ILMC/ LMS, Silverstone - Preview Pt 2 LMP2 LMP2 is another class with a significant player absent this time out - The ILMC class entry was already quite thin before the announcement by the increasingly confusing Level 5 Motorsport squad of their withdrawal, the new cost capped HPD ARX 01g apparently lacking a vital component - actually 4 components to be more accurate, the new cast wheels not yet available. The team have opted then not to continue for another race with their 'old' 2011 spec Lola HPDs, effectively then their hopes of ILMC championship glory have been dealt a hefty self inflicted hammer blow. Perhaps less significant in competitive terms but missing from the Silverstone entry nonetheless less is the so far uncompetitive Extreme Limite Norma Judd. The remainder of the 2011 fields for both the ILMC and LMS though are due to be present in force and with the class now bedding in there could be impressive action ahead. The Nissan engined car's have seemed to have a speed advantage so far this season, though the Oreca 03s of Signatech (ILMC), TDS Racing and Boutsen Energy (LMS) have all seen potential race winning pace blunted with a variety of niggles or worse so far this year. Signatech have made a potentially significant change for the final trio of races, Soheil Ayari is out and 2011 Peugeot Sport reserve driver Jean Karl Vernay is in! There's a change too at Boutsen Energy, another team that had an unhappy Imola - Thor Christian Ebbesvik replaces Nicolas de Crem alongside Dominik Kraihamer. The reliability woes for the 03s though have allowed the Greaves Motorsport Zytek Nissan to have a dream start to their 2011 season with three race wins out of four, including the Le Mans 24 Hours, Tom Kimber-Smith's comeback season has been eye-catching thus far with the newest member of the team, Olivier Lombard also impressing. Karim Ojjeh meanwhile has the face of a cat that has found the cream! The team have a points lead in the LMS but can't sit on their laurels - there are six cars within striking distance with a pair of rounds to go - and in LMP2 reliability, judging by the 2011 season so far, is far from a given! More recent performance breaks have given the Judd BMW runners more ponies and that has meant that the likes of Pecom Racing, in the #39 Lola, can start to get to grips with the leading group on pace. The same should be true too of the OAK Racing LMP2 (ILMC) effort too, a proven chassis should help, but whilst there were some signs at Imola of an improvement the #35 squad has a way to go yet. Race Performance's unique Judd powered Oreca 03 has suffered niggles and misfortune but could be a closer contender if luck and development goes their way. One Judd powered team definitely looking to step up is RLR MSport, now with some factory MG backing for the MG Lola, and perhaps just as significant at Silverstone, with Warren Hughes stepping back into the team replacing Simon Phillips. With a cocktail of grandfathered performance penalties holding them back the team will certainly not be on the pace of the lead group - but local knowledge plus pace from Hughes and Garofall could see the oldest LMP2 car in the race come home with another fine result. That leaves just two car's to summarise, and both are HPDs, the two year ding dong battle between RML and Strakka will continue with the Wellingborough based team looking to claw back some of the points deficit caused principally by Mike Newton's Peugeot assisted Spa shunt. Silverstone will see the debut of RML's new chassis (after a 'loaner' did duty at Le Mans and Imola). The team should be back up to speed and will be another squad eager to show that there's an advantage for them on home ground. That's even more the case though for Strakka, after a very different season in terms of relative overall pace from 2010 the team have, through good driving and great strategy, got themselves into title contention, something that looked unlikely in the extreme at the opening race of the season! ILMC Team Points - before Silverstone Signatech Nissan 62, Level 5 Motorsports 42, Oak Racing 34 LMS Teams Points - before Silverstone: Greaves Motorsport 35, Strakka Racing 30, Boutsen Energy Racing 25, TDS Racing 23, Pecom Racing 22, RLR Msport 17, Extreme Limite AM Paris 14, Race Performance 13, RML 8
Formula Le Mans
FLM is an LMS only formula at Silverstone and sees the withdrawal of Hope Racing, the regular entry down to four. Genoa Racing never intended to race in the UK, the quick turnaround from last weekend's Baltimore Brand Prix not on their agenda. Their grid slot though has been filled by the AUH Racing based London Project Racing, the Gulf based team looking to raise awareness, and funds for stem cell research into blindness, whilst their driver line up are unfamiliar names to most, all three have a track record in GT racing in the Middle East, the car meanwhile looks close in livery concept to the old OAK Racing pink and black. Neil Garner Engineering return after their disappointment at Imola with an unchanged line-up that will be looking to secure a podium at their first race on home ground in ACO rules racing, as will Pegasus Racing and JMB, all three feature classic pro-am lineups, let's see whether this quartet can serve up some on track entertainment. LMS Teams Points - before Silverstone: Pegasus Racing 43, Genoa Racing 35, JMB Racing 34, Neil Garner Motorsport 23, Hope Racing 12. | 
