Le Mans 2022: The team by team guide
The 90th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours is here. Here's Autosport's run down of the full field and who to look out for in each class
The Le Mans 24 Hours is back in its traditional June date this year, and anticipation is building for the 90th edition of this iconic endurance race.
Here is our guide to the full 62-car field, and our predictions on how each entry will fare.
Hypercar
Toyota Gazoo Racing
Toyota GR010 HYBRID
#7 Mike Conway//Kamui Kobayashi/Jose Maria Lopez
#8 Sebastien Buemi/Brendon Hartley/Ryo Hirakawa
Qualifying: #7 - 2nd/#8 - 1st
#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryo Hirakawa
Photo by: Paul Foster
Toyota continues an unbroken sequence of Le Mans starts dating back to the rebirth of the WEC in 2012 with a pair of significantly revised GR010 LMHs. The driver line-up has been tweaked too: Hirakawa comes into the #8 car in place of Kazuki Nakajima, who’s retired and now has a non-driving role with the team.
Autosport says: Favourite despite a revised playing field and a first LMH defeat at Sebring.
Alpine Elf Team (Signatech)
Alpine-Gibson A480
#36 Nicolas Lapierre/Andre Negrao/Matthieu Vaxiviere
Qualifying: 3rd
#36 Alpine Elf Team Alpine A480 - Gibson LMP1 of Andre Negrao, Nicolas Lapierre, Matthieu Vaxiviere
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The Alpine Renault brand and the French Signatech team make their 10th Le Mans appearance together in what looks certain to be the final appearance of an LMP1 car at the 24 Hours. The driver line-up in the A480 ORECA design is unchanged from last year.
Autosport says: Sebring victory hints at what Alpine might be capable of, though it won’t have such a big advantage here.
Glickenhaus Racing
Glickenhaus-Pipo 007 LMH
#708 Pipo Derani/Olivier Pla/Romain Dumas
#709 Ryan Briscoe/Richard Westbrook/ Franck Mailleux
Qualifying: #708 - 5th/#709 - 4th
#709 Glickenhaus Racing Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH of Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook, Franck Mailleux
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The American marque is back to full strength for its second Le Mans participation with a two-car assault, after scaling down to a solo LMH for what is expected to be a full WEC campaign. The driver line-up has been reshuffled from 2021, with Dumas and Mailleux swapping places.
Autosport says: Glickenhaus proved its reliability at Le Mans last year and its pace this year. Needs to knit it all together to challenge.
LMP2
Richard Mille (Signatech)
ORECA-Gibson 07
#1 Sebastien Ogier/Charles Milesi/Lilou Wadoux
Qualifying: 12th
#1 Richard Mille Racing Team Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Lilou Wadoux, Sebastien Ogier, Charles Milesi
Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt
The Signatech-run team that bears the name of the watchmaker Richard Mille is in the headlines again. For the past two years it ran all-female line-ups, but this time rally legend Ogier has joined the squad for a full WEC campaign. The Frenchman shares the ORECA with reigning P2 WEC champion Milesi, who has moved over from WRT after his upgrade to gold status, and Wadoux, the only female this time and a graduate of Alpine’s one-make series for the A110 sportscar.
Autosport says: Recent form for inexperienced line-up doesn’t point to a victory bid.
DKR Engineering
ORECA-Gibson 07
#3 Laurents Horr/Alexandre Cougnaud/Jean Glorieux
Qualifying: 25th
#3 DKR Engineering Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Laurents Horr, Jean Glorieux, Alexandre Cougnaud
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The Luxembourg team, once a stalwart of the FIA GT and GT1 ranks, returns to the 24 Hours after an absence of eight years for its second start in the French enduro. It owes its place on the entry this time around to victory in the LMP3 class of the ELMS last year. Horr, who took that title, and Glorieux, winner of the Le Mans Cup ELMS support series with the team in 2017, have moved over from that programme to be joined by Cougnaud, a podium finisher in ELMS in 2019-20.
Autosport says: Getting to the end would be a decent result for a line-up lacking LM experience.
Team Penske
ORECA-Gibson 07
#5 Felipe Nasr/Dane Cameron/Emmanuel Collard
Qualifying: 14th
#5 Team Penske Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Dane Cameron, Emmanuel Collard, Felipe Nasr
Photo by: Marc Fleury
Penske makes its first Le Mans appearance since 1971 in preparation for next year, when it will run Porsche’s factory LMDh prototypes in the full WEC; this year’s programme with the ORECA is ending after this race. Cameron – an IMSA champion with the team in an Acura – and ex-Formula 1 driver Nasr were the first LMDh drivers announced by Porsche last year, while veteran Collard renews his links with the team with which he won Sebring in 2008.
Autosport says: Penske made a step forward at Spa; another one could put it in the mix.
Prema Orlen Team
ORECA-Gibson 07
#9 Robert Kubica/Louis Deletraz/Lorenzo Colombo
Qualifying: 10th
#9 Prema Orlen Team Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Robert Kubica, Louis Deletraz, Lorenzo Colombo
Photo by: Prema Powerteam
A powerhouse of the European single-seater scene for more than 30 years, Prema has made the move into sportscar racing for 2022 after DC Racing Solutions, the backers of the Iron Lynx Ferrari GT operation, took a controlling stake in the team. Kubica returns to the team for which he drove in Formula 3 way back in 2003 to continue a partnership with Deletraz that yielded the 2021 ELMS title at WRT. Silver-rated Colombo, a race winner in FIA F3 last year, completes what is a formidable line-up.
Autosport says: Prema must have a shot of winning P2 on its debut, as WRT did last year.
Vector Sport
ORECA-Gibson 07
#10 Nico Muller/Sebastien Bourdais/Ryan Cullen
Qualifying: 62nd
#10 Vector Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Nico Muller, Ryan Cullen, Sebastien Bourdais
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
A new British team based at Silverstone arrived in the WEC at the start of this year with big aspirations and an eye on the Hypercar division. The same group that ran Risi Competizione’s one-off Le Mans campaign in P2 last year, Vector has assembled a top-line crew for 2022. Audi factory driver Muller shares with veteran Bourdais (back in a prototype at Le Mans for the first time since 2012) and silver driver Cullen.
Autosport says: Lack of pre-season testing has meant the team has yet to unlock its undoubted potential.
TDS Racing x Vaillante
ORECA-Gibson 07
#13 Mathias Beche/Tijmen van der Helm/Nyck de Vries
Qualifying: 30th
#13 TDS Racing x Vaillante Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Nyck de Vries (replacing Philippe Cimadomo), Mathias Beche, Tijmen van der Helm
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Team with an impressive Le Mans record is back for the first time since 2019 under its own name, suffixed by the fictional Vaillante car company from the Michel Vaillant comic books. The team is fielding a solo car in the ELMS in the pro/am sub-division, but has been forced to make a late move to P2 proper after amateur driver Philippe Cimadomo was excluded from the meeting for a series of incidents in practice. De Vries, on hand as Toyota’s reserve, is his replacement.
Autosport says: Decent pro/am line-up has morphed into what on paper looks like crew capable to challenging for LMP2 honours.
United Autosports
ORECA-Gibson 07
#22 Filipe Albuquerque/Phil Hanson/Will Owen
#23 Oliver Jarvis/Alex Lynn/Josh Pierson
Qualifying: #22 - 7th/#23 - 11th
#22 United Autosports USA Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Philip Hanson, Filipe Albuquerque, William Owen
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The 2020 class winner, which also has four top-10 finishes overall, is aiming to bounce back from a disastrous assault last year with two ultra-strong rosters: Lynn and Jarvis, who know all about success at Le Mans, are joined by 16-year-old Pierson, who is on course to become the youngest-ever participant. Former WEC champions and Le Mans winners Albuquerque and Hanson are joined by United returnee Owen.
Autosport says: Already winners in the 2022 WEC at Sebring, you’d get short odds on another United victory.
Nielsen Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#24 Ben Hanley/Matt Bell/Rodrigo Sales
Qualifying: 21st
#24 Nielsen Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Rodrgo Sales, Matt Bell, Ben Hanley
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The British Nielsen squad makes its second Le Mans start after 2020 on the back of a first full LMP2 programme in Europe following a series of successful LMP3 campaigns. Its Le Mans Cup title last year followed P3 titles in the short-lived British series and then the Asian LMS. It stepped up to LMP2 this year in Asia and took another crown, which gained it an automatic entry to Le Mans. The successful line-up of Hanley, Bell and Sales has stayed together for a full ELMS attack and Le Mans.
Autosport says: The potential is there with this line-up if the team can learn on its feet.
CD Sport
Ligier-Gibson JSP217
#27 Steven Palette/Christophe Cresp/Michael Jensen
Qualifying: 28th
#27 CD Sport Ligier JSP217 - Gibson LMP2 of Christophe Cresp, Mikkel Jensen, Steven Palette
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The French-based, Spanish-flagged team that takes its name from the initials of boss Claude Degremont, a former French F3 racer, makes its first appearance at the 24 Hours courtesy of an automatic entry picked up for taking LMP3 class honours in Asia. The Le Mans driver line-up is culled from the two cars that finished 1-2 in that series. CD is the only team running the Ligier chassis in an ORECA-dominated field.
Autosport says: It’s all about the taking part for a team with an unfancied Ligier and two bronze drivers.
Jota
ORECA-Gibson 07
#28 Ed Jones/Jonathan Aberdein/Oliver Rasmussen
#38 Antonio Felix da Costa/Will Stevens/Roberto Gonzalez
Qualifying: #28 - 18th/#38 - 8th
#28 Jota Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Oliver Rasmussen, Edward Jones, Jonathan Aberdein
Photo by: Nikolaz Godet
The British team is back with a pair of ORECAs as it looks to improve upon the second-place finishes of the past three years. Ex-F1 driver Stevens returns to the team to fill the shoes of the retired Anthony Davidson. The line-up in the second ORECA is all-new and led by former IndyCar driver Jones and DTM graduate Aberdein. Rasmussen, a winner in Formula Regional European in 2020, is the silver driver.
Autosport says: With these line-ups, another podium — at the very least — has to be on the cards for Jota.
Duqueine Team
ORECA-Gibson 07
#30 Richard Bradley/Memo Rojas/Reshad de Gerus
Qualifying: 16th
#30 Duqueine Team Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Richard Bradley, Guillermo Rojas, Reshad de Gerus
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
A familiar face on the Le Mans entry list, Duqueine is back for its fourth consecutive participation alongside an ELMS campaign. Three-time Daytona 24 Hours winner Rojas remains with the team and is joined by Bradley, LMP2 class winner with KCMG in 2015, and 18-year-old de Gerus, who has switched to sportscars after a partial season in FIA F3 last year. Duqueine’s race team is part of a wider engineering group that builds LMP3s after its purchase of the Norma marque.
Autosport says: The driver combination looks good on paper but hasn’t got the results in ELMS.
WRT
ORECA-Gibson 07
#31 Robin Frijns/Rene Rast/Sean Gelael
#32 Mirko Bortolotti/Dries Vanthoor/Rolf Ineichen
Qualifying: #31 - 6th/#32 - 15th
#31 WRT Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Sean Gelael, Robin Frijns, Rene Rast
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The Belgian team defends its Le Mans class crown with two ORECAs entered simply as WRT: one is a full-season WEC entry, the other an addition. Frijns, part of the winning line-up last year, is joined in the regular car by fellow Audi factory ace Rast and Gelael, who has moved over from Jota. The younger Vanthoor brother (another member of the Audi roster) and Bortolotti, who’s on the books of Lamborghini, lead the second car.
Autosport says: Victory at Spa after an improved performance for Gelael puts #31 among the favourites.
Inter Europol Competition
ORECA-Gibson 07
#34 Esteban Gutierrez/Alex Brundle/Jakub Smiechowski
#43 Pietro Fittipaldi/Fabio Scherer/David Heinemeier Hansson
Qualifying: #34 - 20th/#43 - 29th
#43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of David Heinemeier-Hansson, Fabio Scherer, Pietro Fittipaldi
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The Polish team is now a fixture at Le Mans and runs a pair of ORECAs for the first time. Brundle, who has already surpassed father Martin’s tally of Le Mans starts, will make his 10th participation. He drives the full-season WEC entry with ex-F1 racer Gutierrez and Smiechowski. Fittipaldi leads the line in the additional car from the ELMS.
Autosport says: Driver line-up shows Europol is getting serious, so it’s probably time to deliver.
Ultimate (Panis)
ORECA-Gibson 07
#35 Jean-Baptiste Lahaye/Matthieu Lahaye/Francois Heriau
Qualifying: 22nd
#35 Ultimate Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Jean-Baptiste Lahaye, Matthieu Lahaye, Francois Heriau
Photo by: Marc Fleury
Lahaye brothers Matthieu and Jean-Baptiste make a maiden Le Mans assault as entrants under the Ultimate banner as part of a full WEC campaign, teaming up with Panis/Tech 1 after graduating to P2 in the ELMS last year from the LMP3 ranks. Matthieu, the elder brother, is no stranger to Le Mans: he was a regular more than 10 years ago.
Autosport says: Decent start to its maiden WEC season suggests it can be a player in pro-am.
Cool Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#37 Ricky Taylor/Yifei Ye/Niklas Kruetten
Qualifying: 17th
#37 Cool Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Yifei Ye, Ricky Taylor, Niklas Kruetten
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The Swiss team run by Nicolas Lapierre makes its second Le Mans appearance on the back of another ELMS campaign. Ye, the star of P2 last year and now with the backing of Porsche Asia, has joined from WRT. Two-time IMSA champion Taylor replaces Lapierre for this race, while silver Kruetten has moved up with the team from LMP3.
Autosport says: Could be a dark horse with this line-up, despite its lack of Le Mans pedigree.
Graff Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#39 David Droux/Eric Trouillet/Sebastien Page
Qualifying: 24th
#39 Graff Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Eric Trouillet, Sebastien Page, David Droux
Photo by: Nick Dungan / Motorsport Images
Stalwart Le Mans entrant Graff, long since under changed ownership from the late 1980s and early 1990s when it fielded Spice Group C2 machinery, is back with a solo ORECA in pro/am. This year’s Graff line-up came out top in a small P2 amateur class in Asia last winter and were frontrunners in LMP3 in the ELMS last year.
Autosport says: This trio is finding the going tougher in ELMS this season than in Asia.
Realteam by WRT
ORECA-Gibson 07
#41 Ferdinand Habsburg/Norman Nato/Rui Andrade
Qualifying: 9th
#41 Realteam by WRT Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Rui Andrade, Ferdinand Habsburg, Norman Nato
Photo by: Marc Fleury
WRT has expanded to two WEC entries after linking up with Swiss entrant Realteam, which ran in the world championship last year with the French TDS Racing squad. Habsburg, part of WRT’s WEC and Le Mans-winning line-up last year, has moved over to this car to share with Nato and silver Andrade.
Autosport says: Two podiums so far in WEC prove they have the potential to fight for the win.
ARC Bratislava
ORECA-Gibson 07
#44 Tristan Vautier/Bent Viscaal/Miro Konopka
Qualifying: 23rd
#44 ARC Bratislava Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Miroslav Konopka, Bent Viscaal, Tristan Vautier
Photo by: Nikolaz Godet
This stalwart of the sportscar scene makes its third Le Mans start after 2017 and 2021. The line-up in the ORECA that replaced a Ligier for this race last year is led by Vautier, a Le Mans debutant despite all his successes in IMSA, and ex-F2 driver Viscaal, who has moved over from Algarve Pro for this race. They join team boss Konopka.
Autosport says: Best line-up yet for ARC could put it in the mix in pro-am.
Algarve Pro Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#45 James Allen/Rene Binder/Steven Thomas
#47 Jack Aitken/Sophia Florsch/John Falb
Qualifying: #45 - 61st/#47 - 26th
#47 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Sophia Florsch, John Falb, Jack Aitken
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The Anglo-Portuguese team fields the two ORECAs due to run in P2 proper under the flag of Russian entrant G-Drive before the fall-out from the war in Ukraine. Williams F1 reserve Aitken makes his prototype debut after his first steps in sportscars last year in GT3. Allen and Binder are P2 regulars, Florsch makes her second LM start.
Autosport says: Both cars have line-ups more than capable of challenging for pro-am honours.
IDEC Sport
ORECA-Gibson 07
#48 Patrick Pilet/Paul-Loup Chatin/Paul Lafargue
Qualifying: 19th
#48 IDEC Sport Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Paul Lafargue, Paul Loup Chatin, Patrick Pilet
Photo by: Marc Fleury
IDEC, the sister team of a successful operation from the world of sailing, is down to a single entry at Le Mans this year as part of a campaign again covering the ELMS, a series it won in 2019. Porsche factory driver Pilet maintains his place on the squad alongside Chatin and silver Lafargue, son of team owner Patrice.
Autosport says: The line-up should be able to mix it in the lower reaches of the top six in class.
Panis Racing
ORECA-Gibson 07
#65 Nico Jamin/Job van Uitert/Julien Canal
Qualifying: 13th
#65 Panis Racing Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Julien Canal, Nicolas Jamin, Job van Uitert
Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt
Panis Racing and Tech 1, which are pretty much one and the same these days, return to Le Mans for a seventh consecutive participation. Silver-rated Canal, part of the line-up for the past four years, is this time joined by team returnee Jamin and LMP2 regular van Uitert, who has raced for United.
Autosport says: Little team packing a big punch will struggle to improve on the fine third places it scored in 2020 and 2021.
AF Corse
ORECA-Gibson 07
#83 Nicklas Nielsen/Alessio Rovera/Francois Perrodo
Qualifying: 27th
#83 AF Corse Oreca 07 - Gibson LMP2 of Francois Perrodo, Nicklas Nielsen, Alessio Rovera
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
This is the first prototype programme since 2014 for the team that will run Ferrari’s new Le Mans Hypercar next year, while Perrodo has done what he did back in 2017: stepped up to prototypes after winning the WEC GTE Am title. Factory driver Nielsen and Rovera have made the move with him.
Autosport says: Pro-am win at Sebring points to a strong showing by 2021’s GTE Am winners.
GTE Pro
AF Corse
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#51 Alessandro Pier Guidi/James Calado/Daniel Serra
#52 Miguel Molina/Antonio Fuoco/Davide Rigon
Qualifying: #51 - 36th/#52 - 35th
#51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Pro of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, Daniel Serra
Photo by: Christopher Lee / Motorsport Images
AF Corse’s participation in GTE Pro stretches back to the first year of the class under that name in 2011, but this will be its last before moving to Hypercar next season. Pier Guidi and Calado, world champions in 2017 and 2021, are bidding for a third Le Mans victory in four years. Serra rejoins them after being demoted from a full-season drive in the other car. Molina and Fuoco, who came into the factory set-up this year, will be joined by Rigon.
Autosport says: Ferrari is always there in the mix at Le Mans whatever has happened.
Corvette Racing
Chevrolet Corvette C8.R
#63 Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor/Nicky Catsburg
#64 Nick Tandy/Tommy Milner/Alexander Sims
Qualifying: #63 - 32nd/#64 - 31st
#63 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R LMGTE Pro of Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor, Nicky Catsburg
Photo by: Christopher Lee / Motorsport Images
Le Mans stalwart Corvette Racing, making its 21st Le Mans participation and its second with the mid-engined C8.R that missed the 2020 race as a result of COVID, fields two cars as usual. The Pratt & Miller-operated team is running a car in the full WEC for the first time in its history. Tandy and Milner race this car and are joined again by Sims, while Garcia and Taylor, who drive the IMSA car, are teamed with Catsburg.
Autosport says: You can never count out a team that is overdue a return to the winner’s circle at Le Mans, despite recent form.
Riley Motorsports
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#74 Felipe Fraga/Sam Bird/Shane van Gisbergen
Qualifying: 37th
#74 Riley Motorsports Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Pro of Felipe Fraga, Sam Bird, Shane Van Gisbergen
Photo by: Marc Fleury
The US Riley squad is the only privateer in the GTE Pro ranks and is no stranger to Le Mans: it lost victory in GTE Am with a Ford GT in 2019 in the scrutineering bay. It is returning after one of its customers in the Ferrari Challenge in North America bought a 488 GTE Evo. Ex-factory driver Bird has been brought in for his Ferrari experience, while Fraga is a regular with the team in IMSA and van Gisbergen was an occasional in the past.
Autosport says: Worthy programme with strong driver line-up will still need luck to spring a surprise against the factory teams.
Porsche GT Team (Manthey)
Porsche 911 RSR
#91 Gianmaria Bruni/Richard Lietz/Frederic Makowiecki
#92 Kevin Estre/Michael Christensen/Laurens Vanthoor
Qualifying: #91 - 33rd/#92 - 34th
#92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR LMGTE Pro of Michael Christensen, Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor
Photo by: Marc Fleury
Porsche is also mounting its last campaign as a factory in the GT ranks of the WEC as it gears up to return to the prototype field with its new LMDh. Christensen is now a full factory driver again and has reformed his successful partnership with Estre in place of Neel Jani. Vanthoor has rejoined them after racing for WeatherTech last year. Bruni and Lietz are joined by Makowiecki for a fifth season in a row.
Autosport says: Sebring victory for #92 suggests now could be the time for Porsche to end the victory drought stretching back to 2018, when Estre, Christensen and Vanthoor won.
GTE Am
AF Corse
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#21 Toni Vilander/Simon Mann/Christoph Ulrich
#54 Nick Cassidy/Francesco Castellacci/Thomas Flohr
#61 Vincent Abril/Louis Prette/Conrad Grunewald
Qualifying: #21 - 50th/#54 - 42nd/#61 - 38th
#54 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Am of Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci, Nick Cassidy
Photo by: Marc Fleury
There are a trio of Am class Ferraris entered under the banner of AF, which has at least a hand in the running of nine cars this year. Two are full-season WEC entries, with Formula E driver Cassidy replacing Giancarlo Fisichella in #54 and factory driver Vilander returning full-time to the series in #21. Ex-Bentley driver Abril is in the third car.
Autosport says: Numbers are on AF’s side, but no crew matches 2021’s winning combo.
TF Sport
Aston Martin Vantage GTE
#33 Marco Sorensen/Henrique Chaves/Ben Keating
Qualifying: 56th
#33 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage AmR LMGTE Am of Ben Keating, Henrique Chaves, Marco Sorensen
Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt
The British TF team, back at the big race for a sixth time, is aiming to regain the Le Mans crown it won in 2020. Keating, second last year at both the 24 Hours and in the WEC points, is this year teamed with Aston factory driver Sorensen and Chaves, a former champion in the International GT Open series who came into the line-up at Spa.
Autosport says: Two seconds for Keating/Sorensen so far suggest this car will challenge.
Team Project 1
Porsche 911 RSR
#46 Matteo Cairoli/Mikkel Overgaard Pedersen/Niki Leutwiler
#56 Ben Barnicoat/Ollie Millroy/Brendan Iribe
Qualifying: #46 - 46th/#56 - 45th
#56 Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR LMGTE Am of Brendan Iribe, Oliver Millroy, Ben Barnicoat
Photo by: Nick Dungan / Motorsport Images
The German Porsche team, which inherited the Le Mans class win three years ago, fields a pair of 911 RSRs, although the car shared by Barnicoat, Millroy and Iribe is largely crewed by the British Optimum squad. Porsche regular Matteo Cairoli stays with the team for a third season, though with new team-mates Leutwiler and Pedersen.
Autosport says: Barnicoat and co could be dark horses if Iribe brings his A-game.
Spirit of Race (AF)
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#55 Matt Griffin/David Perel/Duncan Cameron
#71 Gabriel Aubry/Pierre Ragues/Franck Dezoteux
Qualifying: #55 - 51st/#71 - 60th
#55 Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Am of Duncan Cameron, Matthew Griffin, David Perel
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
Spirit of Race is AF Corse by any other name and works out of its giant paddock enclave. It fields a full-season WEC entry for a line-up including LMP2 race winner Aubry and the ultra-experienced Ragues, while the other car is contesting the ELMS. Griffin and Cameron make another Le Mans start together and are again teamed with Perel.
Autosport says: Another two line-ups from AF good enough to be sniffing around the top six.
Kessel Racing
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#57 Mikkel Jensen/Frederik Schandorff/Takeshi Kimura
Qualifying: 39th
#57 Kessel Racing Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Am of Takeshi Kimura, Frederik Schandorff, Mikkel Jensen
Photo by: Marc Fleury
Kessel, a stalwart of the GT3 ranks, makes its third Le Mans start with a car that’s also contesting the ELMS in the same colours of Japanese entrant Car Guy and with the same drivers. Car Guy boss Kimura and Peugeot LMH driver Jensen are joined by reigning GT Open title winner Schandorff.
Autosport says: A good result is a big ask; Kimura isn’t a match for the top bronzes.
Inception Racing (Garage 59)
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#59 Come Ledogar/Marvin Klein/Alexander West
Qualifying: 49th
#59 Inception Racing Ferrari 488 GTE Evo LMGTE Am of Louis Prette, Conrad Grunewald, Vincent Abril
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
With Inception boss Iribe competing full-time in the WEC with Project 1/Optimum, the entry he picked up for taking class honours in February’s Asian LMS has been taken over by Garage 59 — team owner West is good friends with Iribe. The team, originally a spin-off of the old McLaren GT operation, runs the Ferrari with the help of AF.
Autosport says: Decent line-up could spring a surprise on Garage 59’s Le Mans debut.
Iron Lynx
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#60 Alessandro Balzan/Raffaele Giammaria/Claudio Schiavoni
#75 Nicolas Varrone/Pierre Ehret/Christian Hook
#80 Giancarlo Fisichella/Matteo Cressoni/Richard Heistand
Qualifying: #60 - 57th/#75 - 52nd/#80 - 59th
#80 Iron Lynx Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Am of Matteo Cressoni, Giancarlo Fisichella, Richard Heistand
Photo by: Christopher Lee / Motorsport Images
The team led by Piccini brothers Andrea and Giacomo is back at Le Mans for a third time, now fully running under its own steam. It fields a trio of Ferraris: two full-season WEC entries and an additional entry garnered via its class victory in the Michelin-sponsored Le Mans Cup series on the ELMS bill.
Autosport says: Improving on third last year might be a tough ask given the class opposition.
JMW Motorsport
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#66 Renger van der Zande/Jason Hart/Mark Kvamme
Qualifying: 53rd
#66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Am of Renger Van Der Zande, Mark Kvamme, Jason Hart
Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt
Stalwart British team, winner in GTE Am as recently as 2017, lines up for Le Mans start number 13 with a completely different line-up to the one contesting the ELMS. Van der Zande, who has raced LMP1 and LMP2 machinery in his previous participations in the 24 Hours, is joined by American sportscar regulars Kvamme and Hart.
Autosport says: Getting close to that 2017 GTE Am class win looks a forlorn dream.
Dempsey-Proton Racing
Porsche 911 RSR
#77 Harry Tincknell/Seb Priaulx/Christian Ried
#88 Jan Heylen/Maxwell Root/Fred Poordad
Qualifying: #77 - 40th/#88 - 55th
#88 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR LMGTE Am of Fred Poordad, Patrick Lindsey, Jan Heylen
Photo by: Marc Fleury
This veteran Porsche operation is involved in the running of five cars at Le Mans and has two full-season WEC entries under the Dempsey- Proton Racing banner. A tie-up with Multimatic explains the presence of Tincknell and Priaulx in the line-up, while former Champ Car driver Heylen makes his Le Mans debut in the other car.
Autosport says: Tincknell/Priaulx/Ried start among the favourites after Spa WEC victory.
WeatherTech Racing (Proton)
Porsche 911 RSR
#79 Julien Andlauer/Cooper MacNeil/Thomas Merrill
#93 Matt Campbell/Zacharie Robichon/Michael Fassbender
Qualifying: #79 - 47th/#93 - 58th
#79 Weathertech Racing Porsche 911 RSR - 19 LMGTE Am of Cooper MacNeil, Julien Andlauer, Thomas Merrill
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
WeatherTech continues its relationship with Proton for a third consecutive GTE assault at Le Mans, this time in the Am rather than the Pro ranks. The car entered under the Proton banner joins from the ELMS, where actor Fassbender has been learning about endurance racing.
Autosport says: The Proton car will get the attention of the TV cameras wherever it is.
Iron Dames (Iron Lynx)
Ferrari 488 GTE Evo
#85 Rahel Frey/Michelle Gatting/Sarah Bovy
Qualifying: 43rd
#85 Iron Dames Ferrari 488 GTE EVO LMGTE Am of Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Sarah Bovy
Photo by: Paul Foster
Iron Lynx fields a fourth Ferrari for an all-female line-up (the only one in the race this year) under the Iron Dames banner. It’s the fourth Le Mans for a programme — the first came in 2019 when Kessel ran the car — that has moved over from the ELMS to the WEC for this season. The driver line-up is unchanged from last year.
Autosport says: A repeat of the top-six the team scored at Sebring would be a good result isn’t on the cards.
GR Racing
Porsche 911 RSR
#86 Ben Barker/Riccardo Pera/Michael Wainwright
Qualifying: 44th
#86 GR Racing Porsche 911 RSR - 19 LMGTE Am of Michael Wainwright, Benjamin Barker, Riccardo Pera
Photo by: JEP / Motorsport Images
The British team that formerly competed under the Gulf Racing UK banner makes another Le Mans appearance as part of a renewed WEC assault. The line-up has been tweaked for this year, with Pera moving over after previous WEC campaigns with the Dempsey-Proton and Project 1 Porsche teams.
Autosport says: Emulating fifth in class in 2020 is probably a big ask given the competition.
NorthWest AMR (Prodrive)
Aston Martin Vantage GTE
#98 Nicki Thiim/David Pittard/Paul Dalla Lana
Qualifying: 41st
#98 Northwest AMR Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGTE Am of Paul Dalla Lana, David Pittard, Nicki Thiim
Photo by: Nikolaz Godet
The factory AMR squad departed the GTE Pro ranks after the victorious 2019-20 season, but the Prodrive-run operation is still represented in Am with class stalwart Dalla Lana. Works driver Thiim remains with the Canadian for a second season, while Nordschleife expert Pittard has switched GT racing codes from GT3 to come in as the silver.
Autosport says: An elusive first Le Mans win could be within Dalla Lana’s reach.
Hardpoint Motorsport (Proton)
Porsche 911 RSR
#99 Alessio Picariello/Martin Rump/Andrew Haryanto
Qualifying: 48th
#99 Hardpoint Motorsport Porsche 911 RSR LMGTE Am of Andrew Haryanto, Alessio Picariello, Martin Rump
Photo by: Marc Fleury
This Porsche fielded under the Team Hardpoint banner is actually an Absolute Racing entry. Hardpoint boss and IMSA regular Rob Ferriol won an auto entry and put together a programme with Proton. It fell over late in May and Asian entrant Absolute seamlessly took over the slot: it is already running with Proton in the ELMS.
Autosport says: Late deal shouldn’t be a problem as the drivers are already doing ELMS.
D’Station Racing (TF)
Aston Martin Vantage GTE
#777 Tomonobu Fujii/Charlie Fagg/Satoshi Hoshino
Qualifying: #777 - 54th
#777 D'Station Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGTE Am of Satoshi Hoshino, Tomonobu Fujii, Charlie Fagg
Photo by: Rainier Ehrhardt
Japanese entrant is making Le Mans appearance number two after signing up to contest the WEC for a second consecutive season with TF Sport. Team bosses Hoshino and Fujii have been joined for the full season by Briton Fagg, a former McLaren GT junior and winner of last year’s Euro GT4 series.
Autosport says: A top-six at Le Mans would be a good result for the D’Station crew.
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Jose Maria Lopez
Photo by: Marc Fleury
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