Le Mans entry list revealed

The factory MG squad has been awarded just one entry for their rapid LMP675 class MG-Lola EX257, rather than the usual two-car factory team. Its number two car is now first on the six-strong reserve list, but will need an entered competitor to drop out before the end of May to take its place on the grid for the June 15/16 classic.

A second MG has won an entry, however, but this is the privateer KnightHawk example which competes in the American Le Mans Series.

Another British team left disappointed is the Ascari squad, which has been given just one entry for their ever-improving Judd-powered KZR-1 prototype - despite finishing sixth at the Sebring 12 Hours last weekend. It ran a two-car team at Le Mans last year, but will have to scale down this time.

The Prodrive squad has only been given one entry for their Ferrari 550 Maranello GTS challenger, a second being placed on the reserve list.

British manufacturer Morgan has an entry for the first time since 1964, with its new Aero 8 model, to give the British fans another car to cheer for.

The main factory teams include two-car efforts from Cadillac and Panoz, and the extended three-car Joest Audi entry as they gun for a hat-trick of victories. A fourth Audi entry has been awarded to the Japanese Goh team, but there is no place for Stefan Johansson's team, which last year ran the Gulf-backed privateer R8.

Another notable absentee is former winner John Nielsen's RN Motorsport team, which was hoping to run a new LMP900 prototype design for the Japanese YR Magic team.

The extension from the usual 48 to 50 cars allows the brace of DAMS team prototypes into the race in their own special invitation category in order to carry out the filming of a new Le Mans movie by Hollywood director Luc Besson.

All entries and reserves have to attend the obligatory test day on May 5.

For the full list of entries, click here.