Dumas: Le Mans Outing Important for RD Limited’s Growth
Photo: Charly Lopez/DPPI
Romain Dumas has described his eponymous RD Limited team’s first outing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as “very important” but admitted uncertainty about the team’s short-term plans, as it continues to push for a European Le Mans Series berth.
The two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner made his first outing at the Circuit de la Sarthe as a driver since he last raced for Glickenhaus in 2023 as he shared RD’s No. 48 Oreca 07 Gibson with Tristian Vautier and Fred Poordad in LMP2 Pro-Am.
It follows the team being selected to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship blue riband event off the back of its success in the Asian Le Mans Series, even if it missed out on earning an automatic invitation for winning that series’ LMP2 title.
“For us it was very important to get this entry,” Dumas told Sportscar365. “We pushed hard for it and we are all very happy to be here, very proud. We were the only new team besides Genesis, and you can’t compare us to Genesis in terms of people.
“I think many people in France were also happy to see us here. They like this kind of small French team and I can see many people are following us.
“For sure my past at Le Mans created the possibility, but I think we deserve it based on what we achieved in Asia. I think it’s good to show that a team that is only doing the Asian Le Mans Series can also have the chance to be here at Le Mans.
“We already found out in first practice that it’s not like in Asia, we were missing a lot of performance because it was our first laps on the track. And we have to catch up five or six years of experience compared to the others. So it’s very different.
“Le Mans is a big, big step — you can’t even call it a step. I worked so hard the last four months, you cannot imagine. But it’s very nice to see the growth of the team.”
Dumas was not part of the driving squad for either of RD’s campaigns in Asia, with Vautier and Poordad sharing driving duties with James Allen, but he explained that being an owner-driver was an easy decision to make this time around.
“I think for this year it was nice for everybody that I would drive for my own team,” said Dumas. “People like this story, like [Henri] Pescarolo was doing. There are not many drivers who have driven for their own team at Le Mans, and the spectators know that.
“It also helped, having this kind of story, to be here. But I am still enjoying to drive, and it’s even more special when you are a Frenchman driving at Le Mans.”
Looking ahead, Dumas said that he could not be sure where RD will be able to campaign its Oreca outside of Asia, as the Ales, France-based operation continues to juggle its rallying and historics programs alongside its LMP2 activities.
He has previously made it clear that racing in the ELMS would be the team’s preferred option but was rejected for a spot on this year’s grid due to a lack of space.
“The target is to be back in Asian Le Mans, but after that, who knows?” said Dumas.
“We are in LMP2, which means your participation has to be accepted by somebody. You need an invitation. But we will try to compete in any championship we can enter.
“We are still competing in many other categories. We will be in the Dakar, this is already clear, with one or two [Ford] Raptors, and I think I will drive there.
“Besides that, we have to wait to see what happens with Asia, and then the ELMS, which would be a dream. It’s the same picture as always.”
Dumas Uncertain Whether He Will Drive Again at Le Mans
RD’s No. 48 entry finished eighth in the LMP2 Pro-Am subclass, five laps behind the winning car, having lost nearly two laps in the night due to an issue with the number panel, and then losing further ground with a battery problem and a late puncture.
Dumas said that the team was “quite close” to its rivals pace-wise during Vautier’s stint, but highlighted that the main goal was simply to reach the checkered flag.
“Target number one was to finish,” said Dumas. “At the end of the day, it was a completely different animal compared to what we are used to. You cannot practice here. We found a decent set-up during the warmup, but it was still not enough.
“And for me, I needed some time to feel less rusty. Towards the end, my pace was not too bad. So I am happy about that. But that was not the most important.
“When you are a driver, you want to perform, but I was really stressed about not making a mistake — more so than when I was a factory driver!”
Last month’s race marked Dumas’ 24th participation at Le Mans, putting him sixth on the all-time list, nine starts behind all-time leader Henri Pescarolo.
However, the 48-year-old said that staying on long enough to challenge Pescarolo’s record — which would require him to continue racing deep into his 50s — was “not my target at all” and would not commit when asked if he planned a 25th Le Mans start.
“I have raced 24 times, I am 48 years old, the car number is 48… I’m not sure,” he said.
“I have to take some time to think during the summer. It was tough on the family that I wasn’t home for three months so we could prepare everything. We will see.”
Source: Sports Car 365