Designed by David Floury, the Oreca 03 was the first prototype fully built in-house by the manufacturer at its Signes facility. Featuring a carbon monocoque and a 450 hp Nissan V8 engine, this LMP2 established itself as a benchmark in the category during the early 2010s.

Chassis #12 marked the endurance racing debut of Sébastien Loeb Racing (SLR) in 2012. In its very first outing at the 6 Hours of Castellet, the team secured a 2nd-place finish in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with a line-up featuring Stéphane Sarrazin and Nicolas Minassian. That same year, Sébastien Loeb drove the car himself to a 6th-place finish in LMP2 during the 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day.

Following a GT-focused 2013 season, SLR returned to the ELMS in 2014. Running on Michelin tyres, unlike the majority of the grid on Dunlops, Oreca #12 claimed 2nd place at the 4 Hours of Imola, finished 4th at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and capped off its campaign with a victory at the 4 Hours of Estoril.

In 2015, the car was taken over by Eurasia Motorsport, finishing 6th overall in the ELMS championship. Today, it actively competes in historic racing within the Masters Endurance Legends series.

 

 

The dawn of the LMP2 class in the early 2010s fundamentally reshaped the world endurance landscape. Among the manufacturers that seized this opportunity to establish their dominance at the top tier of the sport, Oreca holds a unique position. Unveiled in 2011, the Oreca 03 was more than just a fierce competitor; it became one of the defining LMP2 cars of its era.

 

The Oreca 03: Excellence in Oreca Engineering

While Oreca had previously managed third-party chassis programs (such as Courage or Peugeot 908), the Oreca 03 represented a major industrial turning point: it was the first prototype entirely designed, developed, and assembled in-house at the manufacturer’s Signes workshop, situated right next to the Circuit Paul Ricard.

 

Engineer David Floury developed a car with exceptional aerodynamic efficiency. Built around a high-rigidity carbon monocoque derived from the Courage LC70, the Oreca 03 stood out for its low drag profile, high-speed stability, and ability to generate massive downforce with minimal drag penalty.

 

To power this 900 kg Le Mans Prototype, Oreca partnered with the leading engine builder of the time: Nissan. Mid-rear mounted, the 4.5-litre naturally aspirated Nissan V8 (engine code VK45DE) proved both highly potent and dependable. Delivering nearly 450 horsepower with a linear torque curve, it was perfectly tailored to the demands of 6- to 24-hour endurance events. Coupled with an Xtrac 6-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters, the complete technical package was the most competitive and sought-after setup on the grid.

 

ORECA 03 chassis #12

The Nissan-powered Oreca 03 holds an iconic status in the history of Sébastien Loeb Racing (SLR), marking the squad’s entry into LMP2 endurance racing in 2012. In 2011, anticipating the conclusion of his WRC career, nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb sought to venture into endurance racing while founding his own team. Partnering with Dominique Heintz, he established Sébastien Loeb Racing (SLR) in his native Alsace region. Naturally, the team opted for one of the benchmarks of the discipline: the Nissan V8-powered Oreca 03, specifically chassis #12, which Ascott Collection is now proud to offer for sale. The objective was clear: compete in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

 

2012: A Podium (P2) on Debut

In 2012, due to event cancellations, the ELMS calendar was reduced to just three rounds.

During its debut campaign, and in its very first race at the 6 Hours of Castellet, the Total and PlayStation sponsored entry displayed remarkable maturity against established contenders by finishing 2nd overall in class. The car was driven by a stellar line-up: Nicolas Marroc, Stéphane Sarrazin, and Nicolas Minassian, the latter two being former Peugeot factory drivers following the sudden termination of Peugeot’s LMP1 program at the end of 2011.

 

Following its podium finish at Castellet, Oreca #12 finished just off the podium at Donington Park before skipping the final round of the truncated championship at Road Atlanta.

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Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day Entry

Participation in the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans was not originally on the team’s schedule, but when a slot opened for the official Test Day, Sébastien Loeb seized the opportunity to gain valuable mileage on the iconic circuit.

With star drivers Minassian (committed to the Dome S102.5) and Sarrazin (driving the Toyota TS030 Hybrid) unavailable, Loeb took the wheel himself. He delivered an impressive performance, putting the car 6th fastest in the LMP2 class.

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2014: Two ELMS Podiums, Including a Victory!

In 2014, SLR committed Oreca #12 to a full campaign in the ELMS alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However, skipping the Red Bull Ring round ultimately ruined its championship prospects. In search of financial backing, the team brought on Czech group Praga as a primary sponsor, introducing Czech driver Jan Charouz to the squad. Coming off a year,long hiatus in 2013, during which rival teams had honed their cars and operations, a 2014 comeback posed a steep challenge.

 

2nd at the 4 Hours of Imola

Breakthrough success arrived at Imola, where Oreca #12 stormed to a brilliant 2nd,place finish, ahead of the Alpine A450 that had claimed the ELMS title the previous year. Vincent Capillaire and Jan Charouz put in a flawless drive in blistering heat. Starting from the back of the LMP2 grid, the duo executed a remarkable fightback while maximizing the performance of their Michelin rubber.

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Focus on the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Finishing Just Off the Podium

Following this result, the team turned its full focus to Le Mans. Just before practice began, Dominique Heintz shared his thoughts with the ACO's PY Riom: "We are approaching this session with great humility. We're quietly preparing, taking things step by step with all the seriousness it deserves. For the race itself, the challenge will be massive given the level of competition. We're also counting on a bit of luck, as you need a good dose of it for everything to go smoothly."

The order given to the drivers was clear: take no unnecessary risks and bring the car home, as Sébastien Loeb reiterated ahead of the start. He also pointed out that Michelin,shod LMP2s were at a performance disadvantage compared to their rivals, as evidenced by the fact that the top ten qualifying LMP2 entries were all on Dunlops. René Rast joined the driver lineup to make his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut.

Ultimately, the Oreca 03 delivered a stellar race, finishing 4th in the LMP2 class. While often dubbed the most frustrating place to finish, this result demonstrated the sheer competitiveness of both the team and the chassis in a fierce field. Notably, Oreca 03 #12 was the highest,placed Michelin,shod entry in a class heavily dominated by Dunlop.

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Following the massive exertion at Le Mans, SLR opted to skip the next round at the Red Bull Ring to focus on securing funded drivers. Consequently, the ELMS round at Le Castellet saw a revised driver lineup, pairing newcomers Arthur Pic and Andrea Roda with Vincent Capillaire. After qualifying 6th, they held position to finish 6th in the race.

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A Grand Finale: Victory at the 4 Hours of Estoril

The lineup saw a last,minute change for the finale, with Arthur Pic replaced by GP3 driver Jimmy Eriksson, who had zero prior experience in LMP2 or endurance racing. Despite this, Eriksson delivered a string of impressive lap times, helping the Oreca secure a memorable victory.

 

Teammate Vincent Capillaire concluded: "The team won this race through sheer determination and the hard work put in all year long; everything culminated in this exact moment. Everyone did a fantastic job: the mechanics, the engineers, and my teammate Jimmy."

 

This marked the end of the Sébastien Loeb Racing chapter for our Oreca. As demonstrated, this Oreca's tenure with Sébastien Loeb's squad was highlighted by strong on,track performance, despite shifting team strategies across multiple motorsport disciplines. This was hardly surprising for Loeb, who, after dedicating years strictly to rallying, was eager to explore new racing avenues beyond the cockpit.

 

2015: Campaign by Eurasia Motorsport and 6th Overall in ELMS

Philippine team Eurasia Motorsport entered Oreca #12 in the 2015 ELMS season, proving reasonably competitive throughout. The driver pairing of Dutchman Nick de Bruijn and Chinese driver "Kevin" Pu Junjin secured 5th at Silverstone, 7th at Imola, and 8th at the Red Bull Ring. At Le Castellet, Richard Bradley subbed for Pu, though the entry suffered a DNF. For the final round at Estoril, where the Oreca 03 had won the previous year, Pu returned to help secure a 6th,place finish, mirroring the car's final position in the 2015 ELMS overall standings.

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Historic Racing in Masters Endurance Legends

Acquired by its current owner roughly ten years ago through Michel Frey, Oreca 03 #12 has since been a regular competitor in historic racing within the Masters Endurance Legends series. This LMP2 car features a new fuel cell dated 2026 and holds an up,to,date crack test certificate. Located in France, it is offered for sale with a comprehensive spares package, including a Le Mans low,drag aero kit and tree additonal wheel sets.