Photo : DR - Inestaittinger.fr

 

The Austrian Laura Kraihamer (aged 23) competed in the KTM X-Bow Battle single-seater series at the wheel of the first car built by Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM. Motor sports run in the Kraihamer family. Laura’s elder brother Dominick has taken part in the last four Le Mans 24 hours.

With an Italian father and British mother, Vittoria (Vicky) Piria (aged 21) followed a classic single-seater career path: Fomula 2000, Formula Renault Italia, Formula Abarth, GP3 and Formula 3.

Frenchwoman Inès Taittinger (aged 24) has been a prominent feature of the last two V de V series, an indication that we shall see her at Le Mans 24 Hours sooner or later. Taittinger is a committed fundraiser for heart surgery and supports Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque, an organisation that ensures heart operations for children from developing countries.

Several female drivers have had good results in the Le Mans 24 Hours in the last five years. The last all-female team was in 2010, with Cyndie Allemann, Rahel Frey and Natacha Gachnang. Vanina Ickx came seventh overall in 2011, her best result in the 24 hours, while Andrea Robertson finished third in the LM GTE Am category. Last year, Japanese driver Keiko Ihara took ninth place in LM P2. In 2013, Natacha Gachnang finished fifth in her category at the wheel of a Morgan-Judd. She raced for Morand Racing, now Team SARD Morand, the team behind the Race to 24 competition. The winner of the series to air from 26 March will join Pierre Ragues and Oliver Webb at the wheel of one of the two Morgan EVO SARDs in the Le Mans 24 hours and the five remaining rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship 2015.

The 83^rd Le Mans 24 Hours will take place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June 2015.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO                                        Translated by Emma Paulay

Photo: With Jules Gounon, Ines Taittinger is the other French candidate of Race To 24.