Le Mans 24 Hours 2018 team by team guide

Toyota is effectively in a class of one at the front of the Le Mans 24 Hours field, but has at least invited a double Formula 1 world champion along to put more eyeballs on a race it really cannot afford to lose again.

In its wake, things look wide open in the privateer LMP1 group, the LMP2 and GTE classes.

LMP1

REBELLION RACING
Rebellion-Gibson R-13

1 Andre Lotterer/Neel Jani/Bruno Senna
3 Mathias Beche/Thomas Laurent/Gustavo Menezes

The top privateer in the first five seasons of the born-again WEC — and one with three top-six finishes at Le Mans to its name — is back at the top table after a title-winning LMP2 campaign.

The Anglo-Swiss squad has again turned to French constructor ORECA to build an LMP1 contender that has had an incredibly short gestation period.

The return of Jani, who cut his sportscar teeth with the team, and the signing of Lotterer is a signal of intent from Rebellion.

AUTOSPORT SAYS The privateer the smart money is on to put the most pressure on Toyota.

BYKOLLES RACING TEAM
ENSO CLM-NISMO P1/01

4 Oliver Webb/Tom Dillmann/Dominik Kraihamer

ByKolles, which formerly raced in the WEC under the Lotus banner, is back for its fourth crack at Le Mans with its P1/01 design, which is powered for the second year by the NISMO-badged Nissan twin-turbo V6.

The team that flies the Austrian flag, despite being based in Germany, has taken a major step forward after opting out of last year's WEC mid-season to focus on development in preparation for the arrival of new privateer opposition.

AUTOSPORT SAYS ByKolles is emerging as a serious contender on the evidence so far.

CEFC TRSM RACING
Ginetta-MecachromeG60-LT-P1

5 Charlie Robertson/Mike Simpson/Leo Roussel
6 Oliver Rowland/Alex Brundle/Oliver Turvey

The team also known as Manor steps up to LMP1 following two seasons in LMP2 after team bosses John Booth and Graeme Lowdon left the Formula 1 squad of the same name.

It has forged a relationship with Ginetta to run a pair of its new Mecachrome-powered G60s and assembled an experienced driver line-up. Funding issues have limited testing — and competition after it opted out of the race at Spa — but the package showed potential at the official WEC pre-season test.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Difficult to draw conclusions with so little testing and a car that has yet to race.

TOYOTA GAZOO RACING
Toyota TS050 HYBRID

7 Kamui Kobayashi/Mike Conway/Jose Maria Lopez
8 Fernando Alonso/Sebastien Buemi/Kazuki Nakajima

Toyota is the only manufacturer left standing in LMP1 after the withdrawal of Audi and Porsche. Its entry is back down to two cars after running three TS050 HYBRIDs last year and the driver line-up for its two full-time WEC entries is unchanged apart from the arrival of two-time F1 world champion Alonso in place of Anthony Davidson.

The TS050, now in its third season, is only a mild update on last year's version, though it must live with new restrictions on the amount of fuel it can use over a stint.

AUTOSPORT SAYS This race is Toyota's to lose.

DRAGONSPEED
BR Engineering-Gibson BR1

10 Ben Hanley/Renger van der Zande/Henrik Hedman

Another LMP1 newcomer, the team run by British Formula 3 race winner Elton Julian showed its credentials with a title-winning campaign in the European Le Mans Series last year under the G-Drive banner.

It graduates with the new BRE chassis, though it has opted for the Gibson V8 rather than the AER of the works cars. A big shunt in qualifying at Spa, which left Pietro Fittipaldi with serious injuries, was a major setback for
a team that had done little pre-season testing.

AUTOSPORT SAYS DragonSpeed probably isn't going to mix it with the other privateers.

SMP RACING
BR Engineering-AER BR1

11 Jenson Button/Mikhail Aleshin/Vitaly Petrov
17 Stephane Sarrazin/Egor Orudzhev/Matevos Isaakyan

The Russian team that won the 2014 WEC LMP2 title moves up to LMP1 with a Dallara-built chassis bearing the name of its BR Engineering spin-off.

ART Grand Prix's closed-wheel team, which previously raced in the DTM with Mercedes, runs the cars for an impressive line-up of drivers now boasting 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button.

The car is well tested, having run for the first time last October, but a massive shunt at Spa has inevitably set back its progress.

AUTOSPORT SAYS SMP has the potential to challenge Rebellion to be best of the rest.

LMP2

UNITED AUTOSPORTS
Ligier-Gibson JSP217

22 Paul di Resta/Filipe Albuquerque/Phil Hanson
32 Juan Pablo Montoya/Hugo de Sadeleer/Will Owen

The Leeds-based team co-owned by McLaren boss Zak Brown is back after finishing fifth overall on its debut in 2017. This time it fields a pair of Ligiers, which should be more competitive after an aerodynamic upgrade for '18.

Some big names bolster regulars from its European Le Mans Series campaign: Penske IMSA SportsCar Championship driver Montoya, a three-time winner of the Daytona 24 Hours, makes his Le Mans debut, as does Mercedes DTM racer di Resta after competing with United at Daytona and Sebring.

AUTOSPORT SAYS With two strong line-ups, United can improve on last year's fourth in class.

PANIS BARTHEZ COMPETITION
Ligier-Gibson JSP217

23 Will Stevens/Timothe Buret/Julien Canal

The team put together by 1996 Monaco Grand Prix winner Olivier Panis and Manchester United goalkeeping legend Fabien Barthez - and run by the Tech 1 Racing squad - has assembled a strong line-up for what will be its third Le Mans.

Ex-F1 driver Stevens, a race winner in the WEC with G-Drive joins up with one of the best silver-rated drivers around in two-time WEC class champion Canal.

AUTOSPORT SAYS A decent line-up could give Panis-Barthez a shot if the Ligier is more competitive this year.

ALGARVE PRO RACING
Ligier-Gibson JSP217

25 Mark Patterson/Ate de Jong/Tacksung Kim

The British-run team based at the Algarve circuit in Portugal is making Le Mans start number three with a trio of amateurs aboard its solo Ligier.

American-based South African Patterson is making his sixth start in the 24 Hours at the age of 66 alongside a duo who raced for the team in the Asian Le Mans Series last winter.

Greg Murphy, who has engineered two LMP2 class winners at Le Mans, has come in to beef up its technical side.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Three amateur drivers aren't going to trouble the class frontrunners.

G-DRIVE RACING
ORECA-Gibson 07

26 Jean-Eric Vergne/Roman Rusinov/Andrea Pizzitola
40 James Allen/Enzo Guibbert/Jose Gutierrez

The Russian entrant, an LMP2 stalwart and WEC class champion in 2015, again fields two cars in its bid for a first Le Mans victory.

The lead car is again run in conjunction with the French TDS squad and has already tasted success in a preparatory WEC outing at Spa (it has moved across to the ELMS this year) with ex-F1 driver Vergne, Rusinov and Pizzitola.

A second car is fielded by the Graff Racing squad at Le Mans, as well as in the ELMS.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Vergne and co should be right up there based on their domination at Spa.

TDS RACING
ORECA-Gibson 07

28 Loic Duval/Matthieu Vaxiviere/Francois Perrodo

TDS, second in LMP2 at Le Mans in 2012 and '14 as well as earning multiple ELMS titles, fields a solo ORECA under its own flag in the full WEC for a second season, though this time with a revised driving squad as it attempts to recapture past glories in an increasingly competitive class.

Audi DTM driver Duval, Le Mans winner and WEC champion in 2013, is back in the sportscar ranks alongside team regulars Vaxiviere and Perrodo in place of veteran Emmanuel Collard.

AUTOSPORT SAYS TDS is a good outside bet for a podium rather than an out-and-out frontrunner.

RACING TEAM NEDERLAND
Dallara-Gibson P217

29 Jan Lammers/Giedo van der Garde/Frits van Eerd

The all-Dutch squad, run by former Racing for Holland technical boss Davy Lemmens, raced at Le Mans for the first time last year as part of an ELMS campaign and is now back for a tilt at the WEC with its Dallara on Michelin tyres.

Former Caterham F1 driver van der Garde comes in to lead the line-up alongside amateur van Eerd, a sponsor of Max Verstappen's, and the evergreen Lammers, who will stand down in favour of Formula 2 racer Nyck de Vries after making his 24th Le Mans start.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Van der Garde's pace at Spa suggests the Dallara can run up front.

JACKIE CHAN DC RACING
Ligier-Gibson JSP217

33 David Cheng/Pierre Nicolet/Nicholas Boulle
34 Ricky Taylor/Come Ledogar/David Heinemeier Hansson

The two entries garnered by the Chan/DC squad for its successes in the Asian Le Mans Series last winter have been taken over by OAK Racing, part of the Onroak group that includes Ligier.

Nicolet, son of Onroak boss Jacques, and Chan/DC kingpin Cheng get their Le Mans fix in one car, while a top line-up of Penske IMSA driver Taylor, Ledogar (a factory McLaren GT driver) and leading silver-graded racer Heinemeier Hansson
has been assembled in the other car.

AUTOSPORT SAYS The ringers in the #34 car must add up to one of the best LMP2 line-ups in the field.

SMP RACING
Dallara-Gibson P217

35 Viktor Shaytar/Harrison Newey/Norman Nato

SMP mounts an LMP2 campaign with a Dallara P217 in the ELMS, in which it was a race winner last year, from its own workshops in the south of France.

Shaytar is a stalwart of the Russian entrant's prototype and GT campaigns, while Le Mans debutants Newey - son of F1 design legend Adrian - and F2 race winner Nato come into the line-up from their respective ELMS campaigns with the Algarve Pro and Racing Engineering teams.

AUTOSPORT SAYS This line-up could be a dark horse if the two newcomers get on top of Le Mans.

SIGNATECH ALPINE MATMUT
ORECA-Gibson 07

36 Nicolas Lapierre/Andre Negrao/Pierre Thiriet

Sportscar stalwart Signatech, winner of the WEC LMP2 crown in 2016, returns under the Alpine flag with a solo ORECA branded after the French sportscar manufacturer.

Team regular Lapierre stays with Signatech for Le Mans, after making a brief return to Toyota this time last year. He is partnered by former GP2 driver Negrao - one of his team-mates at Alpine in the second half of 2017 - and top amateur Thiriet, the 2012 ELMS champion and twice a class runner-up at Le Mans.

AUTOSPORT SAYS If Thiriet is on form, this entry is a potential winner of the class.

JACKIE CHAN DC RACING
ORECA-Gibson 07

37 Jazeman Jaafar/Nabil Jeffri/Weiron Tan
38 Ho-Pin Tung/Gabriel Aubry/Stephane Richelmi

The Jota-run squad that almost pulled off a shock overall victory last year on the way to a one-two in LMP2 (before the scrutineers had their way) has recruited GP3 racer Aubry and 2016 WEC LMP2 champion Richelmi to join team regular Tung.

The all-Malaysian crew is led by Formula Renault 3.5 race winner Jaafar, while Jeffri and Tan move across into a full WEC programme after cutting their teeth in the prototype ranks in the Asian Le Mans Series.

AUTOSPORT SAYS A pair of evenly matched line-ups that are both capable of going for victory.

GRAFF-S024
ORECA-Gibson 07

39 Tristan Gommendy/Jonathan Hirschi/Vincent Capillaire

A regular at Le Mans back in the 1980s and early '90s under its original ownership, Graff has joined forces with the S024 organisation that was set up to help local Sarthois drivers compete in the 24 Hours for one half of its assault this year (the other comes under the G-Drive banner).

Ex-Champ Car driver Gommendy and the experienced Hirschi team up with Capillaire, who is best known for waving Toyota driver Kamui Kobayashi through a red light at the end of the pitlane last year.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Could achieve more beyond a decent grid spot courtesy of Gommendy's pace.

EURASIA MOTORSPORT
Ligier-Gibson JSP217

44 Andrea Bertolini/Nic Jonsson/Tracy Krohn

The Philippines-based Eurasia squad run by Mark Goddard has hooked up with long-time sportscar entrant and driver Krohn for its third Le Mans campaign and second with a Ligier.

Oil baron Krohn and long-time driving partner Jonsson, who are making their 13th Le Mans start together, are joined by Ferrari stalwart (and prototype debutant - if you don't include the Maserati MC12!) Bertolini thanks to a logistical link-up with the AF Corse squad.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Don't expect Krohn and Jonsson to add to their tally of Le Mans podiums.

CETILAR VILLORBA CORSE
Dallara-Gibson P217

47 Felipe Nasr/Roberto Lacorte/Giorgio Sernagiotto

Villorba Corse, which has done a bit of everything in sportscar racing over the years, is again competing in the ELMS with a Dallara and returns to Le Mans for a second year in succession.

Long-time Rebellion LMP1 driver Andrea Belicchi has stood down as lead driver with a back injury and is replaced by former Sauber F1 man Nasr, who is now racing full-time in IMSA with the Action Express squad. He joins two Italian amateurs now in their second year in the ELMS.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Nasr's talents are probably going to go unrewarded on his Le Mans debut.

IDEC SPORT
ORECA-Gibson 07

48 Paul-Loup Chatin/Memo Rojas/Paul Lafargue

IDEC, which also competes in ocean-going yacht racing, is back for a second Le Mans with bigger aspirations than a year ago, when it posted a creditable finish in 12th overall.

Team owner Patrice Lafargue, father of Paul, has stepped down from the line-up and experienced sportscar drivers Chatin and Rojas (a three-time winner of the Daytona 24 Hours and champion in last year's ELMS) are brought into the team. Former Peugeot driver Nicolas Minassian is sporting director.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Third in the ELMS at Monza raises expectations for IDEC's second Le Mans.

LARBRE COMPETITION
Ligier-Gibson JSP217

50 Romano Ricci/Erwin Creed/Thomas Dagoneau

Le Mans regular Larbre, a five-time GT class winner and pole winner in GTE Am last year, makes a rare foray into the prototype ranks for a full WEC campaign with a Ligier, four years on from its last LMP2 outing with an Onroak-built Morgan.

Ricci, son of the late Le Mans veteran Jean-Louis, makes his first start in the 24 Hours since way back in 2000 and joins up with two more bronze-rated drivers.

AUTOSPORT SAYS All-amateur line-up isn't going to trouble the frontrunners - a shame for a team with such rich Le Mans history.

GTE PRO

AF CORSE
Ferrari 488 GTE 'evo'

51 James Calado/Alessandro Pier Guidi/Daniel Serra
52 Toni Vilander/Antonio Giovinazzi/Pipo Derani
71 Sam Bird/Davide Rigon/Miguel Molina

Ferrari and the factory AF team return in a bid for a first class win since 2014 with an evolution of the twin-turbo 488, an upgrade focused on the aerodynamics of a car that won last year's drivers' and manufacturers' WEC crowns.

AF is also fielding a third factory car for the first time in the face of ever-greater competition in GTE Pro. A revised driver line-up includes Sauber F1 reserve Giovinazzi in the extra car alongside Ferrari stalwart Vilander and Derani, who moves over from Ford.

Another Brazilian - Serra - comes in to share with reigning WEC champions Calado and Pier Guidi after impressing on his Le Mans debut with Aston Martin last year, while Molina again teams up with Bird and Rigon.

AUTOSPORT SAYS The three-car entry proves Ferrari's intent to end its Le Mans win drought.

CORVETTE RACING
Chevrolet Corvette C7.R

63 Jan Magnussen/Antonio Garcia/Mike Rockenfeller
64 Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner/Marcel Fassler

The Chevrolet factory team run by the US Pratt & Miller organisation is back for a remarkable 19th consecutive Le Mans participation with the Corvette, seeking a ninth class victory at its annual foray in the French enduro.

The driver line-up is unchanged apart from the substitution of Jordan Taylor with 2010 overall race winner Rockenfeller alongside marque stalwarts Magnussen and Garcia. Audi star Rockenfeller is making his first Le Mans start since '12.

Three-time overall Le Mans winner Fassler, who made his Corvette race debut at the same time as 'Rocky' at Daytona in '16, is teamed with Gavin and Milner for the second straight year.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Corvette narrowly missed out on victory last year, and you can expect it to be in the hunt again this time.

FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM UK/USA
Ford GT

66 Stefan Mucke/Olivier Pla/Billy Johnson
67 Andy Priaulx/Harry Tincknell/Tony Kanaan
68 Joey Hand/Dirk Muller/Sebastien Bourdais
69 Ryan Briscoe/Richard Westbrook/Scott Dixon

Ford mounts a mob-handed Le Mans assault for the third year in a row with the two arms of the Chip Ganassi squad, the British-run team that competes full-time in the WEC and the 'real' Chip Ganassi Racing that represents the Blue Oval in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in North America.

The driver line-up is stable apart from 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Kanaan - who stepped in as a late substitute for the injured Bourdais last year - being given the seat previously occupied by Pipo Derani alongside Brits Priaulx and Tincknell.

Bourdais is back in the harness - and winning again in IndyCar - and reforms the 2016 class-winning line-up with Hand and Muller for what will be his 12th Le Mans start.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Ford looks well set after wins on both sides of the Atlantic so far this year.

BMW TEAM MTEK
BMW M8 GTE

81 Martin Tomczyk/Nicky Catsburg/Philipp Eng
82 Augusto Farfus/Antonio Felix da Costa/Alexander Sims

BMW, the outright Le Mans winner in 1999 is mounting its first campaign here since 2011 with an all-new racer based on the forthcoming M8 sportscar.

The German MTEK squad, which was established ahead of the DTM assault with BMW in 2013, runs the two twin-turbo V8 contenders following a development year in '17 after it was stood down from the German tin-top series.

Tomczyk, 2011 DTM champion, led the test programme of the M8 last year and is part of an eclectic mix of drivers. Farfus is serving double duty in the WEC and the DTM, while da Costa does likewise in the WEC and Formula E. Eng and Sims join the team from the DTM and IMSA respectively.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Strong showing at the Sebring 12 Hours proves the M8 is already a capable endurance racer.

PORSCHE GT TEAM
Porsche 911 RSR

91 Gianmaria Bruni/Richard Lietz/Frederic Makowiecki
92 Kevin Estre/Michael Christensen/Laurens Vanthoor
93 Nick Tandy/Patrick Pilet/Earl Bamber
94 Romain Dumas/Timo Bernhard/Sven Muller

Porsche has stepped up its presence in GTE Pro after its withdrawal from LMP1, with four examples of the mid-engined 911 design that came on stream last year.

Manthey, which is part owned by Porsche, runs the regular WEC entries (#91 & #92) in special retro liveries, while CORE Autosport, Porsche's works representative in IMSA, has been brought over to field the additional cars (#93 & #94).

Bruni, who left long-time employer Ferrari for last season, is back at a race he has won in class three times after a spot of gardening leave in 2017.

Tandy and Bamber, usually in rival cars in IMSA, race the same car at Le Mans for the first time since their overall victory in '15. Two-time WEC champion Bernhard makes a return to GTs.

AUTOSPORT SAYS It's about time that Porsche won the top GTE class again, and it knows it.

ASTON MARTIN RACING
Aston Martin Vantage GTE

95 Darren Turner/Nicki Thiim/Marco Sorensen
97 Alex Lynn/Maxime Martin/Jonny Adam

Aston Martin defends its Le Mans class crown with an all-new GTE contender that replaces a design that has its roots in a car dating back to 2008.

The second-generation Vantage developed by Prodrive-run Aston Martin Racing shares little apart from a name with its predecessor and is powered by a twin-turbo V8 developed out of the new road car's AMG-sourced powerplant.

There are changes in the driver squad, too. Former Williams F1 development driver Lynn comes in for a full WEC season together with Martin, who moves over from BMW after four years in the DTM.

A reshuffle of the line-up has teamed marque stalwart Turner alongside 2016 WEC champions Thiim and Sorensen, and his former team-mate Adam with the newcomers.

AUTOSPORT SAYS A massive 35,000km of winter testing suggests Aston has a shot at Le Mans.

GTE Am

SPIRIT OF RACE (AF)
Ferrari 488 GTE

54 Giancarlo Fisichella/Francesco Castellacci/Thomas Flohr

Ferrari factory driver Fisichella, a two-time class winner at Le Mans, has moved over to factory team AF Corse's customer division for a full WEC superseason campaign after a four-year stint with the Risi Competizione IMSA squad that included two assaults on the 24 Hours.

The three-time grand prix winner joins up with Ferrari stalwart Castellacci and Swiss amateur Flohr, who together notched up a GTE Am WEC victory at Fuji last year in addition to three more podiums.

AUTOSPORT SAYS A strong line-up has the potential to be right up there.

TEAM PROJECT 1
Porsche 911 RSR

56 Jorg Bergmeister/Patrick Lindsey/Egidio Perfetti

The German Project 1 squad makes the move into endurance racing from the Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup in Germany where it formerly raced as Tolimit Motorsport.

Factory driver Bergmeister has come in to lead the line-up in a full WEC campaign with a mid-engined RSR, which is eligible for GTE Am for the first time, alongside a pair of race debutants: IMSA regular Lindsey, who was third in the GT Daytona points last year, and Porsche specialist Perfetti.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Bergmeister's team-mates must acclimatise quickly to mount a challenge.

CLEARWATER RACING
Ferrari 488 GTE

61 Matt Griffin/Keita Sawa/Mok Weng Sun

This Malaysian team, run with engineering and logistical support from AF Corse, was one of the surprise packages of the WEC last year, winning at Silverstone and often being in podium contention on the way to a close third in the end-of-season points.

The line-up stays the same, with experienced Ferrari driver Griffin leading the crew alongside top silver Sawa, twice a winner of the Macau GT Cup, and team boss Mok.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Strong Spa showing suggests Clearwater can improve on last year's fifth in class at Le Mans.

MR RACING (AF)
Ferrari 488 GTE

70 Olivier Beretta/Eddie Cheever III/Motoaki Ishikawa

AF runs a second Ferrari for Ishikawa under the banner of a team that takes its name from the initials of the Japanese driver and his wife Ren. The 51-year-old fulfils his ambition of racing at Le Mans after a season competing in the Blancpain GT Series enduros and Italian GTs with AF.

Ferrari stalwart Beretta moves across from the Blancpain ranks with Ishikawa. Cheever - son of the identically named ex-F1 driver and Indy 500 winner - has signed up for the full WEC season.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Solid rather than stellar line-up should be shooting for a podium.

DEMPSEY-PROTON RACING
Porsche 911 RSR

77 Julien Andlauer/Matt Campbell/Christian Ried
88 Matteo Cairoli/Giorgio Roda/Khaled Al Qubaisi

The team that bears the name of Hollywood actor Patrick Dempsey - he of Bridget Jones's Baby and Grey's Anatomy fame - fields a pair of 2017-spec RSRs.

Porsche junior Andlauer and Campbell, winners of Porsche one-make cups in France and Australia respectively, share with team boss Ried. Porsche 'young professional' Cairoli races with Roda, son of sportscar stalwart Gianluca, and Al Quabaisi, who has twice been on the class podium in five attempts at Le Mans.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Two strong line-ups must make Dempsey-Proton class favourite.

EBIMOTORS
Porsche 911 RSR

80 Fabio Babini/Christina Nielsen/Erik Maris

Porsche stalwart Ebimotors from Italy finally makes its Le Mans debut after two decades of GT racing courtesy of the automatic entry gained from winning the Michelin Le Mans Cup on the ELMS support bill with a Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

The team is working with Proton for its first shot at the big race. Sportscar stalwart Babini and Nielsen, IMSA GT Daytona class champion for the past two seasons, share with amateur and GT debutant Maris.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Two strong drivers should allow the Italian debutant team to make its mark.

JMW MOTORSPORT
Ferrari 488 GTE

84 Jeff Segal/Cooper Macneil/Liam Griffin

The British JMW Ferrari squad is back for its ninth Le Mans, 12 months on from its class victory with a completely different driver line-up.

It might be missing the top talents of Will Stevens and Dries Vanthoor that helped the team to success in 2017, but Segal and MacNeil are experienced sportscar hands who have multiple Le Mans starts between them.

Griffin, a race winner in British GTs, is back for his second start at the 24 Hours.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Defending its class title is going to be a tough ask for JMW.

KEATING MOTORSPORTS (RISI)
Ferrari 488 GTE

85 Jeroen Bleekemolen/Luca Stolz/Ben Keating

American sportscar racer Keating makes his fourth Le Mans start, his second as an entrant and his second in a GT car. The 46-year-old gained one of the guaranteed entries awarded by IMSA and threw his lot in with the Risi Competizione Ferrari squad, which isn't fielding a car under its own banner this time.

Racing all-rounder Bleekemolen is again part of the line-up, while Mercedes GT3 regular Stolz, who raced with Keating at Daytona and Sebring, comes in to make his Le Mans debut.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Strong driver line-up and Risi's credentials makes Keating one of the favourites.

GULF RACING UK
Porsche 911 RSR

86 Ben Barker/Alex Davison/Michael Wainwright

This British squad makes its third Le Mans start as part of another WEC campaign, this time with the mid-engined RSR.

Team owner Wainwright and Barker, the team's full pro driver, continue their long-standing partnership. Former Australian Supercars regular Davison comes in as the silver after being downgraded for this year and makes his second Le Mans appearance, 10 years on from his first with Proton Porsche in the year he won the prestigious Porsche Cup for privateer drivers.

AUTOSPORT SAYS With this line-up Gulf has a shot at going better than its 2016 fifth in class.

TF SPORT
Aston Martin Vantage GTE

90 Euan Hankey/Charlie Eastwood/Salih Yoluc

The TF Sport Aston Martin team run by former touring car racer Tom Ferrier has moved into the WEC full time for the superseason with an impressive resume behind it. Not only did it finish second in GTE in the ELMS last year, but it has titles in British GTs, the Le Mans Cup and the Blancpain GT Series to its name.

Team stalwarts Hankey and Yoluc are joined in the first-generation Vantage GTE by reigning Porsche Carrera Cup GB champion Eastwood.

AUTOSPORT SAYS A close second in class at the Spa WEC opener bodes well for this trio's chances.

ASTON MARTIN RACING
Aston Martin Vantage GTE

98 Pedro Lamy/Mathias Lauda/Paul Dalla Lana

The long-standing partnership of ex-F1 driver Lamy, Lauda (son of three-time F1 world champion Niki) and top amateur Dalla Lana are having a fourth crack together at winning GTE Am with a works-run Vantage.

They've achieved everything else, after finally winning the class title in the WEC last year, bar the victory in the 'big one' that was snatched away when Dalla Lana crashed out of the lead with 45 minutes remaining in 2015.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Another class win at Spa - their 13th together - suggests this trio are going be right up there again.

PROTON COMPETITION
Porsche 911 RSR

99 Patrick Long/Spencer Pumpelly/Tim Pappas

The German team, winner of the GT2 class at Le Mans in 2010, fields a single 2016-spec 911 RSR under its original team title alongside the two Dempsey cars.

The line-up is led by factory driver Long, who is making his 15th Le Mans start. Experienced sportscar racer Pumpelly is back at the 24 Hours after an absence of four years, while Pappas - another stalwart of the North American endurance scene - makes his debut in the big race.

AUTOSPORT SAYS Strong line-up with loads of experience should be there or thereabouts.

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