Emmanuel Collard

Emmanuel Collard, born on April 3, 1971, is a highly accomplished French professional racing driver with a career spanning several decades. Collard began his racing journey in karting, achieving early success by winning the French championship at a young age, followed by a World Karting title in 1988. Transitioning to open-wheel racing, he was a runner-up in his first Formula Renault season and secured the French Formula Renault title in 1990. He further progressed to French Formula 3 and Formula 3000 before making a significant shift to sports car racing.

Collard's sports car career has been marked by victories in prestigious events and championships. He claimed the Porsche Supercup title in 1996 and has secured multiple class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race he has participated in over 20 times. He also has wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Spa 24 Hours. He was also the winner of the Le Mans Series for Pescarolo Sport in 2005 and 2006 and in 2011 for Pescarolo Team. Beyond sports car racing, Collard served as a Formula One test driver for several teams, including Ligier, Benetton, and Arrows, seeking an opportunity to compete in F1. In 2022, Collard joined Team Penske for their World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, demonstrating his continued commitment to top-tier racing.

Throughout his career, Emmanuel Collard has demonstrated versatility and skill, earning a reputation as a respected and accomplished driver in both open-wheel and sports car racing. He has driven for factory teams like Toyota and Cadillac, in addition to Porsche, and his achievements in endurance racing, particularly at Le Mans, underscore his talent and dedication to the sport.