LM24: Dixon, Bourdais get first practice laps

IndyCar stars Scott Dixon and Sebastien Bourdais will become the immediate focus inside the Ford GT program as practice starts today for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The pair of four-time Indy car champions are the only two drivers from the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Le Mans program without experience in the twin-turbo V6 GT chassis around the 8.5-mile circuit, which has led the four-car squad to shuffle its driver rotation to accommodate the open-wheelers.

"We'll get Scott in the No. 69 car right away; he's done laps here on the simulator, but his first lap in his Ford GT will be his first-ever lap around the real track, so we want to get him in to start and get some mileage before anything else," CGR managing director Mike Hull told RACER.

Bourdais, with 10 previous starts at his home track, is less of a concern, but also got in in first, according to Hull.

"Sebastien certainly knows his way around here, but we still want to put him in the No. 68 first and get acclimated with the circuit. He could almost ride a bike here from his house, so it's all pretty familiar for him," he added.