Paul Ricard Test Day Entry And Notes
27 Cars Expected

There's just a week to go before the 2011 Le Mans Series officially gets underway with the official test at Paul Ricard, but already delivery delays and testing crashes have had their impact on the expected entry:

LMP 1

REBELLION RACING M Lola B10/60 Coupé-Toyota
REBELLION RACING M Lola B10/60 Coupé-Toyota
PESCAROLO TEAM M Pescarolo - Judd
QUIFEL-ASM TEAM D Zytek 09SC

The Rangoni Motorsport Zytek LMP1 looks set to be a no show but the test will see the first running outside private testing for the Toyota engined Rebellion Lolas.

It will be good to see Henri Pescarolo back at the track once again with his grandfathered Pescarolo Judd and his loyal team.

And it will be interesting to see how an upgraded 2010 LMP2 compares to the other LMP1s, Quifel ASM will be looking to impress.

LMP2

RML D HPD ARX-01d
PECOM RACING M Lola B11/40-Judd
RACE PERFORMANCE D Oreca 03-Judd
RLR MSPORT D MG Lola EX265-Judd
EXTREME LIMITE AM PARIS D Norma M200P-Judd
TDS RACING M Oreca 03-Nissan

Judd BMW engined cars dominate numerically but it may be the RML HPD that sets the pace.

No Strakka , and after their Imola shunt no Greaves racing Zytek Nissan either, but plenty of variety in chassis terms with Lolas old (RLR) and new (Pecom Racing) a pair of brand new Oreca 03s, one Judd engined car for Race Performance and the other Nissan engined for Spanish outfit TDS.

The Extreme Limite Norma completes the test day entry, this car again with Judd BMW power.

GTE Pro

AF CORSE M Ferrari F458 Italia
PROSPEED COMPETITION M Porsche 911 RSR (997)
IMSA PERFORMANCE MATMUT M Porsche 911 RSR (997)
TEAM FELBERMAYR-PROTON M Porsche 911 RSR (997)
JOTA D Aston Martin Vantage
YOUNG DRIVER AMR M Aston Martin Vantage
HANKOOK TEAM FARNBACHER H Ferrari F430

The ‘surprise’ here, though dsc were keeping its appearance under wraps, is the Young Driver AMR Vantage, this the car which sits on the Le Mans 24 Hours reserve list with Tomas Enge’s name against the entry.

The car is expected for several races this season starting with the LMS season opener at Paul Ricard.

Jota’s Aston is on the Test day entry too, the contrast between the Dunlop-shod Jota car and Michelin-shod YD Vantage will be an interesting one.  Jota have had plenty of time to get used to their new steed; trouble-free testing of the updated Vantage allowing Simon Dolan to get to grips with the GT2 challenger.

AF Corse field the only Ferrari 458 on the list, Gimmi Bruni seems set to feature at the test for the team.

Hankook Team Farnbacher must wait for delivery of their new 458 – they’re on the list though with last season’s 430.

GTE Am

AF CORSE M Ferrari F430
IMSA PERFORMANCE MATMUT M Porsche 911 RSR (997)
KESSEL RACING M Ferrari F458 Italia
AF CORSE  M Ferrari F430
CRS RACING M Ferrari F430

We’re slightly perplexed as to how a Ferrari 458 can be an entry in GTE Am, a class which we believe requires cars to be at least a year old (or at least in 2010 spec).

FLM

HOPE RACING M Formula Le Mans-Oreca-09
NEIL GARNER MOTORSPORT M Formula Le Mans-Oreca-09
PEGASUS RACING M Formula Le Mans-Oreca-09
JMB RACING M Formula Le Mans-Oreca-09
JMB RACING M Formula Le Mans-Oreca-09

A second JMB FLM car has been added to the entry – one due to run on day one of the test, the other on day two.

The Neil Garner Mortorsport entry looks set to feature John Hartshorne and Steven Keating in the driver line-up, the team also keen to run at the Le Mans Test day next month.