Idec Sport has found a high-quality replacement for Logan Sargeant, who has left the team. A big name is also coming on board in the ELMS.
Three-time Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer will return to the Le Mans 24 Hours with Idec Sport in 2025, taking over the LMP2 cockpit vacated by the surprise withdrawal of Logan Sargeant.
The 43-year-old German, who will compete in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the new Genesis LMDh in 2026, will contest the prestigious race in June as part of the South Korean brand’s “Trajectory Program”.
As the mentor and most experienced driver in the team, Lotterer will not only be responsible for performance, but will also pass on valuable experience to the young line-up consisting of three-time W-Series champion Jamie Chadwick and former Porsche Cup driver Mathys Jaubert.
While Lotterer is racing at Le Mans, another driver will take on the role of Sargeant in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS): Chevrolet works driver Daniel Juncadella. However, the Spaniard cannot compete in LMP2 at Le Mans because he is also competing in the WEC for Corvette with TF Sport, and is therefore tied to the LMGT3 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Hyundai Motorsport Director Cyril Abiteboul describes Lotterer’s commitment as “the logical choice. This participation gives him the opportunity to familiarize himself with the team, the engineers and the mechanics, while at the same time contributing his invaluable experience at Le Mans.”
Lotterer himself says: “This option was on the table from the beginning of our collaboration, but the priority was initially on the drivers from the Trajectory Program.”
“Logan’s withdrawal now gives me the chance to return to Le Mans and pass on my knowledge to the young team. Le Mans is always something special – and the experience helps me to stay in shape.” After leaving Porsche, Lotterer was supposed to sit out the 2025 season to focus on building Genesis Magma Racing. Now he will get a race outing after all.
According to Abiteboul, Juncadella is the “perfect addition” to the ELMS program: “He harmonizes ideally with Mathys and Jamie. This gives us a very balanced driver line-up.”
The former Mercedes works driver has already gained LMP2 experience, including at the 2018 Daytona 24 Hours in the Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca.
Genesis’ Trajectory Program has been designed to prepare drivers, engineers and mechanics for the WEC entry of the Genesis GMR 001 – one of a pair of LMDh hypercars developed jointly with Oreca. The new factory team, Genesis Magma Racing, will be based at a state-of-the-art technology center near the Circuit Paul Ricard.
Logan Sargeant has still not commented on his retirement. The Idec Sport team announced in February that the former Formula 1 driver is leaving motorsport completely. Sargeant has still not given an interview and has only posted one picture on Instagram since his surprising departure, and that was while skiing.
