Aitken, Falb and Flörsch line up for Algarve Pro Racing at 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans

Algarve Pro Racing have confirmed their lineup of Jack Aitken, John Falb, and Sophia Flörsch, for the 90th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will take place 11-12 June at Circuit de la Sarthe, France.

The trio will take on the endurance classic driving the Oreca 07 – Gibson in the LMP2 class headed up by Aitken, who is classed as a gold driver this season.

The British-Korean driver has already been behind the wheel of the car at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, taking part in at two day test between 26-27 April. While mileage was limited due to heavy rain, the conditions improved enough for Aitken to complete a full programme of running.

Aitken heads into the event with some endurance experience under his belt, having raced a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 in the 2021 Spa 24 Hours, which unfortunately ended early with a multi-car accident that left him with a fractured collarbone and vertebrae.

2022 is proving to be a busy year for Aitken as he takes part in the European Le Mans Series, GT World Challenge Europe, ADAC GT Masters and now the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Credit: Williams Racing

“The 24 Hours of Le Mans has been on my racing bucket list for a long time, so I’m hugely excited to be going this year,” said Aitken. “As trackside spectators will be back, I can look forward to the legendary atmosphere and getting the full Le Mans experience.

“This is my first full season in LMP2 and the transition from Formula 2 single-seaters to Le Mans Prototypes hasn’t been too difficult. The cars share some traits but there are some significant differences, as LMP2s are more robust, there’s more going on in terms of on-board technology and, of course, there are unique aspects to the racing, like traffic management.

“I’ve enjoyed it and I’ve found myself getting more and more comfortable. My first European Le Mans Series race went really well, winning in LMP2 Pro-Am.

“It’s early days with Algarve Pro Racing, but we have a strong Pro-Am driver line-up; Sophia [Flörsch] has performed really well In LMP2 recently and John [Falb] is undoubtedly one of the fastest Am racers on the grid. The Pro-Am victory would be absolutely fantastic and that’s what we’re shooting for. You always need a bit of luck in the big races, but, if we prepare in the right way, we should be fast and right up there.”

In 2021 Falb, won the ELMS LMP2 Pro-Am title with Algarve Pro and is aiming to build upon his success with his entry in to Le Mans, “I could not be more excited to announce our campaign for the 90th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans,” he said. “Teaming up with Jack [Aitken] and Sophia [Flörsch] came together in a quite interesting way. Like life in general, you can’t always predict how things will turn out.

“After spending time with Sophia in the Algarve Pro Racing garage, she has made a huge impression on me, and that was further solidified after a two-day test at Monza. During that test, I was also able to get to know Jack and we hit it off straight away. Given the pace, consistency and professionalism of my teammates, I expect to have a great run, but we will still need the good graces of Le Mans smiling upon us to achieve a result!”

Credit: Algarve Pro Racing

Flörsch has already started the year with a history making result, taking second place overall in the 2022 European Le Mans season-opener in Le Castellet, becoming the first woman in the series history to finish on the second step of the podium.

“I’m super happy to have Jack [Aitken] onboard. He has done an F1 race and a lot of work with several F1 teams, and I think he has proven to be a very quick driver.

“Our line-up in the LMP2 Pro-Am category is really strong, with John [Falb] being one of the fastest amateurs out there. There’s definitely potential for a podium or even a win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That is our goal and we will do everything possible to achieve it. Anything can happen, but we’re really confident and I’m looking forward to the big one.”