24 Hours of Le Mans

Planetlemans analyzes the Le Mans 24 Hours list

© Planetlemans - Marcel ten Caat // A sight probaly repeating in 2008

Three Audis, three Peugeots. This will be the main battle and the recently release 55 car list from the A.C.O. confirmed it as the main feature of the 76th running of the La Sarthe mythical race. The list is varied, it has as usual remarkable presences, absences and polemic entries.

But let’s start from the beginning and underline the massive prototype numbers: 32 on the list, 3 in the reserve list, something unheard of in the 21st century and a reason to be really expectant for both test day and race week.

LMP1 has a swarm of entries behing the aforementioned 6 diesel-powered “heavyweights”: the 2 Pescarolos and two Oreca-Courages were a given but the dark horse this year capturing a lot of attention is the Lola-Aston Martin coupé of Charouz (or should I say prodrive?), arguably the strongest entry among the petrol engined bunch.

Other regulars are Rollcentre, Chamberlain-Synergy and Creation, the latter probably very disappointed at getting just one entry , did they deserve two after their commitment since the very start of the LMS? A valid question that gets the fans very active in forums e.a. given the quality of the Creation entries.

Autocon was also a pre-defined invitation, not so the second Charouz entry (or should we say Cytosport?) which will have the participation of Dutch Le Mans-winner Jan Lammers no longer bringing his Racing for Holland squad to the 24 hours, a big absence for the true Le Mans fan. The Epsilon Euskadi entry was a positive surprise , their second car making it to 3rd in the reserve list proves that the A.C.O. is taking the basque team very seriously indeed, even when the cars have not rolled yet (see our recent feature with Sergio Rinland here)

Last by not least the 3 Japanese entries which also have been polemic to say the least. Dome probably escaping that category given their historical comitment to the 24 Hours and their track record (even when the car has not turned a wheel either). The case of the Tokai University developing an older base (Courage-Nissan) and the Terramos car (ex-Hitotsuyama from JLMC) brought by recordman Yojiro Terada is somehow different: the former being a total unproven project, the latter an older Courage with the short-lived Mugen engine. Clearly there is a focus on Asia and Japan even during this hiatus year before the creation of the Asian Le Mans Series.

The LMP2 list is basically the LMS list, exception made of Horag (did not submit an entry), Embassy (submitted and got just 1) and very surprisingly WR!!! The brand new tub with Zytek engine apparently has not impressed the organization, however it always will remain a mystery whether they applied. Their 2008 LMS commitment should see the on the grid next year again. Another remarkable absence from the list is the announced second Barazi car with Thyrring and Thiim, we assume they will just give a shot to a few LMS races during the season. The Porche Spyders will be a clear attraction as well as the Kruse Lola-Mazda next to the European class regulars from previous years.

The GT1 list is very strong with the Aston-Corvette duel as the highlight again for the 4th year in a row. Larbre getting just one entry is another matter of discussion but their second car being placed as 8th reserve means we’ll see just one Saleen at Le Mans this time around. Modena and Luc Alphand clearly deserving their entries and adding to the main duel with their highly competitive cars. It was interesting to see the Spartak Lamborghini (and a second one as reserve), potentially the best Murciélago entry in historical perspective even if Peter Kox will almost certainly be again on an Aston at La Sarthe. The big suprise here has been the Vitaphone entry, initially rejecting their pre-invitation and now securing a place with a DBR9, debate still ongoing as which Aston this can be and who will be behind the wheel. Mr. Bartels must be ecstatic as he wanted to race the 24 badly.

Another are of heated discussion is the Porsche to Ferrari ratio in GT2, 3 to 8 in what must be the lowest Porsche 911 attendance ever to Le Mans since their debut. Next to the pre-selected teams we have an extremely high level of entries including Tafel Racing , Farnbacher (with Ferrai, though) and the Spykers. The Zeewolde team must be also disappointed at not getting the second worls entry in, however the very competitive Speedy Spyker will be there as a small consolation. JMB as always a big question mark, that entry might be “rented” to another team so we’ll just have to await the test day to find out. Will AF Corse do the same? The Risi entries are probably going to be like last year ( one Risi, one Krohn) and Porsche’s crown will have the Lizards, IMSA and Felbermayr to defend it.

The reserve list has the Saulnier Pescarolo as first reserve (Saulnier has an LMP2 entry already) and some have argued that Creation or even larbre should have been up there. The rest of the list is second cars from diverse teams already mentioned before, this shows the selection has been tough and that there are enough teams out there to continue making tis the race of races for the time being…just imagine if LMP2 teams from the ALMS had applied!!

A wonderful race in perspective, now the question will be about drivers for those 55 fantastic machines…