WEC: Manor shakes down its LMP2 car

Manor Motorsport's new ORECA LMP2 coupe has been given a successful shakedown on Paul Ricard's training circuit.

The ORECA-Nissan 05 was given its maiden run by Richard Bradley on Thursday morning ahead of the car's participation in the official World Endurance Championship pre-season test at Ricard on Friday and Saturday.

Manor sporting director Graeme Lowdon said: "Richard drove because he obviously knows the car [from his experience with the KCMG squad in 2015] and there were no issues at all."

The team is running one car at the so-called 'prologue' test for four drivers. Will Stevens, James Jakes and Tor Graves, who will race the number #44 car in the full WEC, will share the car with Matt Rao. Rao and Bradley's team-mate in the second Manor ORECA that does not have a Le Mans 24 Hours entry is yet to be announced, but Manor said this could happen as early as this week.

The team's second 05 coupe, a spare and unraced chassis purchased from KCMG, is currently being built up at ORECA's headquarters adjacent to the Paul Ricard circuit. Lowdon said that Manor is contemplating scheduling another test for the two cars between the prologue and the opening round of the WEC at Silverstone on April 17.

Originally on Autosport.com