Matthieu Lahaye (born 23 November 1984, in Rennes) is a French racing driver, competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship for OAK Racing. Along with his brother Jean-Baptiste, he runs a small sports car racing team called Ultimate.[1]

Matthieu Lahaye
NationalityFrance French
Born (1984-11-23) 23 November 1984 (age 39)
Rennes, France
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Current teamOAK Racing
Racing licence FIA Silver
Car numberLMP2
Previous series
2011
2011
20082011
2005–2008
2004
2002–03
2001–02
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup
American Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
Eurocup Mégane Trophy
World Series Lights
French Formula Renault
Formula France
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years20082010, 2012, 2021
TeamsSaulnier/OAK
Best finish7th (2010)
Class winsNone

Career edit

Lahaye's career began in karting, in which he competed between 1995 and 2001. He then took part in Formula France and French Formula Renault. In 2004 he contested World Series Lights, finishing fifth in the standings with a win at Valenca. He moved on to the Eurocup Mégane Trophy in 2005 for Tech 1 Racing, finishing his first season ninth overall. The following year he won three times on his way to the runner-up spot. 2007 saw him slip to fifth place with just one win.

2008 saw him switch to sportscars, driving in the Le Mans Series for Saulnier Racing. Racing a Pescarolo-Judd with Pierre Ragues, he finished fifth in the LMP2 standings. He also took part in his first 24 Hours of Le Mans with the team together with Ragues and China's Congfu Cheng, finishing 18th overall and third in LMP2.

In 2009 he continued with the team (now renamed OAK Racing) in the LMP2 class of the LMS, with Karim Ajlani as his teammate. They scored two podium finishes from the five races, finishing ninth in the final standings. He and Ajlani were joined at Le Mans by Guillaume Moreau, but the car retired from the race. Lahaye did win the class in the two races at Okayama that made up the 2009 Asian Le Mans Series, partnering team owner Jacques Nicolet and Richard Hein.

In 2010 he partnered Nicolet in the Le Mans Series, and finished the year third in LMP2. At Le Mans he finished seventh overall and second in LMP2, sharing with Moreau and Jan Charouz.

In 2011 he contested the LMP1 category of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup with OAK. However, a heavy accident in qualifying at Spa left him with two broken vertebrae, a broken hand and an injured knee, and he would miss the 24 Hours of Le Mans.[2]

In 2012 he is competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship in OAK's Morgan LMP2 alongside Nicolet and Olivier Pla.[3]

Racing record edit

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results edit

Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points
2012 OAK Racing LMP2 Morgan LMP2 Judd HK 3.6 L V8 SEB
2
SPA
5
LMS
Ret
36th 6.5
Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 SIL
6
SÃO
3
BHR
6
FUJ
3
SHA
3
2021 Association SRT41 Innovative Oreca 07 Gibson GK428 4.2L V8 SPA ALG MNZ LMS
32
BHR BHR 0 0
2022 Ultimate LMP2 Oreca 07 Gibson GK428 4.2L V8 SEB
10
SPA
12
LMS
14
MNZ
8
FUJ
12
BHR
11
21st 6

24 Hours of Le Mans results edit

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2008   Saulnier Racing   Pierre Ragues
  Cheng Congfu
Pescarolo 01-Judd LMP2 333 18th 3rd
2009   OAK Racing
  Team Mazda France
  Guillaume Moreau
  Karim Ajlani
Pescarolo 01-Mazda LMP2 208 DNF DNF
2010   OAK Racing   Guillaume Moreau
  Jan Charouz
Pescarolo 01-Judd LMP2 361 7th 2nd
2012   OAK Racing   Jacques Nicolet
  Olivier Pla
Morgan LMP2-Judd LMP2 139 DNF DNF
2021   Association SRT41   Nigel Bailly
  Takuma Aoki
Oreca 07-Gibson CDNT 334 32nd
2022   Ultimate   François Heriau
  Jean-Baptiste Lahaye
Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 335 48th 24th

References edit

  1. ^ Dagys, John (22 November 2021). "French LMP2 Squad Ultimate Plotting WEC Debut". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  2. ^ Constant, Brad (17 May 2011). "Tiago Monteiro to replace Oak's injured Matthieu Lahaye". autoweek.com. Crain Communications, Inc. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  3. ^ Dagys, John (28 February 2012). "OAK Reveals WEC Driver Lineups". speedtv.com. Speed Channel, Inc. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.

External links edit