Driving a new-look white and black Tequila Patrón Extreme Speed Motorsports Ligier JS P2 LMP2 car, Pipo Derani will take part in the 84th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend.

Derani, one of the youngest participants in the running of the ultimate 24 Hour endurance test, is ready to take part in the all-important practice and qualifying sessions this Wednesday and Thursday in rediness for the start of the famous race this Saturday at 15.00 local time.

The 22 year-old Brazilian has enjoyed a successful season so far in 2016 with the Tequila Patrón ESM team, scoring sensational wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring.

Indeed, Derani has not finished off the podium this season, as he followed up his historic successes in Florida with a pair of second place finishes at the opening two FIA WEC races in the UK and Belgium.

Derani made an excellent Le Mans debut 12 months ago when he claimed fourth position.

Although Le Mans is a round of the FIA WEC, its specialist nature means that Derani and his teammates in the No.31 ESM Ligier-Nissan  – Ryan Dalziel and Chris Cumming – will have a tough job to emulate their early season form.

“Le Mans is the highlight of the season, there is no doubt about that,” says Derani. “The spectacle and interest in it is on a global scale and gets bigger every year, it is an incredible experience. With ESM and our partners at Oak Racing, we know we have a formidable team. However, it will be a tough event for us, as the nature of the circuit does not suit our package as well as other tracks. Still, I will be going all out to try and add Le Mans to the wins we earned together at Daytona and Sebring, that would be awesome. The main focus though, is to gather more points in our quest for the 2016 WEC title.”
 
Both of the ESM Ligier’s will be resplendent in a new white and black livery designed to showcase an exciting new partnership with John Paul Mitchell Systems with the team for the 2016 race.