Drivers

Renaud Kuppens, Claude-Yves Gosselin, Marc Rostan & Gennaro Bonafede

Karim Ojjeh

Pierre Feligioni

Renaud Kuppens & Claude-Yves Gosselin

Gennaro Bonafede

Tom Coronel 

Karim Ojjeh

Claude-Yves Gosselin & Pierre Feligioni 

Tom Coronel, Benjamin Lessennes & Tiago Monteiro 

Tiago Monteiro & Benjamin Lessennes

Ma Qing Hua

Benjamin Lessennes

Tom Coronel

Aurelien Panis

Pierre Feligioni

Claude-Yves Gosselin

Karim Ojjeh

Stephane Lemeret & Norbert Michelisz

Tiago Monteiro

Benjamin Lessennes & Norbert Michelisz 

Renaud Kuppens & Benjamin Lessennes 

Karim Ojjeh, Olivier Grotz & Julien Darras

Olivier Grotz & Karim Ojjeh,  & Maxime Martin for the official tests only

Christophe de Fierlant, Renaud Kuppens, Eric Vaissière, Philippe Ulivieri, Daniel Waszczinski

Kevin Estre & Rob Bell

Chris Van Der Drift & Fred Vervisch

McLaren #15 : Olivier Grotz, Luxembourg, Karim Ojjeh, Saudi and the belgian driver, Fred Vervisch

The engineer, Massimo, Olivier Grotz and Karim Ojjeh

Already with us in 2013, Karim Ojjeh continues the adventure in our team for the 2014 season.

Olivier Grotz, 20 years old, is coming straight from  karting : Benelux Karting KF3, Belgian Karting Championship, WSK Euro Series. It is a new challenge for him and is happy to discover the series.

McLaren #16 : 2 pilotes libanais, Shahan Sarkissian & Alex Demirdjian, et un pilote UK, Phil Quaife.

Shahan Sarkissian

Shahan Sarkissian raced in Formula Renault Uk championship for the last 2 years and in his second year managed to finish in Top 10 in the standings. He is the co-founder of “MEMOTORSPORT.COM”, Middle East Motorsports is dedicated to be the first official motorsport management company in the Middle East working to develop, guide and manage young talented drivers and ultimately help them succeed in their careers. Founded by professional drivers, business people and enthusiasts, MEMM’s mission is to support the careers of Arab drivers, look after the interests of regional sponsors, engage with young people and use motorsport to promote road safety throughout the Middle East region.

Shahan Sarkissian (driver) : « Moving to GT3 this year is definitely the right step forward in my career. I am very excited to get the chance to do so with a experienced team like Boutsen. This is a great opportunity in my first year in GT racing. I am looking  forward to the championship and hope to  learn a lot. I will  aim for the best possible results in our class. With the teams experience and my team mates I am sure this will be a very successful year.”

 Alex Demirdjian

Alex Demirdjian is a former racing driver (French F3) and now an international business man (The Iron Man..). He is looking for a new challenge in the Blancpain Endurance Championship….

Alex Demirdjian (driver) : « Out of office, on the race track » I find so many similarities between the business world and car racing. Fast decisions, coping with competition pressure and continuous performance requirements to become a better leader and put things in perspective.. »

Chris van den Drift

Chris van der Drift, is born in New-Zealand, on March 8th, 1986. 

He started his racing career with karting, before singleseater. We saw him in Formula BMW, Formula Renault 2.0, Formula Renault 3.5, GP2 series, Formula Superleague, AutoGP World Series, and more recently in GT, and V8 Supercars. 

He knows the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 well as he was already racing with this car in 2012 et 2013. 

Renaud Kuppens, Massimo Vignali, Christophe de Fierlant

On the McLaren n°22, the belgian drivers, Stoffel Vandoorne and Frédéric Vervisch

Débriefing and working session with the McLaren engineer..

At the wheel of the McLaren n°15, Alexander Sims, the UK driver and Stef Dusseldorp, from Holland.

And the engineer, Massimo ..

McLaren n°22,  the 2 belgian drivers

• Frédéric Vervisch and Stoffel Vandoorne

Our engineer, Massimo, with the drivers of the McLaren 15 :

• UK driver, Alexander Sims
• Stef Dusseldorp, from Holland

We now have a second american driver to complete our line-up for the next Le Mans 24 Hours race. He will have to complete the mandatory 10 laps to qualify, as Matt Downs, and the french driver, Thomas Dagoneau. Bastien Brière will also be present. They will share the Oreca LMP2 car, number 40.

Racing experiences : Indylights in LMPC, Dubai 24 Hours, USF2000.. and the Blancpain championship.

Rodin Younessi : "In racing, I have overcome many roadblocks along the way, and the faces who have tried to sway me away from pressing forward have all dwindled into a forgotten past.  I am overwhelmed by the opportunity I've been given to compete in the 90th Anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans; the feeling is surreal. I am grateful for the faith, confidence, and the once in a lifetime opportunity that Boutsen Ginion Racing has given me to be at the helm of their LMP2 car."

Le Mans 24 Hours 2013 :

Coming from the United States, the LMPC driver, Matt Downs joins our team to participate to the famous Le Mans 24 Hours race.

He will share the wheel with 1 of the Sarthe Objectif 24 drivers, Thomas Dagoneau or Bastien Brière, and with Rodin Younessi, also coming from United States.

Matt Downs : "I'm thrilled to compete the the 24 Hours of LeMans with Boutsen-Ginion Racing.  I am very grateful to Butterfield Farms for this opportunity and excited to work with such a first-class team.  The 24 Hours of LeMans deserves respect as the the premier endrance event in the world and I am honored to be a small part of it."

The French driver from Le Mans region, Thomas Dagoneau, started in 2007 by the Fun Cup. He is then seen in THP Spider Cup championship and in  FFSA Super Series France. In 2011, he finishes third proto at Le Mans in the VdeV Championship VdeV.

In 2012, he joined our team and is Vice-Champion, LMPC class, in the ELMS Championship, (European Le Mans Series).

A new step this year, as he is now racing in the LMP2 class, in the ELMS championship.

P5 at Silverstone, P7 at Imola.

Its purpose ? To participate in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Frédéric Vervisch is Belgian, he accumulated wins and titles during his racing years racing in these categories:

•      karting
•      F3 Asia, Germany
•      Formula Renault 3.5
•      Superleague Formula
•      .....

He competes this year in Blancpain Endurace Series, with the McLaren MP4-12C, number 5, in the Pro-Am category. This is his first year in GT3. He shares the wheel with David Dermont and Koen Wauters.

We know David Dermont, the Belgian driver, since he was part of our adventure in the Eurocup Megane Trophy. David Dermont has also raced in :

•      Belgian Touring Cars
•      Porsche SuperCup
•      FIA GT
•      Megane Trophy

His teammates on the McLaren 5 are Koen Wauters and Frederic Vervisch.

Koen Wauters, the Belgian driver, has already a lot of experence at the track, a very short summary :

• 24 Hours of Zolder : 20 entries
• 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps : 10 entries
• 24 Hours of Daytona : 2 entries

• Paris-Dakar rally ...

He is also editor of the magazine Menzo, TV presenter, and of course, the singer of the group Clouseau.

His car is entered in the Pro-Am, with the number 5.

 The French driver, Marlene Broggi has already raced under our colors, when we were in the Eurocup Megane Trophy championship, in the World Series by Renault events. She also participated with us  in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 2012. We saw her Clio, in Seat, in the Andros Trophy... She shares the wheel of the McLaren number 15, with Karim Ojjeh.a

Winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2011, in LMP2 and used to the Le Mans Series circuits; Karim Ojjeh has been confirmed to drive for our team for the Blancpain Endurance Series championship, at the wheel of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3, number 15, in the Gentlemen category. He races in the colors of the flag of Germany and Saudi Arabia.

The Belgian driver, Renaud Kuppens will complete the 4-drivers line-up for the Dubai 24 Hours race in January. Renaud was racing with us, in the World Series by Renault, in 2005, 2006 & 2007. 

He knows well the Megane car...

The "Boutsen Ginion" Megane car will have the number 130.

Renaud just got the title of World Champion in the Maserati Trofeo.

The other drivers will be : the italian, Massimo Vignali, the french Jean-Charles Battut, and the second belgian driver,  Christophe de Fierlant.

Jean-Charles Battut was driving with us at Dubai, on a Clio Cup, in 2010 and on a Porsche 997, in 2011.

He also won the english round of the European Le Mans Series Championship at Donington, this year, in the FLM / LM PC class.

Jean-Charles Battut :

Dubai 24 Hours is a magic race,  in a wonderful location and on a perfect track for the Mégane Trophy V6. The team is very professional. I hope that we will be the checkered flag, and why not,  on the podium,  as for my last entry 2011. We will have the answer shortly ..

I will discover a new drivers line-up with whom I look forward to share this unique moment :  my third entry at Dubai 24 hours race. Stay tuned !

The nice italian driver, based in Singapour for his job, will be present at Dubai :

"I am really happy to be racing again with my old friends in the Boutsen Ginion team and sharing the car with the other drivers.

For me is the first time in Dubai and also in this exciting car which has always been one I wanted to race as it’s very light and agile and remind me more of the prototype I used to race in the past.

As for every international  24 hours the race will be tough and the others competitors will be very strong but I believe that the main aim for the team will be to have a consistent race and take the car to chequered flag, hopefully in a nice position!!

See you in Dubai!!

Massimo, our poleman at Le Castellet in Le Mans Series, LM PC Class, and our McLaren driver at Spa 24 Hours 2012.

Christophe  did a few laps with the  Megane :

"I tested the car and it suits me perfectly. I was quickly used to it, and am happy with my first laptimes, knowing that I still can improve. I am very impatient to go there with nice team and drivers !

Andy Soucek will be back competing at the highest level at the Navarra circuit in his homeland Spain, behind the wheel of our McLaren MP4-12C GT car.

The Austrian driver lives in Madrid, and has a spanish licence. He won the Formula 2 championship in 2009. We have seen him in GP2 Series, GP2 Asia, Superleague Formula, 3.5 World Series, Formula 3, .. He also tested Formula 1, with Virgin, Toyota and Williams.

The last driver is the Swiss driver, Zoel Amberg. Coming from karting and single-seater, (FR 2.0 & FR 3.5) Zoel, 20 years old, will make its debut in the GT world, at Navarra..hopefully, on the spanish sun.

Fabien Thuner, the swiss driver, was racing with us, in 2010 and 2011. It was with a Renault Megane, in the Eurocup Championship, World Series by Renault.

He will complete the drivers line-up of the McLaren #15.

The british driver with strong motorsport roots (his father in law, former F1 driver, Julian Bailey advices him for this carreer) spent the last 3 years in the FIA Formula 2 championship : 1 win and 5 podiums in the last 2 seasons. 

Jack has decided to turn to endurance with a double program as we will see him in the European Le Mans Series with our LMP2, but also in the Blancpain Endurance Series with the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3.. 

"Cool, Jack !"

The belgian driver, Nico Verdonck, is born on 5th of december 1985.

He started his racing career with karting, showing his talents repeatedly.

In 2007, he finished 3rd in the German Formula 3 championship.

In 2009, he won the Formula Le Mans championship.

More than 100 races entered, with 16 wins, 37 podiums, and 4 fastest laps !

His ambition is to have the best preparation for the races. During his free time, Nico is also working as coach for 3 young and talented drivers and people who want to develop their driving skills.

Born the 6th September 1986, Edouard Mondron started his career with karting by participating in 2003 to the Belkart championship.

The belgian driver then drove in Fun Cup from 2003 to 2006.

In 2010, he participated to the Belgian championship BTCS, and won the title of Vice-Champion. In 2011, he continued in BTCS, got 2 pole and 1 win and climbed 9 times on the podium.

He joined our team in 2012 for the Blancpain Endurance Series with the McLaren.

When he is not racing, Edouard is busy with his audiovisual documentary studies.

The French driver, Bastien was born on 24/05/1983 at Le Mans.

He is the youngest French driver to have competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He knows the circuit well, as he already has three entries in the 24 Hours race.

He joined our team in 2012 for the European Le Mans Series championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, with the LMP2.
 

Bastien Brière and his friend, Thomas Dagoneau (FLM driver) have founded the "SARTHE OBJECTIVE 24" company with the objective of a 100% drivers coming from the Sarthe region line-up for 2013. They are mobilizing all companies from Le Mans region.

Born 31th of October 1988, the young swiss driver, Sebastien Buemi, is living in Monaco.

He started his racing career with karting and was Formula 1 driver for the Toro Rosso team till 2011.

He is now endurance driver for Toyota.

He has participated for our team in the official testing sessions of the European Le Mans Series, and in the first race of the championship at Le Castellet.

Shinji Nakano

Nationality : Japanese

Former Formula 1 driver

has participated to the 3 most important race events in the world :

• The Grand Prix of Monaco - F1
• The 500 Miles of Indianapolis
• The 24 Hours of Le Mans race

The german driver, Jens Petersen, has already a good racing experience, with GT, prototypes FLM and LMP2 :

• Victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring race, in FLM/LMPC class,
• Favourites circuits  :
  • Spa
  • Nurburgring
  • Silverstone
  • Le Mans ..

Jens participated to the World Endurance Race at Spa, in category LMP2, (finishing 5th, with Jack Clarke and Bastien Brière) and will be 1 of our driver for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race.