JOIN USKarun Chandhok is banking on his past experience at 24 Hours of Le Mans for a top five finish in the world’s oldest sports car race, starting this weekend at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Chandhok will be competing in the LMP2 category for Murphy Prototypes, an emerging outfit which led its class for five hours before retiring following a technical snag.
“It is a new class and much bigger one than LMP1. It is going to be a much closer field, but it will pretty much be about having a reliable car more than anything else,” Chandhok said from Le Mans in France.
The former Formula One driver was part of the JRM LMP1 squad in his debut race last year, coming home sixth overall with 2009 winner David Brabham and Peter Dumbreck.
This time he is partnering former Red Bull reserve Brendon Hartley and Mark Patterson. Murphy Protypes’ ORECA-Nissan 03 will be fighting with 22 LMP2 cars while the overall winner is likely to come from the more powerful eight LMP1 machines.
“The manufacturers always have an edge over privateers. Ours is fairly a new team but I would be disappointed if we don’t finish in the top five in our class. If all goes well in the race, a podium is also a possibility,” said the 29-year-old.
He says adjusting to a prototype will not be an issue amid driving in the GT1 series this season.