MICHEL VAILLANT MAKES A GRAND COMEBACK AT LE MANS 24 HOURS WITH MOTUL AND REBELLION RACING

A UNIQUE CONCEPT AT THE CROSSROADS OF FICTION AND REALITY

This year, Editions Graton, Motul and REBELLION Racing are joining forces to bring Michel Vaillant back to life for the Le Mans 24 Hours and throughout the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship. The three partners have come up with a highly original concept at the crossroads of fiction and reality to pay tribute to the most famous of all fictional racing drivers. For the first time in twenty years and to honour the occasion, a new cartoon album will be released on 2nd June; a living breathing Vaillante Rebellion team will be ready to race in two exclusive “Vaillante” on the circuits of the World Endurance Championship starting with the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours.

Michel Vaillant, the hero created by Jean Graton makes a long-awaited comeback to celebrate his 60th birthday.During the ACO press conference, which took place on 2nd February 2017 in Le Mans, Frédéric Lénart, managing director of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest revealed the cover of the 76th album in the Michel Vaillant series created in partnership with the international specialist manufacturer of high performance lubricants: Motul. Entitled Rébellion, its release is set for 2nd June 2017.

An exceptional character and an exceptional concept! This year for the Le Mans 24 Hours, Michel Vaillant will step out of the pages of fiction into the real world thanks to Motul and REBELLION Racing, the Swiss stable.

The Vaillante Rebellion team will be on the starting line of Le Mans in two exclusive “Vaillante”, an Oreca 07 Gibson LMP2 powered by a Gibson V8 engine lubricated with Motul 300V 5W30 Power Racing, and decked out in the colours of Vaillant for the occasion. Mathias Beche, David Heinemeier Hansson and Nelson Piquet Jr. will wear the number 13 while Julien Canal, Nicolas Prost and Bruno Senna will wear the number 31.

These talented racing drivers will have the honour of racing in the name of Michel Vaillant - an iconic fictional character with a big heart.

«I’m happy and proud of being the pilot of a “Vaillante” at Le Mans 24 Hours and during the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship. It means a lot to me, Michel Vaillant is a legend in motor sports for French-speaking countries. We will do our best to defend Vaillante colours. » says Nicolas Prost.

Press release Le Mans, 2nd February 2017

MICHEL VAILLANT, REBELLION RACING, MOTUL AND THE LE MANS 24 HOURS, A LONG HISTORY

OF RACING ENTHUSIASTS!

10th year for REBELLION Racing, 13th for Michel Vaillant, 63rd for Motul… Le Mans holds no secrets for these three partners! In fact, this is where Michel Vaillant launched his cartoon career 60 years ago in the first album entitled “Le Grand Défi”. After 20 million albums sold, he is back with Rébel-lion.

«Michel Vaillant inspired generations of racing enthusiasts. Sixty years after his creation, the magic is still there. Thanks to our part-ners, Motul and REBELLION Racing, two key players in the world of motor racing, two Vaillante will be raring to go on the starting of line of Le Mans 24 Hours - fighting it out for a place on the podium! We are inviting all cartoon and Le Mans race lovers to make a date in their diaries to get behind the Vaillante Rebellion team. This is going to be the greatest birthday ever planned for a cartoon character», ex-plains Philippe Graton, who, since 1994, has been writing the adven-tures of Michel Vaillant who was created by his father Jean Graton.

«Motul and Michel Vaillant have had an affinity for several decades! In fact the Motul logo appeared in a several albums, notably “F3000”, which was released in 1989 and amateurs of Endurance will no doubt remember the “La Courage Vaillante”, which also featured the Mo-tul colours in the classic 1997 Le Mans race where it earned a very respectable fourth place. Michel Vaillant hasn’t aged a bit in twenty years and we are delighted to be involved in his comeback at the Le Mans 24 Hours», added Hélène Zaugg, Head of Communication at the Motul Group.

ABOUT GRATON ÉDITEURGraton Éditeur was founded in 1981 by Jean and Philippe Graton. Thirty-five years on, this small independent publisher still manages all the work, brands and global rights associated with Jean Graton including his most famous creation Michel Vaillant. Embodying the values of sport, courage, going the extra mile and performance, Michel Vaillant is also a strong, loyal and courageous friend. These timeless and universal values have ensured that this character is still relevant and meaningful today.

ABOUT MOTULMotul is a world-class French company specialised in the formulation, production and distribution of high-tech engine lubricants (two-wheelers, cars and other vehicles) as well as lubricants for industry via its Motultech activity. Motul is also recognised as the specialist in synthetic lubricants. As early as 1971, Motul was the first lubricant manufacturer to pioneer the formulation of a 100% synthetic lubricant for automotive engines, the 300V lubricant, making use of Esters technology and issued from the aeronautical industry. Throughout the years, Motul has gained experience as an official supplier to many racing teams and manufacturers and contributes with them to further techno-logical development in motorsports. Motul is supporting those teams in international competitions such as: 24 Hours of Le Mans (cars and motorcycles), FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Super GT, Drift, Pikes Peak, Japanese championship Super Formula, Blancpain Endurance Series, Dakar, Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic, MotoGP, World Superbike, World MX, FIM Endurance World Championship, IOM TT, MOTUL FIM Ice Speedway Gladiators World Championship, Roof of Africa and score of others..

ABOUT REBELLION RACINGREBELLION Racing was born in 2008, of the association between SPEEDY Racing et SEBAH Racing. It is the most rewarded Endurance team in the past 10 years.  Since 2011, REBELLION Racing is the only team to have contested the domination of the factory teams from Audi, Porsche, Toyota and Peugeot in the World Endur-ance Championship. REBELLION Racing finished Le Mans 24 Hours in 4th position twice in 2012 and 2014, before factory teams. They also finished on the podium of FIA WEC races four times including to podiums in a row in 2016 in Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps. From 2011 to 2016 REBELLION Racing was the dominant privateer LMP-1 Team in the FIA World Endurance Championship, winning it 5 years in a row. They have also won prestigious race events in the USA. In 2014, REBELLION Racing introduced their own LMP1 cars the Rebellion R-One, with this car REBELLION Racing adding three more World Championship wins in 2014, 2015 and 2016. For 2017, REBELLION Racing will move to the new LMP2 category looking for more competition, against the specialists of the category. The Swiss team will be running two ORECA “07” LMP2 cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship and the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours. A third ORECA “07” will compete in the most prestigious endurance races of the IMSA championship in the USA (Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, 6 Hours of the Glen and Petit Le Mans).

The number 13 was not chosen by chance for the Vaillant Rebellion team! In fact, it is a highly symbolic number in the life of Michel Vaillant as well as the world of motor racing.

It refers to the mythical album in the series entitled “Le 13 au Départ”. In this album, Michel Vaillant dares to wear the number everyone else fears.

The new Rébellion album will feature Michel Vaillant taking part in the Le Mans 24 Hours for the 13th time.

For many years, REBELLION Racing has worn the number 13 in the LMP1 category.

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13?

To check out this unique concept a clip at the crossroads of fiction and reality showcasing the protagonists has been created. Available from 2nd February 2017 on Motul’s YouTube channel