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Rahal Plans Le Mans LMP2 Program
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US team owner Bobby Rahal is working on plans to compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours in the LMP2 category.
Rahal, whose team runs BMW's GT Le Mans program in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, is visiting the French enduro this week on what he described as a "busman's holiday" with a view to exploring opportunities for next year.
"I would love to come to Le Mans as a team owner but it is all about finding the money to do it," he said. "BMW has said that they are not coming, so that is not an option, but we would like to do something in P2. Maybe we could do a joint venture with an existing team, which might make sense logistically and operationally.
"I'm really here on a busman's holiday, but there are a few people I want to meet to start talking about next year."
Rahal revealed that his team could launch a secondary IMSA campaign with a LMP2 in the four enduros at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta that make up the North American Endurance Cup.
"Our first obligation is to BMW and anything we did couldn't have an impact on that, but competing in the four big enduros might work," he explained.
Rahal said that he hoped son Graham, who races for the family team in the IndyCar Series, would be part of any Le Mans program.
"It's a race I think he wants to do and I'd certainly like him to do it," he said.
Rahal has run BMW's North American sportscar program for the past eight years following a season fielding a Porsche in the American Le Mans Series in 2007.
Rahal, whose team runs BMW's GT Le Mans program in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, is visiting the French enduro this week on what he described as a "busman's holiday" with a view to exploring opportunities for next year.
"I would love to come to Le Mans as a team owner but it is all about finding the money to do it," he said. "BMW has said that they are not coming, so that is not an option, but we would like to do something in P2. Maybe we could do a joint venture with an existing team, which might make sense logistically and operationally.
"I'm really here on a busman's holiday, but there are a few people I want to meet to start talking about next year."
Rahal revealed that his team could launch a secondary IMSA campaign with a LMP2 in the four enduros at Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta that make up the North American Endurance Cup.
"Our first obligation is to BMW and anything we did couldn't have an impact on that, but competing in the four big enduros might work," he explained.
Rahal said that he hoped son Graham, who races for the family team in the IndyCar Series, would be part of any Le Mans program.
"It's a race I think he wants to do and I'd certainly like him to do it," he said.
Rahal has run BMW's North American sportscar program for the past eight years following a season fielding a Porsche in the American Le Mans Series in 2007.
