and unveil its driver line-up

French team Panis-Barthez Compétition, led by team principal Olivier Panis and team managers Sarah and Simon Abadie will compete in the Asian Le Mans Series for the 2018/2019 season.

The driver line-up, Matthieu Lahaye, his brother Jean-Baptiste and François Hériau, is aiming for the title of the 7th edition of the championship, racing in four Asian races at the wheel of a Ligier JS P2 (#35), powered by a V8 Judd engine, and equipped with Michelin tires.

Olivier Panis - Team Principal : «  The team is delighted to welcome this competitive line-up, which has proven during the past seasons a lot of promising things in ELMS, racing in the LMP3 Category. Matthieu already had an experience in LMP2, Jean-Baptiste never stop improving on track and François is one of the best Gentlemen driver. We are glad to bring the Panis-Barthez Compétition team in ALMS. The team, after three years of activity, is now well experimented and has always improved its level of performance in ELMS and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Being able to show our performance overseas is very positive for us, especially with such a line-up, whom will give all it has to succeed in this new challenge”.

Matthieu Lahaye : "It is really an amazing news for us to have been able to reach an agreement to be able to participate to the ALMS Championship, furthermore with Panis-Barthez Compétition. With Sarah and Simon Abadie, it is a friendship story, almost feeling like a family, lasting for over 15 years, we have shared a lot on and off tracks. By the way, I was the last teammate of Simon in the Mégane Trophy. I also know well Olivier Panis as we rub shoulders and fight on track in LMS, ILMC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We are following them since the creation of the team, we know the high level of performance of the team and we know that we are in the optimal conditions to be able to have good results in Asia. I am privileged to already know two of the tracks, Shanghai and Fuji, and my experience in LMP2 will therefore help me to give the best advices to my inseparable teammates. All the human and technical factors reunited presage a wonderful sporting adventure!”