The French TDS Racing team of Xavier Combet and Jacques Morello will continue its way in the WEC Endurance Championship by entering a car in the 2018/2019 Super Season with a great driver line-up. François Perrodo, Matthieu Vaxivière and Loïc Duval will form a very strong-minded French trio, in accordance with the LMP2 Pro/am values.
After one year of learning in which François Perrodo has shown great improvement race after race, he is very motivated to build on his 2017 LMP2 gained experience. Matthieu Vaxivière, who revealed some fantastic racing last season, is now over motivated to go on, in the endurance championship and to get podium results. The third key of TDS Racing will be French driver Loïc Duval. Winner of the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans and WEC Champion that same year, Loïc has a strong and valuable endurance racing experience (as with the Peugeot 908 HDi and Audi R18), and will be the leader and example to follow for François and Matthieu.
François Perrodo: “The 2017 season was very exciting, but even if this was not a surprise, it was also difficult. I discovered the prototype driving and a very strong competition, the challenge was important and up to our expectations. After the season, I considered very seriously to go to ELMS or return to GT racing, but after the different ACO decisions and considering the great pleasure I had driving these wonderful cars, I decided to stay in WEC for another season. And what a season we will have!! Race twice Le Mans 24 Hours and discover Sebring in just 14 months, sounds just like a dream for a gentleman driver. In addition, I will have Matthieu and Loïc on my side. Not only Matthieu is a very fast driver, but he is also one of my best friends. Loïc has a true and solid endurance experience; he is a great race driver who shares our sporting values that are cohesion and team spirit which to us, are the keys to pleasure and competitiveness. My objective is now clear: I want to continue my prototype learning, having fun, and I hope to step on some podiums during the Super Season.”
Matthieu Vaxivière: “I have known François since we started together in motorsports and we experienced some great moments, including both of our WEC seasons. It will be another great pleasure to share this new project together as well as with Loïc and TDS Racing. The Super Season promises to be an exceptional moment in the history of motorsports, and I will do all I can to reach good results. I can’t wait to work and learn with Loïc’s big endurance experience, and I already feel that this new human adventure will be unique.”
Loïc Duval: “I am very happy to come back to WEC and to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, alongside my Audi programme, and more over I am very excited about the environment in which I will complete this. It’s a professional race team, but also a family amongst which I know that we will have fun. I would like to thank François and Matthieu for this great opportunity. I can’t wait to fight and compete in the LMP2 category which we have seen to be ultra competitive and I look forward to achieving our goals.”
Xavier Combet Team Manager: “During our 2017 WEC season François and Matthieu have shown continuous improvements in the WEC and LMP2 racing, they have consolidated their driving skills and car management in endurance racing. Building on this experience and definitely motivated to continue this way, we have decided together to go on and to take a new step in 2018 by entering a car in the 2018/2019 WEC Super Season. Associated to Loïc Duval, who has a very strong experience in this discipline, this second WEC season is sure to be very exciting for TDS Racing. We can’t wait to get back on the World Endurance Championship race circuits, and challenge the other LMP2 teams and drivers.”
