024 European Le Mans Series season.
Robert Kubica, ORLEN Team AO by TF Driver:
“I am happy to announce that I will be joining TF Sport together with Louis, with whom I raced in 2021, and Jonny, a very young and talented driver. I am looking forward to the ORLEN Team AO by TF in the upcoming 2024 ELMS season, which will certainly not be easy with many extremely competitive cars and driver line-ups. Coming back to the championship I won together with Louis gives us a lot of confidence, but it will definitely be tough competition. I can't wait to start working with a new group of people and a new team: I am happy to be part of this new project”.
Louis Delétraz, ORLEN Team AO by TF Driver:
“I am really excited about the ELMS programme with ORLEN Team AO by TF. I have already worked with Tom and his team in 2023 and they impressed me a lot. Coming back to ELMS with Robert means a lot to me after we won the championship in 2021. It will be our fourth year together, I think I will have to start thinking about buying him a ring! Also, Jonny's arrival is fantastic: he is young, fast and a great driver with a bright future ahead of him. I have no doubt that he will fit in perfectly. Finally, I am happy that AO Racing is joining us in this great programme. We have a strong team and strong partners, I can't wait to get started”.
Jonny Edgar, ORLEN Team AO by TF Driver:
“I am really excited to join such a great team and I am looking forward to work with Louis and Robert. They have both won many races in important categories and I want to learn as much as I can from them. There will be challenges this year, as it is a new category and a new style of racing for me, but I am confident that TF Sport is the best home for this next step in my career”.
Tom Ferrier, ORLEN Team AO by TF Team Principal:
“This line-up is fantastic, it took a lot of work in the background to put it together and we are really thankful for the support of Orlen and AO in this program. We have three fantastic drivers who are not only very fast, but are also great guys and real team players. As a team we have shown great speed and results last year and in the ongoing Asian Le Mans Series. I feel we are now ready to step up and win the European Le Mans Series overall, and that is our clear goal”.
Gunnar Jeannette, AO Racing Director of Motorsports:
“We are very excited to partner with TF Sport for the 2024 ELMS Season. Having drivers with the caliber of Robert, Louis & Jonny fighting for overall victories is a great way to make our first appearance in the European Le Mans Championship. We are also looking forward to other opportunities that this partnership will bring throughout 2024”.
ABOUT ORLEN
ORLEN Group is the largest multi-utility company in Central and Eastern Europe and serves over 100 million customers.
Its subsidiaries include the leading oil and gas companies in the Czech Republic and Lithuania, Unipetrol and ORLEN Lietuva respectively. ORLEN is listed in global rankings such as Fortune Global 500, Platts TOP250 and Thomson Reuters TOP100.
For years, its commitment to sponsoring professional and amateur sports, sponsoring important cultural events and supporting valuable community initiatives have been a key element of its corporate identity.
ABOUT AO
Founded by PJ Hyett, relative new to the sport but a passionate collector and scholar of the sport’s history, and Gunnar Jeannette, whose resume in sports car racing is long and illustrious, AO Racing entered the GTD class in IMSA in 2023.
AO Racing came into professional sports car racing with force in 2023, and quickly became a fan favorite along the way with its liveries and drive. Now, after having performed well in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2023, the team is gearing up for the second season of the IMSA WeatherTech SporstCar Championship with an increased presence and preparing for a quantum leap in competition.
2024 will mark a new history to be written for AO Racing, and TF Sport will be one of the major players.