Le Mans 2024: The team by team guide

With the Hypercar class in full health since the top category overhaul, the Le Mans 24 Hours has one of the most competitive-looking grids in years with multiple manufacturers set to fight for the biggest prize.

Ferrari is defending its crown, Cadillac, Toyota, Porsche and Peugeot aim for revenge and Isotta Fraschini, BMW, Lamborghini and Alpine all either return or make their debut in the top category at the Circuit de la Sarthe. Add in a group of fiercely quick customer squads and it means this year’s race has the makings of an all-time classic.

The smaller LMP2 field remains high on quality, as the class makes its first outing as part of the World Endurance Championship since being squeezed out at the end of last year by the swelling Hypercar field.

Then there’s the debut running of the LMGT3 class at Le Mans, where several manufacturers all have a serious claim for bragging rights in the category that replaces GTE Am.

Here is our guide to the full Le Mans 24 Hours field for 2024 and our predictions on how each entry will fare.

Hypercar

Cadillac Racing (Ganassi)
Cadillac V-Series.R
#2 Earl Bamber/Alex Lynn/Alex Palou
#3 Sebastien Bourdais/Renger van der Zande/Scott Dixon

Qualifying: #2 - 7th*/#3 - 2nd
*#2 entry has five-place grid penalty for causing a collision at Spa

#2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R: Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, Alex Palou

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

Chip Ganassi Racing masterminds a one-car WEC assault for a second and final season: it will be parting ways with the General Motors marque at the end of 2023. Also like last year, the squad grows to two cars for Le Mans with the addition of its North American entry. But there is one change to the driver line-up across the two V-Series.R LMDhs developed with Dallara. IndyCar champion Palou comes into the full-season WEC entry alongside Bamber and Lynn, who are driving as a duo in the six-hour races. IMSA regulars Bourdais and van der Zande are again joined by IndyCar legend Dixon.

Autosport says: Third and fourth last year, a strong performance at Spa and then qualifying suggests Ganassi can take the fight to Ferrari, Porsche et al.

Porsche Penske Motorsport
Porsche 963
#4 Mathieu Jaminet/Felipe Nasr/Nick Tandy
#5 Matt Campbell/Michael Christensen/Frederic Makowiecki
#6 Kevin Estre/Andre Lotterer/Laurens Vanthoor

Qualifying: #4 - 19th/#5 - 10th/#6 - 1st

#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kevin Estre, Andre Lotterer, Laurens Vanthoor

Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo

The factory Penske team again runs three cars – it’s playing the numbers game that has worked for Porsche in the past by bolstering its two-car WEC squad with one of its IMSA entries. The WEC line-up has been tweaked, with Campbell swapping from the American programme to drive #5 and Cameron going the other way. The additional car is again handled by Tandy, Nasr and Jaminet (odd man out Cameron is the Le Mans reserve). The 963 LMDh, developed in conjunction with Multimatic, is unchanged from last year, but PPM on both sides of the Atlantic has got a handle on how to make it work on a range of circuits.

Autosport says: Daytona victory and competitive WEC showings every time out prove that Porsche is now ready to win.

Toyota Gazoo Racing
Toyota GR010 HYBRID
#7 Jose Maria Lopez/Kamui Kobayashi/Nyck de Vries
#8 Sebastien Buemi/Brendon Hartley/Ryo Hirakawa

Qualifying: #7 - 23rd*/#8 - 11th
* #7 entry lost all qualifying times for causing a red flag and drops to rear of Hypercar grid

#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 - Hybrid: Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

Toyota is back for a fourth crack at Le Mans with the GR010 LMH, but the difference this time is that it is not the defending winner after losing out to Ferrari last year. The car that took the drivers’ and manufacturers’ crowns in the first three years of the WEC Hypercar era is unchanged after undergoing significant revisions for 2022 and 2023. There’s some notable changes in the driving roster, however. De Vries takes the seat earmarked for him in 2023 before he got what turned out to be a short-lived F1 opportunity with AlphaTauri. The Dutchman replaced Jose Maria Lopez, but the Argentine switches from Lexus GT3 roster to fill in for the injured Mike Conway.

Autosport says: Luck was involved in its Imola victory, but Toyota remains the king of Le Mans with five wins in six years. Its below-par qualifying performance is likely to be irrelevant.

Isotta Fraschini (Duqueine)
Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 LMH Competizione
#11 Jean-Karl Vernay/Carl Bennett/Antonio Serravalle

Qualifying: #11 - 22nd

#11 ISOTTA FRASCHINI Isotta Fraschini Tipo6-C Hypercar of Antonio Serravalle, Carl Wattana Bennett and Jean-Karl Vernay

Photo by: JEP

A manufacturer whose limousines were once the vehicle of choice for Hollywood stars is relaunching after a 50-year hiatus with a new LMH and a WEC campaign. Technically Isotta has got everything it needs in place: Michelotto Engineering, for so long the force behind Ferrari’s GT successes, has developed the Tipo 6 and brought in a line of top-notch partners. WAE Technologies and HWA, the architect of Mercedes’ successes in the DTM, are among them. A late switch from the British Vector team to Duqueine was made for financial reasons, which explains the presence of Serravalle and Bennett alongside Vernay.

Autosport says: A finish and a clean race must be Isotta’s first targets – evidence is mixed so far on whether it can achieve that.

Hertz Team Jota
Porsche 963
#12 Will Stevens/Callum Ilott/Norman Nato
#38 Jenson Button/Oliver Rasmussen/Phil Hanson

Qualifying: #12 - 8th*/#38 - 17th
* #12 entry did not participate in Hyperpole after FP2 crash

#38 Hertz Team Jota Porsche 963 of Oliver Rasmussen, Philip Hanson, Jenson Button

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

A stalwart of the sportscar ranks, with 10 Le Mans podiums in LMP2 to its name, made the step up to the Hypercar ranks last year with a single Porsche 963 backed by car hire giant Hertz. The clearly stated ambition was to expand to two LMDhs in 2024 and Jota has delivered on its promise – and brought in a star name to drive the car. Button makes his third Le Mans start as part of a full WEC campaign alongside P2 graduate Hanson, class world champion in 2019-20, and Rasmussen. Stevens continues a long relationship with the British team and is joined in what has so far been the lead car by Ilott and Nato. Wednesday evening's practice shunt for Ilott prompted a race against time to rebuild its car in record time.

Autosport says: It’s not just the Spa win that makes Jota a dark horse – it has been a contender almost from the get-go with the 963.

BMW M Team WRT
BMW M Hybrid V8
#15 Dries Vanthoor/Raffaele Marciello/Marco Wittmann
#20 Sheldon van der Linde/Robin Frijns/Rene Rast

Qualifying: #15 - 6th*/#20 - 16th
* #15 entry lost all times from Hyperpole for causing red flags

#15 BMW M Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8: Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, Marco Wittmann

Photo by: Marc Fleury

BMW is back at Le Mans gunning for overall victory as a factory after 25 years away. This is the maiden WEC campaign for its M Hybrid V8 LMDh, developed together with Dallara, after a year in IMSA with the Rahal squad: a two-pronged effort in year one would have been over-ambitious given the car didn’t run until late July 2022. The Belgian WRT team, so successful in the GT3 arena with Audi, runs the cars in WEC after making its mark in LMP2 from 2021. The driving roster boasts WRT stalwarts Vanthoor, Rast and Frijns, and BMW regulars Wittmann and van der Linde, while Marciello is a star incomer.

Autosport says: An upward trajectory since the start of the season which has continued into Le Mans week suggests BMW’s target of a podium or better isn’t out of the question.

Lamborghini Iron Lynx
Lamborghini SC63
#19 Romain Grosjean/Andrea Caldarelli/Matteo Cairoli
#63 Mirko Bortolotti/Daniil Kvyat/Edoardo Mortara

Qualifying: #19 - 21st/#63 - 13th

#19 Lamborghini Iron Lynx Lamborghini SC63: Romain Grosjean, Andrea Caldarelli, Matteo Cairoli

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

A long-time player in GT3 racing has entered the prototype arena with an LMDh developed in conjunction with Ligier. The other key partner is Iron Lynx, which fields solo SC63s in WEC and IMSA that come together for the big one at Le Mans. It took a majority shareholding in single-seater powerhouse Prema in 2021 to help fulfil its prototype aspirations: an LMP2 programme from 2022 prefaced the move up. Bortolotti and Caldarelli, stalwarts of Lamborghini’s GT campaigns, are joined by star signings Grosjean, Kvyat and Mortara, while Cairoli gets a prototype break after years of impressing in Porsche GT machinery.

Autosport says: Lambo will need to wring more performance out of the SC63 to get among fellow Hypercar newcomers BMW and Alpine.

Alpine Endurance Team (Signatech)
Alpine A424
#35 Paul-Loup Chatin/Ferdinand Habsburg/Charles Milesi
#36 Nicolas Lapierre/Mick Schumacher/Matthieu Vaxiviere

Qualifying: #35 - 5th/#36 - 9th

#35 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424: Paul-Loup Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg-Lothringen, Charles Milesi

Photo by: Marc Fleury

Alpine makes its top-flight sportscar return after a break following its two-year WEC stint with an old ORECA-Gibson LMP1 grandfathered to run in Hypercar. Now it has its own bespoke contender: the A424 LMDh developed in conjunction with ORECA. The Signatech team that brought Alpine back into endurance racing in LMP2 again masterminds the programme on track. Lapierre, Vaxiviere, Chatin and Milesi already had Alpine overalls in the cupboard, while Habsburg gets his big break after impressing in the P2 ranks. The headline-grabbing signing is Schumacher, son of Michael and Mercedes F1 reserve.

Autosport says: Strong reliability and solid progress on set-up pre-Spa was suggesting Alpine could be up there on the tail of the established frontrunners. Strong qualifying performance backs that up.

Ferrari AF Corse
Ferrari 499P
#50 Antonio Fuoco/Miguel Molina/Nicklas Nielsen
#51 Alessandro Pier Guidi/James Calado/Antonio Giovinazzi

Qualifying: #50 - 4th/#51 - 3rd

#51 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi

Photo by: Nikolaz Godet

Ferrari returns to Le Mans as the reigning champion with an unchanged set-up. AF, for so long its factory partner in GT racing, continues to run the cars for the same driver line-up as last year. That means Calado, Pier Guidi and Giovinazzi get the chance to make it two in a row. The 499P LMH, developed in-house at Maranello, has no hardware upgrades, but Ferrari is more on top of the car than ever before. Its performances so far prove it is more competitive on a range of circuits than last season, though the racing gods have conspired to prevent it scoring a first victory away from Le Mans.

Autosport says: Last year’s Le Mans performance and pace over the past two rounds of the WEC must put Ferrari among the favourites.

AF Corse
Ferrari 499P
#83 Robert Kubica/Robert Shwartzman/Yifei Ye

Qualifying: #83 - 12th

#83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P: Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, Yifei Ye

Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo

A third 499P, liveried in the yellow made famous by the Ecurie Nationale Belge and Ecurie Francorchamps cars of yesteryear, bolsters Ferrari’s full-season WEC attack. It is billed as a customer car, but is better described as a satellite entry that competes for points against the privateer Porsches in the FIA World Cup. It is run by AF, though by a separate structure to the works cars, and has two Ferrari-contracted drivers: Ye, signed up for 2024, and F1 reserve Shwartzman join grand prix winner Kubica.

Autosport says: Strong performances so far, particularly fourth at Qatar as first Ferrari home, suggest this car can be a genuine contender.

Peugeot TotalEnergies
Peugeot 9X8 2024
#93 Jean-Eric Vergne/Mikkel Jensen/Nico Muller
#94 Stoffel Vandoorne/Paul di Resta/Loic Duval

Qualifying: #93 - 15th/#94 - 20th

#93 Peugeot Totalenergies Peugeot 9X8: Jean-Eric Vergne, Mikkel Jensen, Nico Muller

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

Peugeot makes a second Le Mans appearance with its 9X8 LMH, now in heavily revised form. The design concept has been overhauled, which has resulted in the addition of a conventional rear wing. Changes to the driver line-up are less radical. Reserve Vandoorne has replaced Gustavo Menezes, Peugeot’s star driver at Le Mans last year, while there has been a reshuffle of the crews. Muller has joined Vergne and Jensen, with Vandoorne lining up alongside di Resta and Duval.

Autosport says: Revised Peugeot has yet to trouble the frontrunners in two regular WEC appearances and in qualifying at Le Mans, but the marque still believes it is going to be in the mix.

Proton Competition
Porsche 963
#99 Neel Jani/Harry Tincknell/Julien Andlauer

Qualifying: #99 - 14th

#99 Proton Competition Porsche 963: Neel Jani, Harry Tincknell, Julien Andlauer

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

This GT stalwart that has been racing in the international endurance arena for nearly 30 years makes its first attempt on Le Mans in the prototype ranks – in both Hypercar and LMP2 – on what will be its 23rd participation. Its programme with the Porsche 963 didn’t begin in either the WEC or IMSA until post-Le Mans last year. Jani, a Le Mans winner as a factory driver in 2016, is again joined by Tincknell, while Porsche-contracted Andlauer has been placed with Proton.

Autosport says: Proton proved that it can be a contender at Spa – a race it could have won.

Whelen Cadillac Racing (Action Express)
Cadillac V-Series.R
#311 Pipo Derani/Jack Aitken/Felipe Drugovich

Qualifying: #311 - 18th

#311 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R of Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich

Photo by: Nikolaz Godet

The American team, the winner of six overall IMSA titles with General Motors, again bolsters Cadillac’s assault under the regulations that allow additional entries for the WEC blue riband. Team stalwart Derani is once more partnered by Aitken, who has moved up from the endurance-only driver to a full-timer in place of Alexander Sims. Aston Martin F1 reserve Drugovich comes in after taking his first steps in sportscar racing this year with an LMP2 programme in the ELMS.

Autosport says: Pace last year and IMSA form suggest they can be up there with Ganassi.

LMP2

Proton Competition
ORECA Gibson-07
#9 Bent Viscaal/Jonas Ried/Maceo Capietto

Qualifying: #9 – 35th

#9 PROTON COMPETITION Oreca 07 - Gibson of Jonas Ried, Maceo Capietto and Bent Viscaal

Photo by: JEP

LMP2 machinery no longer features in the World Endurance Championship and, unsurprisingly, the division’s Le Mans entry is slimmer as a result, but there’s still one new team to the fray, with Proton now having a presence in all three of the enduro’s classes. Ried, son of team owner Christian, and race rookie Capietto are currently 12th in the European Le Mans Series as Proton braves LMP2 for the first time, while Viscaal has a couple of previous Le Mans LMP2 starts.

Autosport says: Lack of experience in a strong field means Proton is unlikely to electrify.

Vector Sport
ORECA-Gibson 07
#10 Patrick Pilet/Stephane Richelmi/Ryan Cullen

Qualifying: #10 - 31st

#10 VECTOR SPORT Oreca 07 - Gibson of Ryan Cullen, Patrick Pilet and Stephane Richelmi

Photo by: JEP

The addition of Porsche factory driver Pilet and 2016 LMP2 Le Mans winner Richelmi – back for his first attack since 2019 – alongside team stalwart Cullen signals that Vector could well be in the mix this year, even if it has only achieved modest ELMS results to date. The end of its proposed Hypercar partnership with Isotta Fraschini means LMP2 is now the British squad’s main focus, and it will be seeking to improve upon the seventh place it managed here last year.

Autosport says: May not have the greatest form, but a good result is still possible.

AO BY TF
ORECA-Gibson 07
#14 Louis Deletraz/Alex Quinn/PJ Hyett

Qualifying: #14 - 24th

#14 AO by TF Oreca 07: Gibson: Pj Hyett, Louis Deletraz, Alex Quinn

Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo

A partnership with American entrant AO means there is a completely new look to British squad TF Sport’s LMP2 line-up for this year. Hyett moves over from GTs to prototypes, while single-seater convert Quinn achieved IMSA success on his sportscar bow last season. But Deletraz is the key signing. He’s come close to winning LMP2 on so many occasions in recent years, and will be attempting to get his hands on the Pro-Am gold.

Autosport says: Pole shows Deletraz's impressive outright pace but achieving more than Pro-Am glory is still likely a challenge.

United Autosports
ORECA-Gibson 07
#22 Oliver Jarvis/Nolan Siegel/Bijoy Garg
#23 Filipe Albuquerque/Ben Hanley/Ben Keating

Qualifying: #22 - 28th/#23 - 27th

#23 United Autosports Oreca 07: Gibson: Ben Keating, Filipe Albuquerque, Ben Hanley

Photo by: Emanuele Clivati | AG Photo

United Autosports has endured a pretty barren LMP2 run since its 2020 triumph with Albuquerque, including a healthy dose of misfortune last year, but the #23 machine in particular could be a factor here. Keating enters after two GTE Am wins on the bounce and Hanley is currently starring in the ELMS. The sister car lacks experience aside from 2017 LMP2 victor Jarvis, with Siegel seeking to put his Indianapolis 500 ‘bumping’ behind him.

Autosport says: The #23 crew likely has its sights set on more than just Pro-Am glory.

Nielsen Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#24 Fabio Scherer/Kyffin Simpson/David Heinemeier Hansson

Qualifying: #14 - 33rd

#24 Nielsen Racing Oreca 07 Gibson: Fabio Scherer, David Heinemeier Hansson, Kyffin Simpson

Photo by: Nikolaz Godet

Nielsen’s race lasted just 18 laps in 2023 before it crashed out, and an all-new line-up has been brought in this time around. Scherer was one of the heroes of last year’s edition as he battled a broken foot and radio to take a remarkable victory. The Swiss will be joined by IndyCar racer and ELMS champion Simpson, and LMP2 regular Heinemeier Hansson – who was second in class back in 2013 – as the squad seeks to boost its fortunes.

Autosport says: Not hard to improve upon last season’s showing, but tricky to judge by how much with an intriguing new line-up.

Algarve Pro Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#25 Olli Caldwell/Roman De Angelis/Matthias Kaiser
#45 Nicky Catsburg/Colin Braun/George Kurtz

Qualifying: #25 - 38th/#45 - 39th

#45 Crowdstrike Racing Oreca 07: Gibson: George Kurtz, Colin Braun, Nicky Catsburg

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

Last year was a very successful one for Algarve Pro Racing, which ensured two Le Mans spots by winning the European and Asian Le Mans titles. It also topped the Pro-Am leaderboard in the French enduro and, with Kurtz and Braun now paired with established sportscar star Catsburg, a repeat result must be the objective. Sister car lacks experience, with IMSA GT frontrunner De Angelis set for his LMP2 bow alongside Le Mans sophomores Caldwell and Kaiser.

Autosport says: Largely underwhelming form so far suggests repeat of last year's success will be a tough ask.

IDEC Sport
ORECA-Gibson 07
#28 Job van Uitert/Reshad de Gerus/Paul Lafargue

Qualifying: #28 - 25th

#28 Idec Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson of Paul Lafargue, Job Van Uitert, Reshad De Gerus

Photo by: Marc Fleury

With previous team regular Paul-Loup Chatin making a Hypercar move with Alpine, there is a refreshed line-up for the French squad, on class pole last year. Lafargue remains a fixture for his eighth Le Mans start with the family-owned operation, but alongside him are fellow LMP2 stalwart van Uitert and de Gerus, who has a third different team for his third attack. The trio are fourth in ELMS after a brace of fourths.

Autosport says: Improving on last year’s sixth would be the goal, although there are stronger line-ups among the 2024 field.

Duqueine Team
ORECA-Gibson 07
#30 James Allen/Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer/John Falb

Qualifying: #28 - 36th

#30 DUQUEINE TEAM Oreca 07 - Gibson of John Falb, James Allen and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer

Photo by: JEP

Two punctures and a last-lap suspension failure still did not stop Duqueine taking a podium last year, but the presence of Neel Jani helped achieve that. The Swiss is back to the top class for 2024 and an all-new crew is in place. Allen joins after two Pro-Am victories on the bounce, but Simmenauer is a Le Mans rookie and Falb has not finished higher than seventh on his four previous attempts at the 24 Hours.

Autosport says: Tough to see a repeat Duqueine podium or Pro-Am win for Allen this time around, given the strength of the field.

DKR ENGINEERING
ORECA-Gibson 07
#33 Rene Binder/Laurents Horr/Alexander Mattschull

Qualifying: #33 - 30th

#33 DKR Engineering Oreca 07 Gibson

Photo by: Nikolaz Godet

The Luxembourg squad is yet another team with a completely changed driver line-up for this year. Binder is the main signing after he took a podium for Duqueine in 2023, while Mattschull steps up from LMP3 and Horr moves across from IDEC, although he currently sits near the bottom of the ELMS Pro-Am table.

Autosport says: Improving on last year’s 15th is achievable, but unlikely challenger in Pro-Am.

Inter Europol Competition
ORECA-Gibson 07
#34 Vlad Lomko/Clement Novalak/Jakub Smiechowski

Qualifying: #34 - 34th

#34 INTER EUROPOL COMPETITION Oreca 07 - Gibson of Jakub Smiechowski, Vladislav Lomko and Clement Novalak

Photo by: JEP

In a year of incredible stories, it was difficult to beat Inter Europol’s unexpected LMP2 success in 2023. Now it’s slimmed down to just the one car, and only Smiechowski remains from the victorious crew. Ex-BRDC British F3 champion Novalak is set for his Le Mans debut, while Lomko was previously in Cool’s line-up.

Autosport says: Tough to see the Warsaw bakery-backed team defending its win.

Cool Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#37 Ritomo Miyata/Malthe Jakobsen/Lorenzo Fluxa
#47 Frederik Vesti/Matt Bell/Naveen Rao

Qualifying: #37 - 29th/#47 - 37th

#37 Cool Racing Oreca 07: Gibson: Lorenzo Fluxa, Malthe Jakobsen, Ritomo Miyata

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

There are some, ahem, cool signings at the Swiss squad for this year, including 2023 F2 runner-up Vesti, Toyota reserve Miyata and Peugeot stand-in Jakobsen. But this means that, across the two cars, there are just two previous Le Mans starts between the drivers, so a lack of experience of the tough enduro could be a problem.

Autosport says: Jakobsen has been rapid but other Cool drivers remain unknown quantities and have yet to really shine.

Panis Racing (TDS)
ORECA-Gibson 07
#65 Mathias Beche/Scott Huffaker/Rodrigo Sales

Qualifying: #65 - 26th

#65 Panis Racing Oreca 07: Gibson: Rodrigo Sales, Mathias Beche, Scott Huffaker

Photo by: Marc Fleury

Another team to continue the theme of this year’s LMP2 field by having a new-look line-up for 2024. Huffaker has plenty of IMSA LMP2 victories to his name, but this is the first time he tackles Le Mans in a prototype. He’s joined by class regular Beche – LMP2 runner-up in 2012 – while Sales crashed out just 18 laps into last year’s contest.

Autosport says: Another in the Pro-Am mix, although there are stronger contenders.

AF Corse
ORECA-Gibson 07
#183 Ben Barnicoat/Nico Varrone/Francois Perrodo

Qualifying: #183 - 32nd

#183 AF Corse Oreca 07: Gibson: Francois Perrodo, Ben Barnicoat, Nicolas Varrone

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

The Italian powerhouse continues to have a presence in all three divisions, with team regular Perrodo again joined by Barnicoat. Varrone completes the triumvirate of 2023 GTE Am winners in moving to LMP2, but the Argentinian’s only prototype experience has come in LMP3.

Autosport says: Last year’s ELMS Pro-Am champion squad should be in the mix.

LMGT3

Heart of Racing/D’Station (Prodrive)
Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo
#27 Alex Riberas/Daniel Mancinelli/Ian James
#777 Marco Sorensen/Erwan Bastard/Satoshi Hoshino

Qualifying: #27 - 44th/#777 - 45th

#27 Heart Of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 of Ian James, Daniel Mancinelli, Alex Riberas{

Photo by: Shameem Fahath

Heavily upgraded Vantages tended by Prodrive-run Aston Martin Racing took a double podium in Qatar WEC opener and have shown pace at subsequent rounds without significant reward. The unchanged HoR line-up is benefiting from proper preparation for Le Mans, after joining WEC from Spa in 2023, and will target an improvement on last year’s sixth place in GTE Am. D’Station boss Hoshino comes in for his first appearance of 2024 WEC, replacing Clement Mateu alongside rookie Bastard and 2022 GTE Am winner Sorensen.

Autosport says: There’s no reason to suggest Aston won’t be a factor in the LMGT3 battle.

Team WRT
BMW M4 GT3
#31 Augusto Farfus/Sean Gelael/Darren Leung
#46 Maxime Martin/Valentino Rossi/Ahmad Al Harthy

Qualifying: #31 - 54th/#46 - 51st

#46 Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3 of Ahmad Al Harthy, Valentino Rossi, Maxime Martin, #31 Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3 of Darren Leung, Sean Gelael, Augusto Farfus

Photo by: Nikolaz Godet

Bike legend Rossi makes his debut in the main event, after winning on the Le Mans support bill last year, alongside fellow works driver Martin; the combination fresh from GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup win at Misano. Last year’s GTE Am runner-up Al Harthy completes a well-rounded crew. British GT champion Leung is a Le Mans rookie, but already a WEC winner after combining with former LMP2 regular Gelael and BMW factory gun Farfus to lead WRT 1-2 at Imola.

Autosport says: Two strong line-ups mean WRT will surely be contending for victory, despite qualifying disappointment.

Proton Competition
Ford Mustang GT3
#44 Christopher Mies/Ben Tuck/John Hartshorne
#77 Ben Barker/Zacharie Robichon/Ryan Hardwick
#88 Dennis Olsen/Mikkel Pedersen/Giorgio Roda

Qualifying: #44 - 53rd/#77 - 43rd/#88 - 56th

#44 Proton Competition Ford Mustang LMGT3 of Christian Ried, Ben Tuck, Christopher Mies

Photo by: Shameem Fahath

Ford is back at Le Mans for the first time since 2019 with new Multimatic-built Mustang GT3 run by Proton. WEC showings so far have been low-key, attributed to getting LMGT3’s mandatory torque sensors fully optimised and the car's relatively high centre of gravity. Both #88 and #77 scored points at Spa, but eighth remains best result to date. Third entry granted for ELMS GTE title win allows factory driver Mies to make belated Le Mans debut alongside Britons Tuck and Hartshorne.

Autosport says: Although Le Mans appears to suit the Mustang, emulating Ford's debut GTE Pro victory from 2016 would still be a surprise.

AF Corse
Ferrari 296 GT3
#54 Davide Rigon/Francesco Castellacci/Thomas Flohr
#55 Alessio Rovera/Simon Mann/Francois Heriau

Qualifying: #54 - 52nd/#55 - 61st

#54 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci, Davide Rigon

Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt

Ferrari is seeking to add Le Mans to the 296’s growing list of 24-hour accolades, after conquering the Nurburgring last year and Daytona in January, where Rigon was in the line-up. For his 10th Le Mans, the Italian is targeting a first win together with long-time duo Castellacci and Flohr, GTE Am runners-up at Le Mans in 2018. Rovera took Am win on debut in 2021 as part of AF Corse’s sweep of both GTE categories. Fourth at Imola for the #55 crew is the best result so far.

Autosport says: AF Corse is prolific in GT classes at Le Mans and cannot be discounted despite low-key qualifying.

United Autosports
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
#59 Gregoire Saucy/Nicolas Costa/James Cottingham
#95 Marino Sato/Nico Pino/Hiroshi Hamaguchi

Qualifying: #59 - 50th/#95 - 58th

#95 UNITED AUTOSPORTS McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo of Hiroshi Hamaguchi, Nicolas Pino and Marino Sato

Photo by: JEP

Following LMP2’s exit from the WEC, the team of Richard Dean and Zak Brown has partnered with McLaren in a return to its GT3 origins. Spa was its best showing to date, with historic racing ace Cottingham the closest challenger to dominant Bovy. His #59 car led into the closing stages before a splash-and-dash dropped it to fourth. Pino, 19, is United’s only driver with Le Mans experience, third in LMP2 last year. Hamaguchi switches from Iron Lynx Lambo in ELMS to replace regular bronze Josh Caygill for Le Mans.

Autosport says: United is gaining momentum at the right time for McLaren’s Le Mans return.

Iron Lynx/Dames
Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2
#60 Franck Perera/Matteo Cressoni/Claudio Schiavoni
#85 Michelle Gatting/Rahel Frey/Sarah Bovy

Qualifying: #60 - 47th/#85 - 48th

#85 IRON DAMES Lamborghini Huracan LMGT3 of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting

Photo by: JEP

Iron Lynx was one lap away from Lamborghini’s first WEC victory at Spa in a topsy-turvy race determined by energy strategy, but eventual third place required red flags to recover from early losses. Lambo’s more likely contender is the all-female Dames entry, which still features Frey, who stepped in for Spa, because Doriane Pin has fractured ribs. Peerless early on at Spa, the Dames were unlucky not to get a podium and threatened to win both ELMS races in a Porsche.

Autosport says: Bovy’s pace against the bronzes means Dames should be in the mix.

JMW Motorsport
Ferrari 296 GT3
#66 Larry ten Voorde/Salih Yoluc/Giacomo Petrobelli

Qualifying: #66 - 42nd

#66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 296 LMGT3: Giacomo Petrobelli, Larry Ten Voorde, Salih Yoluc

Photo by: Marc Fleury

British squad makes 15th Le Mans appearance, continuing unbroken streak dating back to its 2017 GTE Am victory, with two bronzes in a totally different line-up from the usual ELMS crew. Two-time Porsche Supercup champion ten Voorde makes a rare outing not in a 911, for his first Le Mans appearance since 2020. Yoluc, the 2023 Asian Le Mans Series champ in LMP2, is among the quicker bronzes and won GTE Am in 2020. Petrobelli returns after debuting with the team last year.

Autosport says: After impressive qualifying, ten Voorde will have to do a lot of heavy lifting to keep JMW in it.

Inception Racing (Optimum)
McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
#70 Frederik Schandorff/Ollie Millroy/Brendan Iribe

Qualifying: #70 - 40th

#70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo: Brendan Iribe, Ollie Millroy, Frederik Schandorff

Photo by: Alexander Trienitz

Automatic invitation as the best-placed bronze in IMSA’s GTD class in 2023 brings Iribe back for a third Le Mans start after a year away. The bronze-rated American has raced GT3 McLarens for Shaun Goff’s Optimum team since 2020 with long-term coach Millroy, who partnered Iribe in Ferrari/Porsche Le Mans outings in 2021-22 that were collaborative efforts with Kessel and Project 1. Schandorff, another regular Iribe team-mate in recent years, makes second Le Mans start.

Autosport says: With polesitter Iribe on form, a strong result isn’t out of the question.

Akkodis ASP Team
Lexus RC F GT3
#78 Kelvin van der Linde/Timur Boguslavskiy/Arnold Robin
#87 Jack Hakwsworth/Esteban Masson/Takeshi Kimura

Qualifying: #78 - 60th/#87 - 49th

#78 AKKODIS ASP TEAM Lexus RC F LMGT3 of Arnold Robin, Timur Boguslavskiy and Kelvin Van Der Linde

Photo by: JEP

Spa 24 Hours-winning squad run by Jerome Policand makes first Le Mans start since 2014 with WEC newcomer Lexus. Team has made progress on venerable chassis, but 10th at Spa is the only point of a tough season so far. DTM points leader Van der Linde and Boguslavskiy return after missing Spa. Hawksworth a late addition to replace Lopez, following his call-up by Toyota, is a Le Mans newcomer but has extensive car experience in IMSA.

Autosport says: We’ve yet to see signs that the Lexus can emulate its IMSA form in WEC.

TF Sport
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R
#81 Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom van Rompuy
#82 Daniel Juncadella/Sebastien Baud/Hiroshi Koizumi

Qualifying: #81 - 57th/#82 - 46th

#81 TF SPORT Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R of Tom Van Rompuy, Rui Andrade and Charlie Eastwood

Photo by: JEP

Tom Ferrier’s team is seeking to continue a streak of Le Mans podiums dating back to 2020 on its Corvette debut. Surprise Qatar pole remains the highlight with new-for-2024 machine so far, with a best result of seventh. Gearbox issue at Spa for #81 came just as it believed the race was falling into place, while Baud set fastest lap.

Autosport says: All-rookie crew on #82 car suggests #81 is TF’s best bet for a strong finish.

GR Racing
Ferrari 296 GT3
#86 Daniel Serra/Riccardo Pera/Michael Wainwright

Qualifying: #86 - 62nd*
* No time in qualifying

#86 GR Racing Ferrari 296 LMGT3 of Michael Wainwright, Daniel Serra, Riccardo Pera

Photo by: Nikolaz Godet

Former GTE Am stalwart Wainwright makes 10th Le Mans start but his first in a Ferrari, run by his own GR team that now contests ELMS. His partnership with capable silver Pera runs into a third season and the addition of factory driver Serra, twice a GTE Pro class winner, makes GR a potential dark horse.

Autosport says: If Wainwright can keep out of trouble, a repeat of 2023 podium is possible.

Manthey (EMA & PureRxcing)
Porsche 911 GT3-R
#91 Richard Lietz/Morris Schuring/Yasser Shahin
#92 Klaus Bachler/Joel Sturm/Alex Malykhin

Qualifying: #91 - 55th/#92 - 41st

#91 Manthey Ema Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3: Yasser Shahin, Morris Schuring, Richard Lietz

Photo by: Marc Fleury

Each of Manthey’s entries has a WEC victory to its credit this season, although the #92 crew has the edge on points thanks to three podiums from as many rounds. Bronze and silver drivers in both cars are Le Mans rookies, but lack little for pace against their contemporaries. Lietz is eyeing his fifth class success in a 911.

Autosport says: WEC form means Manthey has to be considered among the favourites.

Spirit Of Race (AF)
Ferrari 296 GT3
#155 Jordan Taylor/Conrad Laursen/Johnny Laursen

Qualifying: #155 - 59th

#155 SPIRIT OF RACE Ferrari 296 LMGT3 of Johny Laursen, Conrad Laursen and Jordan Taylor

Photo by: JEP

Danish father-and-son pair up with Acura GTP ace Taylor, a GTE Pro class winner in 2015, after winning opening ELMS round alongside factory driver Nicklas Nielsen. Conrad Laursen makes his Le Mans debut aged 18 while his father, 60, was sixth in GTE Am on only previous start in 2016.

Autosport says: Matching Laursen Sr’s previous Le Mans best would be a good result.

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