{ "title": "TEAM WRT WELCOMED LOCAL SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR AN IMMERSIVE LE MANS EXPERIENCE", "modified_at": "2026-06-10 12:19:55", "published_at": "2026-06-03 13:34:00", "url": "https://team-wrt.prezly.com/racing-for-a-purpose-wrt-invites-high-school-students-for-a-unique-le-mans-experience", "short_url": "http://prez.ly/3IHd", "culture": "en", "language": "EN", "subtitle": "An immersive karting and Le Mans paddock experience for young people facing academic challenges, driven by WRT's values and the spirit of motorsport.", "slug": "racing-for-a-purpose-wrt-invites-high-school-students-for-a-unique-le-mans-experience", "body": "

As part of the ACO Challenge 2026 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and its philanthropic activities, Team WRT continues its commitment to high human-impact initiatives. After winning the ACO's "Coup de Cœur" award in 2024 for its project with the Fondation Arthritis, and having shone a spotlight on young kart racer Gabin Léger during the 2025 event, the Belgian team organized a new day for local pupils, a project that combines motorsport, inclusion, and self-confidence.

The 2026 project builds directly on the previous edition: Gabin Léger, the young driver from Seine-et-Marne who lives with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, was again present at Le Mans. This year, he played an active and inspiring role alongside 19 young students from Saint Joseph – LaSalle school in Le Mans. These students come from the SEGPA program, a French educational framework that supports pupils with learning difficulties or mild disabilities through to professional integration. His presence added an extra dimension of inspiration: sharing his journey, encouraging conversations around resilience, and showing that obstacles do not define the limits of a dream.

Monday, June 8 – Karting Experience

In the afternoon, participants took the wheel for a karting session built around the values of endurance, teamwork, and mutual support at the Racing Kart du Mans circuit, about twenty minutes away from the Circuit des 24H du Mans. The young people raced in pairs, emphasizing collaboration over individual competition. Those who did not feel comfortable behind the wheel were not left out. They took on the role of team manager, contributing fully to the experience. Maxime Robin, local professional driver from the Sarthe region, competing in Road to Le Mans with WRT, co-built this project and took on the role of Team Manager during the karting day. He is also the founder of Projet 24, a local initiative dedicated to supporting and promoting endurance racing talent from the Sarthe. Gabin Léger, meanwhile, got behind the wheel alongside one of the students, paired up as a fully-fledged teammate.

Tuesday, June 9 – Immersive Circuit Visit

The following day, the group returned for a full immersion at the Circuit de la Sarthe, going behind the scenes of endurance racing: a visit to Team WRT's garages, lunch in the team's hospitality, and the chance to witness the #69 mechanics crew claim victory at the Pit Stop Challenge. They also walked down the pitlane and joined the autograph session. A rare chance to step behind the curtain and understand that behind every racing car, there is an entire world of people, each with their own contribution to make. The students left with a very different picture of what a racing team actually is: a diverse, complex, deeply human organisation, where every profile matters and where, perhaps, there is a place for them too.

With this initiative, Team WRT reaffirms its strong philanthropic commitment and CSR vision, guided by the conviction that motorsport can be a powerful vehicle for inclusion and self-confidence. It further illustrates how solidarity is part of the team’s DNA and core identity: #WeaReaTeam and #WeaReuniTed.

Gabin Léger: "I was so happy to go back to Le Mans. It was so great to see WRT again. It had been a while! I really enjoyed my time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with them, as well as the amazing gift they gave me in 2025: my personalised helmet. I was so proud and happy to wear it in front of them for a karting race. I loved racing with older drivers and being able to share some driving tips with them. It was a track I didn't know yet and it was just amazing. I also really enjoyed meeting Maxime Robin, a professional racing driver, just like I dream of becoming one day. Thank you WRT and Maxime for this incredible event!"
Léa Dumoulin, ESG Manager W Racing Team:"What drives us in this project is the idea of sparking vocations. Over two days, these young people will discover that motorsport is an entire ecosystem: mechanics of course, but also data analysts, engineers, logistics coordinators, communication and hospitality teams, project managers. So many paths, so many ways in. But beyond the careers, what we really want them to take away is something deeper, the value of teamwork, of pushing yourself beyond what you thought possible, of perseverance when things get hard. A racing team wins or loses as one. Every single role matters, every single person counts. And if we manage to ignite a spark in even one of them, a sense that they belong here, that their place exists in this world, then we will have done our job."
Kathleen Schurmans, co-CEO W Racing Team: “At Team WRT, we want to show that motorsport offers far more than the thrill of competition, at its heart, it is a human adventure. Through this initiative, we hope to remind these young people that everyone has a place in a team, that challenges can be overcome, and that self\u2011confidence is something we build together. This is the true spirit of #WeaRaTeam.
Maxime Robin, Team WRT Road to Le Mans driver:"It's a real pleasure to be able to share this project with WRT. Motorsport can sometimes feel out of reach, and giving these young people the opportunity to discover our world through this karting race and the track visit is a wonderful initiative. I hope these two days will leave them with lasting memories and inspire passions and ambitions for the future".

To support Gabin’s journey or learn more about his racing adventures, follow him on Instagram at @gabi_racing77.

To support Project 24 or learn more about it, you can do at @projet__24.

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\"Luna
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\n Luna de Wilde\n Press Officer, W RACING TEAM\n \n
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