Olivier Pla (born 22 October 1981) is a French racing driver who competed in the Asian Le Mans Series for AF Corse.
Career
French Formula Campus and Formula Three Born in Toulouse, Pla started his career in 2000 in French Formula Campus before moving on to French Formula Three Championship in 2001 with the Saulnier Racing team. He finished eighth in the series standings, taking nine points-scoring positions in eleven races, including a podium in the penultimate race of the season at Magny-Cours.
In 2002, Pla stayed in the series but switched to the ASM team. He finished third, behind Tristan Gommendy and Renaud Derlot, taking nine podium places from fourteen races, including wins at Croix-en-Ternois and Bugatti Circuit.
In 2003, Pla joined the Formula 3 Euro Series with ASM. He finished third, behind Christian Klien and Ryan Briscoe, taking nine podium places from twenty races.
World Series by Nissan 2004 saw Pla leave the Euroseries, joining the World Series by Nissan. He contested two rounds with RC Motorsport before joining Carlin Motorsport to replace Michael Keohane. He finished ninth, taking thirteen points-scoring positions in eighteen races, including a win at Estoril.
GP2 Series In 2005, Pla raced in the inaugural GP2 Series season for David Price Racing. In the early part of the season he stalled on the grid several times — some blamed the GP2 cars for the high number of stallings, while others noticed that the same drivers seemed to be affected regularly. In another race his team mate selected reverse instead of first gear and went backwards into Pla's car. However, he took advantage of the reverse grid system to finish eighth in Race One and thus take pole for Race Two twice (at Hockenheim and Silverstone), winning both those races to finish 11th in the championship. He remained with DPR for 2006, but was dropped mid-season after running out of sponsorship, after a difficult period which saw him score no points and injure his hand in Monaco.
In 2007, Pla competed in the German Porsche Carrera Cup. However, he was recalled to DPR in the latter stages of the GP2 season to replace the injured Christian Bakkerud. In 2008, he moved to sports car racing, driving a Lola Le Mans Prototype in the Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Pla joined Mazda Motorsports for part of the 2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign and signed with Meyer Shank Racing for a full DPi season in 2021.
Racing record
Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position 2000 Formula Renault Campus France Formula Campus ? ? ? ? ? 391 3rd 2001 French Formula Three Championship Saulnier Racing 11 0 0 0 1 74 8th 2002 French Formula Three Championship ASM 14 2 3 1 9 159 3rd FIA European Formula Three Cup 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 7th Korea Super Prix 1 1 1 0 1 N/A 1st Masters of Formula 3 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 2nd Macau Grand Prix 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF 2003 Formula 3 Euro Series ASM 20 0 3 0 8 74 3rdMasters of Formula 310000N/A7th 2004 World Series by Nissan RC Motorsport 18 1 0 0 1 56 9th Carlin Motorsport 2005 GP2 Series DPR 22 2 0 1 2 20 13th 2006 GP2 Series DPR/DPR Direxiv 9 0 0 0 0 0 27th 2007 Porsche Carrera Cup Germany MRS-Team 9 0 1 0 0 34 15th GP2 Series DPR 2 0 0 0 0 0 35th 2008 Le Mans Series - LMP2 Quifel ASM Team 5 0 0 0 1 12 8th 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP2 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 4th American Le Mans Series Team LNT 1 0 0 0 0 20 14th 2009 Le Mans Series - LMP2 Quifel ASM Team 5 2 3 5 3 33 1st 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP2 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF 2010 Le Mans Series - LMP2 Quifel ASM Team51003446th 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP210000N/A7th 2011 Le Mans Series - LMP1 Quifel ASM Team3000195th 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP110000N/ADNF Blancpain Endurance Series SOFREV ASP10000829th French GT Championship1401325810th 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship OAK Racing801?018.520th 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP210000N/ADNF European Le Mans Series - LMP221102622nd Blancpain Endurance Series SMG Challenge40000922nd 2013 World Endurance Championship - LMP2 OAK Racing 8 0 1 0 5 132.5 2nd 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP2 1 0 1 0 1 N/A 2nd Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro-Am SMG Challenge100001328th2014 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMP2 G-Drive Racing847761372nd 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP2 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF United SportsCar Championship - Prototype 6 1 0 1 2 172 14th Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro-Am TDS Racing10000922nd FFSA GT Championship200000NC† 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMP1 Nissan Motorsports 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF European Le Mans Series - LMP2 Krohn Racing200001415th United SportsCar Championship - Prototype 2 0 1 0 5 45 20th Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro-Am Nissan GT Academy Team RJN10000625th2016 FIA World Endurance Championship - GTE Pro Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK911031184th 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro10000N/A4th IMSA SportsCar Championship - Prototype Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian4123211313th European Le Mans Series - LMP2 Krohn Racing50000812th2017 FIA World Endurance Championship - GTE Pro Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK90011958th 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro10000N/A10th IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTLM200005020th IMSA SportsCar Championship - Prototype PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports400209916th European Le Mans Series - LMP2 IDEC Sport Racing300002.523rd 2018 European Le Mans Series - LMP2 Racing Engineering51002663rd IMSA SportsCar Championship - Prototype Tequila Patrón ESM300004340th Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup Garage 59100000NC Intercontinental GT Challenge10000622nd 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK10000N/A6th 2018-19 FIA World Endurance Championship - GTE Pro Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK81202885th 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK10000N/A6th European Le Mans Series - LMP2 Thunderhead Carlin Racing1000027.515th Algarve Pro Racing40000 IMSA SportsCar Championship - DPi Mazda Team Joest4111110214th 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans - GTE Pro Risi Competizione10000N/A4th IMSA SportsCar Championship - DPi Mazda Team Joest/Mazda Motorsports4011211013th 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship - DPi Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian10000226688th FIA World Endurance Championship - Hypercar Glickenhaus Racing20000247th 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship - Hypercar Glickenhaus Racing 4 0 2 0 3 70 4th 24 Hours of Le Mans - Hypercar10000N/A4th IMSA SportsCar Championship - DPi Whelen Engineering Racing 5 0 0 1 2 1508 8th 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship - Hypercar Glickenhaus Racing 5 0 0 0 0 34 10th 24 Hours of Le Mans - Hypercar10000N/A6th2024-25 Asian Le Mans Series - LMP2 AF Corse 6 0 0 0 0 27 9th
Complete French Formula Three Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Pts 2001 Saulnier Racing Dallara F399 Renault A NOG1 NOG2 LÉD MAG VDV SPA1 SPA2 CRT ALB LMS MAG 8th 74 2002 ASM Dallara F302 Renault A NOG1 NOG2 LÉD1 LÉD2 DIJ1 DIJ2 CRT1 CRT2 ALB1 ALB2 LMS1 LMS2 MAG1 MAG2 3rd 159
Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Pts 2003 ASM F3 Dallara F303/014 Mercedes HOC2 ADR1 ADR2 PAU1 PAU2 NOR1 NOR2 LMS1 LMS2 NÜR1 NÜR2 A1R1 A1R2 ZAN1 ZAN2 HOC1 HOC2 MAG1 MAG2 3rd 74Sources:
Complete World Series by Nissan results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DC Points 2004 Tata RC MotorsportJAR1JAR2ZOL1ZOL2 9th 66 Carlin MotorsportMAG1MAG2VAL1VAL2LAU1LAU2EST1EST2CAT1CAT2VAL1VAL2JER1JER2
Complete GP2 Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 DC Points 2005 DPR IMOFEA IMOSPR CATFEA CATSPR MONFEA NÜRFEA NÜRSPR MAGFEA MAGSPR SILFEA SILSPR HOCFEA HOCSPR HUNFEA HUNSPR ISTFEA ISTSPR MNZFEA MNZSPR SPAFEA SPASPR BHRFEA BHRSPR 13th 20 2006 DPR Direxiv VALFEA VALSPR IMOFEA IMOSPR NÜRFEA NÜRSPR CATFEA CATSPR MONFEA SILFEA SILSPR MAGFEA MAGSPR HOCFEA HOCSPR HUNFEA HUNSPR ISTFEA ISTSPR MNZFEA MNZSPR 27th 0 2007 DPR BHRFEA BHRSPR CATFEA CATSPR MONFEA MAGFEA MAGSPR SILFEA SILSPR NÜRFEA NÜRSPR HUNFEA HUNSPR ISTFEA ISTSPR MNZFEA MNZSPR SPAFEA SPASPR VALFEA VALSPR 35th 0Sources:
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 2008 Quifel ASM Team Miguel Amaral Guy Smith Lola B05/40-AER LMP2 325 20th 4th 2009 Quifel ASM Team Miguel Amaral Guy Smith Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2 LMP2 46 DNF DNF 2010 Quifel ASM Team Miguel Amaral Warren Hughes Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S/2 LMP2 318 20th 7th 2011 Quifel ASM Team Miguel Amaral Warren Hughes Zytek 09SC LMP1 48 DNF DNF 2012 OAK Racing Jacques Nicolet Matthieu Lahaye Morgan LMP2-Judd LMP2 139 DNF DNF 2013 OAK Racing David Heinemeier Hansson Alex Brundle Morgan LMP2-Nissan LMP2 328 8th 2nd 2014 G-Drive Racing Roman Rusinov Julien Canal Morgan LMP2-Nissan LMP2 120 DNF DNF 2015 Nissan Motorsports Jann Mardenborough Max Chilton Nissan GT-R LM Nismo LMP1 234 DNF DNF 2016 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Billy Johnson Stefan Mücke Ford GT GTEPro 339 21st 4th 2017 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Billy Johnson Stefan Mücke Ford GT GTEPro 332 27th 10th 2018 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Billy Johnson Stefan Mücke Ford GT GTEPro 340 21st 6th 2019 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Billy Johnson Stefan Mücke Ford GT GTEPro 340 25th 6th 2020 Risi Competizione Sébastien Bourdais Jules Gounon Ferrari 488 GTE Evo GTEPro 339 23rd 4th 2021 Glickenhaus Racing Franck Mailleux Pipo Derani Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH Hypercar 367 4th 4th 2022 Glickenhaus Racing Pipo Derani Romain Dumas Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH Hypercar 370 4th 4th 2023 Glickenhaus Racing Ryan Briscoe Romain Dumas Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH Hypercar 335 6th 6thSources:
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rank Pts 2012 OAK Racing LMP2 Morgan LMP2 Judd HK 3.6 L V8 SEB SPA LMS 20th 18.5 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 SIL SÃO BHR FUJ SHA 2013 OAK Racing LMP2 Morgan LMP2 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 SIL SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ SHA BHR 2nd 132.5 2014 G-Drive Racing LMP2 Morgan LMP2 Nissan VK45DE 4.5 L V8 SIL SPA LMS 2nd 137 Ligier JS P2 COA FUJ SHA BHR SÃO 2015 Nissan Motorsports LMP1 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo Nissan VRX30A 3.0 L Turbo V6 SIL SPA LMS NÜR COA FUJ SHA BHR 34th 0 2016 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK LMGTE Pro Ford GT Ford EcoBoost 3.5 L Turbo V6 SIL SPA LMS NÜR MEX COA FUJ SHA BHR 4th 118 2017 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK LMGTE Pro Ford GT Ford EcoBoost 3.5 L Turbo V6 SIL SPA LMS NÜR MEX COA FUJ SHA BHR 8th 95 2018–19 Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK LMGTE Pro Ford GT Ford EcoBoost 3.5 L Turbo V6 SPA LMS SIL FUJ SHA SEB SPA LMS 5th 88 2021 Glickenhaus Racing Hypercar Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH Glickenhaus 3.5 L Turbo V8 SPA ALG MNZ LMS BHR BHR 7th 24 2022 Glickenhaus Racing Hypercar Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH Glickenhaus 3.5 L Turbo V8 SEB SPA LMS MNZ FUJ BHR 4th 70 2023 Glickenhaus Racing Hypercar Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH Glickenhaus 3.5 L Turbo V8 SEB ALG SPA LMS MNZ FUJ BHR 10th 34Sources:
Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)