JJ returns as reserve driver for former team Jota in WEC

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s racing driver Jazeman Jaafar will make a return to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) this season although in a more development-oriented role.

Jazeman will reunite with former team Jota as a reserve driver for them in the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) class and will also serve as a mentor for four promising Malaysian engineers who will also be attached to the UK-based team as apprentices for the season.

The four engineers – Mohd Taufiq Zin, Mohd Amzar Danish Chairil, Anderson Kent Robert and Luqman Othman – are being placed there under the Technology Transfer Apprenticeship Programme (TTAP), which is a joint initiative by the Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii), Perodua and Persona Energy Sdn Bhd.

The collaboration is to facilitate technology transfer to the local vehicle and component development for Perodua through involvement in the championship.

Jazeman, who is also Persona Energy director, is looking forward to the new season and a new role.

“Jota are running two LMP2 cars in WEC this year and as a reserve driver I will be more involved in testing and will be on standby for races.

“With Covid-19 still ongoing, you never know what can happen, so I have to be prepared to race when I am needed.

“Persona Energy is also the programme coordinator for TTAP and I will be mentoring the four engineers throughout the season.

“With the exception of the opening round, which has been postponed indefinitely because of Covid-19 concerns, we (with TTAP engineers) will be involved in all the other five rounds at Portimao in Portugal (June 13), Monza in Italy (July 18), Le Mans in France (Aug 21-22), Fuji in Japan (Sept 26) and Bahrain (Nov 20).

“There will also be four days of testing spread throughout the season.”