Le Mans 24 Hours 2010 - Examining The Entry

There's much to comment on in the 2010 entry list but first let's reflect that the LMP1 class has quality and quantity on its side.

Requests for a total of 84 cars were received by the ACO and the final entry has distilled that pot down to 55 with no fewer than 21 LMP1s, 9 LMP2s, 8 GT1s and 17 GT2s.

In LMP1 There are few surprises though the appearance of both Sora Racing and Pescarolo Sport is a welcome development, both squads fielding a solo Pescarolo Judd apiece.

The expected Factory Peugeots and Audis are there of course with confirmation from Audi that their driver line ups will be Kristensen, McNish & Capello, Lotterer, Fassler & Treluyer and Rockenfeller and Porsche 'loaners' Bernhard and Dumas. All three R15 + will be racing at the Spa 1000kms.

Kolles get their pair of R10s in too so it will be five Audis vs 4 Peugeots in the diesel battle once again, the privateer Pug this time though will be fielded by Oreca of course who also get their Oreca 01 AIM onto the entry.

They'll face a trio of Lola Aston Martins which will be looking to head the petrol-fuelled hordes, a pair of factory entered car plus the Signature-Plus run car.

And Lola have four  other representatives in the premier class too with the Drayson Racing Judd engined coupe and the pair of Rebellion Racing entered Rebellion (Judd) engined coupes joined by the Autocon Lola AER, the car making a reappearance at Le Mans after the same chassis's adventures with Chamberlain Synergy.

There's no place though for the Noel del Bello Racing Lola Coupe entered as a full season LMS entry - will that car now appear at all?  Still though that's nine cars (Sam Smith at Lola believes the most since 1979!), up from 8 last year, 7 in 2008 and 6 in 07!

Two more to come and both will surely be fan favourites.

The Dome S102 Judd is back again, the pretty Japanese coupe will be quick once again for sure.

Finally its 'Our Nige's' debut at Le mans as the Beechden Mansell Motorsport Ginetta Zytek 09S makes the cut.

So what isn't on the list in LMP1?  Both the Tokai University and Kaneko Racing Courages are on the reserve list and Creation had already made it clear to dsc that they have not posted an entry for this year's race - the answer it seems is that precious few LMP1s have been turned away.

LMP2  

with a pair of cars on the LMP2 confirmed entry Lola bring their total to nine (plus two more on the reserve list)

RML's HPD engined Coupe will go head to head with Racing Box's Judd engined version and Strakka's Acura is joined by the very welcome addition of Patron Highcroft to the entry list, Davoid Brabham is the nominated driver here so Peugeot will be looking for a replacement for at least one of their 2009 race winning crew.

Pescarolo is represented in the junior LMP class by a pair of Oak Racing cars once again, this pair though running with Judd V8 power this year, not a single car on the list features Mazda power.

Zytek powerplants however are aboard three LMP2 cars with the Team Bruichladdich and Quifel ASM cars joined by the quirky WR Salini.  There's no sign here (or in the LMS list) of the Barazi Epsilon car.

What's not there? It seems that the rumours of 2010 Porsche RS Spyder campaigns have come to nought and there's no sign of a Radical either. Dyson Racing appear to have opted not to enter in 2010 and perhaps rather oddly the Hache Team Racing squad aren't represented on either list despite stepping up to a state of the art Ginetta Zytek.  There's another significant minnow missing too - but we'll have more of that on dsc very soon!

A quick mention here for Engine Developments - Judd have no fewer than ten cars on the grid relying on their ponies (including the AIM and Rebellion-engined cars) with a further four on the reserve list - It looks like being an excellent year for the boys from Rugby!  

GT1

First the headlines

8 cars - No Maserati MC12 and no Nissan GT-R.

The latter seems to back up dsc sources that have suggested that NISMO are not keen for the GT-R to race at Le Mans - Why might that be?  A potential lack of straight line speed for the rather 'sit up and beg' GT-R or do the factory have something else in the pipeline? (We think the former!)

What is there though is the reappearance of a familiar shame to long-serving Le Mans veterans - The Ford GT makes an apopearance with both of the FIA GT1 teams, Matech and Marc VDS succeeding in getting a single car into the race (with a second Matech entry on the reserve list).

There's a new spec lamborghini too in the hands of the Asian Le Mans Series winning JLOC squad - They'll have to put in a good performance to wipe away the memories of their disgraceful display at Le mans last year though.

Beyond that its something akin to a Tom Jones farewell tour with Corvettes from Luc Alphand Adventures (who get two cars in the race) and Peka racing (one - with Anthony Kumpen nominated to drive).  A Larbre Saleen also joins in the fun together with an Aston Martin DBR9 for the Young Driver AMR squad. 

Several of these mchines, it seems, might well be bolstering an already impressive grid at one or more of the early season LMS races!

GT2 has suddenly taken on a new and very 'ALMS-looking' feel with the pair of factory Corvettes taking on a pair of BMW Motorsport entered BMW M3s and, in what is possibly the surprise of the list, the RSR Jaguar XKR GT2.

Risi Competition's pair of Ferraris, one red, one green are joined by a Flying Lizards Porsche on the transatlantic trail too before we get to the Euro contenders.

Porsche are represented here by Prospeed Competition, IMsa Performance Matmut and Felbermayer Proton, as classy a trio as Europe can muster. with Ferrari fielding AF Corse, JMB, Modena Group Racing and Hankook Team Farnbacher - Battle rejoined between the grand marques!

Aiming to break the mould too though will be JMW Motorsport with their Aston Vantage and the crazy Dutchmen will be back too with their Saab, sorry Spyker!

The reserve list contains some surprises too.

In LMP the new for 2010 Norma is in pole position for Pegasus Racing, Tokai University have been sent down as second reserve with a no doubt deeply disappointed Kai Kruse and Hardy Schiller third reserve with their now Judd-engined KSM Lola.

Ibanez racing Service's ex BK racing Lola (now also Judd powered) is fourth reserve and Kaneko racing's ex terramos Courage Judd rounds out the five.

In GT four of the five are teams that had entered two cars, Felbermayer Proton heads the list followed by the one car there from a team not represented on the full entry, the Hong Kong Racing Aston Vantage GT2 seen at Okayama.

AF Corse's second Ferrari is third with Matech's second Ford GT the only GT1 representative on the reserve list.

Spyker's second car completes the order.