Video: Introducing Olivier Pla

BACKGROUND
Olivier Pla is one of the four full season FIA World Endurance Championship drivers for Ford Chip Ganassi Racing. Signed up after testing the all-new Ford GT at the end of last year, Pla has already demonstrated that the blistering pace he has shown in the prototype classes transfers beautifully over to GT racing. The quiet Frenchman will be one to watch in 2016.

FORD GT RACE PROGRAM

Ford launched a four-car Ford GT race program in January 2016
All four will compete under the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing banner
Two cars will race in the full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and will be based in the United States and two will compete in the full FIA World Endurance Championship series and will be based in the United Kingdom
The driver line-up for the two FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Ford GTs was announced on Tuesday, January 5

INTRODUCING OLIVIER
His career began in single-seaters and his talent took him all the way to GP2, just one step from Formula One. When Pla made the switch to sportscar racing he quickly built a reputation for incredible precision, speed and consistency behind the wheel.

QUOTES
“Le Mans is the best-known endurance race in the world and it is also the hardest. Everything has to be perfect to win that race. As a driver it is an honor to race for Ford at Le Mans, to fight for victory 50 years on from that historic win."

“I had the chance to drive the car at Daytona last year and I was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect from it. By the second lap I had a big smile on my face. It was great, giving me plenty of confidence."

“The Ford GT has been built very well and it behaves exactly as you’d expect it to. From the first laps it was great and the pace came easily."

“This is a special effort in a number of ways, a big factory, Ford, a big team, Chip Ganassi Racing, and so much history with the Ford name at Le Mans. To be a part of that return is fantastic. My job now is to pay back their trust and make the most of it."

DETAILS
Date of birth: October 22, 1981
Place of birth: Toulouse, France
Nationality: French
Lives: Toulouse, France
Marital Status: Single
Languages: French & English

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2015
Nissan LMP1 Factory Driver
TUDOR United Sports Car Championship with Ligier-Judd (Team Krohn Racing) – Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours. Took pole position at Sebring
Onroak test and development driver

2014
FIA World Endurance Championship in Ligier-Nissan with Oak Racing. Runner up in LMP2 Drivers Endurance Trophy with four race wins, seven pole positions and seven fastest laps.
Competed in six rounds of the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship in the Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan – winner at Mosport
Onroak test and development driver

2013
FIA World Endurance Championship in Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan. Second place in LMP2 Drivers Endurance Trophy and second in class (eighth place overall) and LMP2 pole position at the Le Mans 24 Hours

2012
FIA World Endurance Championship in Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan – Pole position at Sebring, four podiums and five fastest laps
Runner up in the European Le Mans Series with two podiums, one victory and one pole position

2011
Competed in the Team OAK Racing LMP1 car in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, taking third place overall at Silverstone and fourth at Petit Le Mans in the Oak/Pescarolo Judd LMP1
Le Mans Series & Le Mans 24 Hours in LMP1 / Zytek – Quifel-ASM
Testing for Peugeot LMP1 – part of planned 2012 line-up

2010
One win and two further podium finishes in the Le Mans Series – LMP2 Ginetta Zytek (Team Quifel-ASM). Sixth place in Championship
Seventh place at Le Mans 24 Hours in the LMP2 Ginetta-Zytek (Quifel-ASM)
2009

Le Mans Series LMP2 Champion in Ginetta-Zytek LM P2 (Quifel-ASM) – Two wins, three pole positions and five fastest laps.
Also raced LMP2 Ginetta-Zytek in Le Mans 24 Hours – DNF

2008
Le Mans Series in the LMP2 Lola AER (Quifel-ASM)
Fourth place in LMP2 at Le Mans 24 Hours, driving Lola AER for Quifel-ASM
Raced at Petit Le Mans in the LMP1 Zytek factory entry
GP2 test driver

2007
Testing & development of the new GP2 car for 2008

2006
GP2 Series with David Price Racing
(partial season)

2005
GP2 Series with David Price Racing: Two wins

2004
World Series by Nissan: partial season with Carlin Motorsport – one win and two podium finishes

2003
Raced in Formula 3 Euroseries with ASM
- finished third overall from field that included Kubica, Rosberg, Klein, Briscoe, Glock and Spengler

2002
Third place in French Formula 3 Championship with ASM – two wins and six podiums
F3 Masters in Zandvoort – second place overall

2001
Made F3 debut in French Formula 3 Championship: 1 podium for Saulnier Racing

2000
Third place in the Renault Campus Championship with four wins, four pole positions and eight podiums

1999
Made motorsport debut – Winner of the Volant ELF La Filiere Selection