Analysis

The Planetlemans LMS Paul Ricard Test Days preview

© Planetlemans // Circuit Paul Ricard HTTT 2007

This weekend the traditional kick-off of the Le Mans Series season will take place at the Circuit Paul Ricard HTTT in Le Castellet, France. Thirty-five cars have been confirmed to take part in the Official Test Days. Here is the Planetlemans preview of the Le Mans Series test.

Looking back at last year it wasthe Peugeot team was the quickest overall with a time of 1:43.705. This year the French squad will not attend the Test Days, but its main rival Audi will be at Paul Ricard and the German squad is more than likely willing to improve last years times.

Having mentioned Audi we will start our preview with the top class in the Le Mans Series, the LMP1 category. Twelve LMP1 cars will be testing at Paul Ricard, which means around two-thirds of the full season LMP1 entries are in France. Audi Sport Team Joest will bring two R10s in what will be their first full season as a works squad in the LMS. Expect the Audi’s to be on top of the list at the end of testing on Monday. Team Oreca-Matmut will also enter two cars, one of them will do a 24 hours simulation, in an attempt by the Oreca squad to learn the car even better and give their drivers more night experience. Creation Autosportif is the only other LMP1 team to join Oreca in the 24 hours test.

Interesting in LMP1 will be the arrival of the first Epsilon Euskadi ee1, which had its shakedown in Spain on Thursday in the hands of Ángel Burgueño. The Spanish manufacturer will be testing for the first time at Paul Ricard and media and spectators around the world are anxious to see what the new coupe can do against the established names in LMP1.

Another car to look out for is the Charouz entered Lola B08/60 Aston Martin. Just like the Epsilon Euskadi this is a coupe. While the team has had its first couple of test, at Snetterton for example, noone knows where the team stands at this moment. On Sunday morning the first hints will be given.

In addition to the regular Le Mans Series entries the 2007 Charouz car, the Lola B07/17 Judd, is also entered at Paul Ricard. Since it was invited to race in the Le Mans 24 Hours in June the drivers that will run the car in Le Mans, Lammers/Graf/Pickett, are going to be behind the wheel of the Lola this weekend.

© Planetlemans // Circuit Paul Ricard HTTT 2007

Eight LMP2 cars will be in action this weekend. Last year it was the Team Bruichladdich Radical SR9 that set a 1:46.160 on Monday. This year the team will be facing some tough oppossition in the form of two Porsche RS Spyders. Team Essex and Van Merksteijn Motorsport recently tested their new German cars and were impressed with the speed. This weekend they will be able to compare their pace with the other LMP2s.

Speedy Racing Team has teamed up with Sebah and will run the Lola B08/80 coupe this year. It will be the only coupe in the LMP2 category and it is yet to be seen if the team can take on the Porsche RS Spyders and the Zyteks this year.

The former Fernandez Racing/LNT Zytek will be in action again with Trading Performance, while last years Saleen S7R runners Racing Box have moved into LMP2 with a Lucchini. It remains to be seen how the Lucchini will do in the hands of Racing Box.

In 2007 the Oreca Saleens were the fastest GT1 cars during the Official Test Days. On Monday we will see a different GT1 leader, as Oreca moved into LMP1 and its Saleens were handed over to Larbre Competition. Larbre will at least run one car at Paul Ricard, with the second car on the list for Monday only. So perhaps we will once again see a Saleen on top. There are several other cars looking to snatch the fastest lap though. Luc Alphand Aventures has entered its two Corvettes for the test, the older C5-R replaced with a new C6.R.

Aston Martin Racing will enter a DBR9, possibly in its new Gulf livery that it is to carry at Le Mans, while Strakka Racing is also on the list with a DBR9. The Strakka team, whose car is driven by Peter Hardman and Nick Leventis, confirmed its entry before learning they were not selected for a full season in the LMS.

Also brand new for this year is the InterProgressBank Spartak Racing Lamborghini. The car, entered by Reiter Engineering with Russian sponsors, will be taking part in the 24 hours simulation as the team prepares for a busy season which also includes the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Finally the GT2 category. Last year it was an IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche that set a lap time of 1.58.414. Looking at the eight GT2 entries at Paul Ricard this year it seems almost impossible that another manufacturer will be fastest this year. Four Porsche 997 GT3 RSRs are entered, two of them by IMSA, one by Felbermayr-Proton and one by James Watt Automotive. Defending GT2 champions Virgo Motorsport have entered their Ferrari 430 and they will be joined by one of the JMB Racing Ferrari 430s. Spyker’s new racing car, the C8 Laviolette GT2R, will not be in action yet so the Speedy Racing Team will enter the 2007 Spyder GT2R instead.

But the most anticipated car in the GT2 category is the brand new Aston Martin Vantage GT2. While James Watt Automotive will enter one in the Le Mans Series the test will be conducted by Aston Martin Racing. We can only hope the Vantage will be able to fight with the Ferrari’s and Porsches from the word go.

This Sunday at 9 o’clock in the morning the light at the end of the pit lane will turn to green, getting the 2008 Le Mans Series season underway. The weather forecast for the two days of testing is good at the moment with temperatures at around 17°C and sunny skies (with a few clouds). Planetlemans is ready for the new season, we hope you are too…

Find the full entry list for the Paul Ricard Test Days here.