Juan Manuel Correa feels like a pilot again. After the dramatic accident he had at the wheel of a Formula 2 at Spa-Francorchamps in 2019, the Ecuadorian driver has had to go through a tough recovery. Correa returned to the circuits this year with ART Grand Prix to compete in Formula 3A category in which he started off on the right foot, but in which he has had a somewhat discreet performance. Maybe for that reason, Correa has found an important incentive in the test he has carried out with the Prema LMP2 at Paul Ricard. A test session that can open the doors to the Endurance World Cup thanks to the project that Prema and Iron Lynx will carry out in the second category of the WEC.
The experience with Prema’s Oreca 07-Gibson was very special for Juan Manuel Correa, since it was the first time that he got on a competition prototype of these characteristics. In fact, the Ecuadorian pilot, although competing under the American flag, finished this day of tests very satisfied. Maybe Juan Manuel has seen a way to compete at the first level, since the options within the usual training categories began to be limited for Correa. At the same time, the doors of Formula 1, a category with which he flirted with his ties to Sauber and Alfa Romeo, now seem closed. A scenario in which the figure of Prema has emerged, a team with which Juan Manuel competed in Formula 4 in Italy and Germany.
For the moment, Juan Manuel Correa has not defined his competitive program for 2022, but it is clear that the Ecuadorian pilot does not close any doors. And the main objective is to compete at the top level and make up for the time lost after the accident he had in Spa: «I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to test this LMP2, to live this new experience. Two months without driving was too long, so I traveled to Paul Ricard to complete this two-day test. It was my first time with a prototype and it has been an interesting experience with many things to discover. I have really enjoyed it. The LMP2 has a very high speed and is a car with really good potential. He was very happy with his level and I have ended up excited with the prospect of what the future can bring me in resistance».