Le Mans/WEC – Page 43 – Syndication Server

Ferrari leads, NASCAR Garage 56 shines at Le Mans Test Day

Ferrari AF Corse maintained its advantage in the second and final Le Mans Test Session 2 at Circuit de la Sarthe, run on a hot afternoon to conclude Test Day. After the No. 50 Ferrari 499P led the first session with Antonio Fuoco, the No. 51 Ferrari …

Ferrari AF Corse maintained its advantage in the second and final Le Mans Test Session 2 at Circuit de la Sarthe, run on a hot afternoon to conclude Test Day.

After the No. 50 Ferrari 499P led the first session with Antonio Fuoco, the No. 51 Ferrari turned up the wick to record the fastest time of the day — a 3m29.504s by Antonio Giovinazzi. Ferrari Driver Academy graduate Fuoco set a 3m29.856s in the No. 50 car, although that was only enough to make him fourth fastest in the afternoon.

Two Hypercars that spent significant time in the garage this morning recovered to show well in the afternoon. After an electrical issue brought it to a stop in the first session, the No. 93 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 got back on track to make up for the lost time. The No. 75 Porsche Penske Motorsports 963 also spent a lot of the session in its garage undergoing a brake system component change, but it was able to get out for some running in the last hour.

Laurens Vanthoor wound up second fastest in the No. 6 Penske Porsche 963, just over a tenth away from Giovinazzi’s best time, while Felipe Nasr went fifth fastest in the No. 75 Porsche at the very end, just ahead of the No. 5 Porsche of Frederic Makowiecki.

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Toyota Gazoo Racing’s morning test came to a disappointing end when Mike Conway crashed the No. 7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID at Tetre Rouge. After two hours of repairs, the No. 7 was not only back on track, but third fastest and completed 39 laps. The sister No. 8 Toyota wasn’t up near the top of the time sheets but did log laps steadily — with the reminder to all that these times likely won’t be representative of the days to come.

Paul di Resta was fastest for Peugeot, setting a 3m30.427s in the once-ailing No. 93 car, good for seventh fastest. Not far behind, the “blue deuce” No. 2 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R of Earl Bamber was the best of the marque. All three Cadillacs had trouble-free test sessions.

Even the three privately-built Hypercars, the No. 4 Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vandervell 680 and the two Glickenhaus Racing 007s, were able to show flashes of competitive pace over one lap.

JOTA’s ORECA-Gibson led LMP2 on Test Day with Pietro Fittipaldi setting the pace. Motorsport Images.

JOTA’s “Mighty 38” may have been elevated to Hypercar but its No. 28 ORECA 07 still gives the team a fighting presence in LMP2. Pietro Fittipaldi set the car’s best time towards the end of the afternoon session at 3m35.472s – the only man to surpass the sub-3m36s bracket.

Fittipaldi took the top spot from the No. 31 Team WRT ORECA which had been leading the time sheets courtesy of Ferdinand Habsburg. In third was the No. 35 Alpine Elf Team ORECA of Andre Negrao, looking a little more representative of the best that the Signatech-operated squad has to offer, with Matthieu Vaxiviere right behind him in fourth aboard the refreshed No. 36. Tom Blomqvist was fifth fastest aboard the No. 23 United Autosports ORECA.

JMW Motorsport’s Ferrari 488 GTE EVO ruled LMGTE AM, although well off the pace set by the Garage 56 Camaro. Motorsport Images

In LMGTE Am, the No. 66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 488 GTE EVO was quickest for the second straight session. Louis Prette paced the morning test, but this time Thomas Neubauer had the fastest time at 3m56.088s. Less than a tenth of a second adrift was Francesco Castellacci in the silver No. 54 AF Corse Ferrari, while Daniel Serra made it a Ferrari 1-2-3 class result in the fluorescent yellow No. 57 Kessel Racing (CarGuy) Ferrari.

But the top Porsche wasn’t very far back — there were only two-tenths separating Neubauer from fourth-fastest Benjamin Barker in the No. 86 GR Racing Porsche.

But the biggest impression of the day might have been made by Hendrick Motorsports’ Garage 56 car. The No. 24 Camaro ZL1 lapped more than two seconds better than the quickest time in GTE Am, with Mike Rockenfeller reeling off a 3m53.761s early in the test, showing more of the NASCAR entry’s potential.

“It was incredible.”@JimmieJohnson made the most of his first run out at Le Mans. pic.twitter.com/FrlmYf5xcx

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) June 4, 2023

UP NEXT: Official practice for the 24 Hours of Le Mans begins with Free Practice 1 set for 2pm local time on Wednesday.

RESULTS

Ferrari leads, crash for Toyota in first Le Mans Test Day session

The first test session for the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – one of two sessions on Test Day ahead of next weekend’s race – ended with the No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P of Antonio Fuoco leading the field of 62 cars with a time of …

The first test session for the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans — one of two sessions on Test Day ahead of next weekend’s race — ended with the No. 50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P of Antonio Fuoco leading the field of 62 cars with a time of 3m30.886s. But the session included a setback for Hypercar heavyweight Toyota when Mike Conway got into the grass with his No. 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 HYBRID and spun into the barrier at Tertre Rouge.

Conway was uninjured but the incident inflicted significant damage to the front body panels of the Toyota. The crash led to a red flag which brought an early end to the session.

Behind Fuoco, Peugeot also enjoyed an encouraging start as its No. 94 Peugeot 9X8 was fast and trouble-free, completing a session-best 31 laps with Gustavo Menezes setting the second-fastest time, at 3m31.346s (a faster lap of 3m31.189s was deleted for exceeding track limits). However, the sister car stopped on track early in the session with a mechanical issue.

The Porsche 963s now look fast too. Laurens Vanthoor in the No. 6 Penske Porsche Motorsport 963 set a time of 3m30.787s which would have stood as the fastest — had it not been deleted for exceeding track limits as well. Even so, Porsche still was represented in the top three as Yifei Ye reeled off a 3m31.477s in the No. 38 Hertz Team JOTA 963. The second Ferrari of James Calado was fourth fastest.

Conway wound up fifth fastest with a 3m31.856s, just 0.2s ahead of the fastest Cadillac V-Series.R, the yellow No. 3 from the Chip Ganassi Racing-run squad courtesy of Renger van der Zande.

Reshad de Gerus was a surprise pacesetter in the LMP2 class, driving the No. 47 COOL Racing ORECA to a time of 3m36.409s — faster than two of the Hypercars, and a full second quicker than the next-fastest driver in the class.

Louis Prette took the No. 66 JMW Motorsport Ferrari 488 GTE EVO left the way in LMGTE Am with a 3m56.623s.

The NASCAR Garage 56 entry got off to a strong start, too: The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 looked competitive with the GTE Am field, especially in the hands of Jenson Button, who set a 3m56.880s, which would have been fourth-quickest in the GTE Am running order.

RESULTS

McLaren reveals triple crown livery for Monaco and Spain

McLaren will run a special livery marking its Triple Crown success at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix alongside its Indianapolis 500 designs. The IndyCar team had already launched its unique Indy 500 color schemes that feature one car in the design …

McLaren will run a special livery marking its Triple Crown success at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix alongside its Indianapolis 500 designs.

The IndyCar team had already launched its unique Indy 500 color schemes that feature one car in the design of the 1974 Indy 500-winning livery, one with a nod to the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix success and a third in the colors of the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans victory.

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Now, it has a Formula 1 livery that integrates all three, with the front third being the Le Mans nod, before a white central section and papaya rear in the iconic chevrons layout.

The special design is part of McLaren’s 60th anniversary celebrations and will run not only in Monaco this weekend but also at the following race, the Spanish Grand Prix.

McLaren’s Triple Crown livery with the cars that inspired it

“Having achieved the greatest accomplishment in motorsport by completing the Triple Crown, we are proud to celebrate the rich history of McLaren Racing with a special livery at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix,” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said.

“In line with our 60th anniversary celebrations and honoring the legacy of Bruce McLaren, the unique livery pays homage to the three victories which form the Triple Crown accolade.”

Lando Norris finished on the podium in Monaco two years ago in a one-off Gulf McLaren livery, and says he’s proud to help the team amplify its history.

“It’s a privilege to be involved in McLaren Racing’s 60th anniversary celebrations and to combine three iconic race winning McLaren liveries into one for the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix is going to be a special moment for the whole team,” Norris said.

“McLaren have an impressive record in Monte Carlo and on a personal level to have experienced a podium at the 2021 race was a huge honor. We’ll be racing hard in a great looking car to celebrate Bruce McLaren and the team’s amazing legacy.”

McLaren races in both Monaco and Indianapolis this weekend – with all four cars starting in the top nine positions at the 500 – and will also be producing five showcase films to highlight the maiden victories in each of the three Triple Crown events.

IMSA’s Doonan lends his experience, enthusiasm to NASCAR Garage 56 project

Energy. Enthusiasm. Passion for the product. Those are the qualities that convinced NASCAR and IMSA Chairman Jim France and IMSA CEO Ed Bennett that John Doonan was the right man to serve as President of IMSA. Doonan, the former director of …

Doonan, the former director of motorsports for Mazda North America, joined IMSA in October 2019, and since then, he has played a key role in creating IMSA’s successful new Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class. He also strengthened an alliance with the Automobile Club d’Ouest that has created convergence between IMSA and the international sports car racing community.

France more recently tabbed Doonan to lead a special project that is very close to France’s heart. In 1976, France’s father, NASCAR founder Bill France, hatched a plan to enter a pair of Cup Series cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both cars (a Ford Torino fielded by Junie Donlavey and a Dodge Charger run by Herschel McGriff) failed to make the halfway point of the race, but the uniquely American entries created a strong impression at the historic event and forged a lasting memory for Jim France.

Now, in an effort to boost NASCAR’s international presence and demonstrate the versatility of the Next Gen Cup Series car, France proposed revisiting the events of 1976 by preparing a modified Cup car for Le Mans as the classic endurance event’s “Garage 56” category, an invitational entry intended to showcase new or unusual technology. Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports, and Goodyear were recruited as partners for the project, and Doonan was asked to be the project leader of the effort.

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“In 1976, NASCAR at the time was really strong in the southern U.S. and starting to continue out west, but Mr. France felt it needed more global recognition,” Doonan notes. “The cars were not built to FIA standard at the time, but it was a chance to go over there and try to introduce what was gaining traction here in the States to an international audience. It was the chance to put a stake in the ground and say, ‘Hey, NASCAR is real. Give it a look.’

“Fast forward, the current NASCAR Cup car is a far more versatile and modular car,” he continued. “It’s a lot like the GT cars that run in IMSA or at Le Mans, relative to design and engineering. Jim felt like it was an optimal time to recreate what his dad did and put NASCAR further onto a global stage that can showcase the new car in a manner that might catch the eyes of some of the other manufacturers. I hope the other OEMs come and see there is a huge opportunity with NASCAR and its new car with more road courses.”

As the most successful manufacturer in NASCAR history, Chevrolet was an obvious choice, and Hendrick Motorsports has emerged as the lead Chevrolet NASCAR team over the past 30 years. Similarly, Goodyear’s relationship with NASCAR dates to the 1950s.

Doonan’s task was to ensure that these separate entities came together in pursuit of a common goal, and to assemble a compelling driver lineup that would resonate with American and international race fans. The drivers ultimately chosen were seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, 2009 Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button and versatile sports car ace Mike Rockenfeller, a two-time Le Mans winner, including overall honors in 2010.

“A lot of my role and responsibility is bringing all the partners together, aligning with the ACO, and then finding a driver lineup that also achieved what Jim had hoped for — a group of folks that are well known globally and domestically, who can further our messaging based on their reach,” Doonan says. “The three of them came together like they went to school together as little kids. They’ve really jelled and embraced the project for what it is.

“Everyone has come together so well, and it’s been a lot of fun,” he added. “(IMSA and Corvette factory driver) Jordan Taylor is a coach for the drivers, and I feel like I’ve just been a coach for trying to get the various partners communicating.”

Doonan has certainly made a strong impression on the members of the Garage 56 team. Like Rockenfeller, a veteran of factory Le Mans programs for Audi, Porsche, and Corvette Racing.

“John, for me, is a perfect fit,” Rockenfeller said. “There’s a reason Jim France and his folks put John in that position. I knew him a little when he was running Mazda, but I’ve really gotten to know him well with Garage 56.

“I have to say, the positivity, the smile, the energy he brings all the time, is amazing. He pushes everybody, but is very friendly, very kind, and appreciates stuff. But he also moves things in the right direction. This is a huge project, with great partners. It’s kind of a crazy idea if you think about it, to take NASCAR to Le Mans. But John is absolutely the right guy to lead the effort.”

The Garage 56 entry, which will run as No. 24 — a number traditionally associated with Hendrick — required surprisingly little in the conversion from stock car to endurance racing sports car. The car gained real headlights and taillights, as well as some subtle aerodynamic modifications to increase downforce. The engine is essentially the same iron small-block V8 used in the Cup Series, adapted for the rigors of 24 hours of consecutive running. The car is roughly 500 pounds lighter than a standard Cup car.

Like a Cup car, the Garage 56 car does not have doors; driver changes will be executed through the window, NASCAR-style. In an unusual twist, the ACO insisted on using traditional NASCAR hand jacks for tire changes rather than an air jack system engineered into the car.

“There’s no doubt it’s a tall task to finish the race with this car,” observes Doonan. “We’ve tested seven different times at a variety of circuits, most notably a 24-hour test at Sebring that went really, really well. I think we’re cautiously optimistic the car will achieve what it was set out to do. ‘Finish the race,’ Mr. France said, ‘but don’t finish last.’”

Indeed, the goal for Garage 56 is not to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This is a project intended to build bridges and strengthen relationships, all while hopefully boosting NASCAR’s image on an international basis. But IMSA stands to benefit as well.

“I think this is an additional step towards showing the world what NASCAR racing is all about, what the fans over here have loved for 75 years,” Doonan says. “Steve Phelps (NASCAR president) has said over and over that NASCAR is going to do some bold things. L.A. Coliseum, Chicago street race, North Wilkesboro…my hope all along has been that this can be part of that. It’s putting NASCAR on additional people’s radar. It’s a great time for NASCAR, and to have this happen during the 75th anniversary celebration for NASCAR and the 100th anniversary of Le Mans adds a historical perspective on the whole thing that I love.

“For IMSA, it’s an extension of the relationship with the ACO,” he continues. “It adds to what we’ve tried to do with bringing the top category together, and now the fact that they (the FIA World Endurance Championship) will run GT3 cars in the future as well. I think this is maybe another spoke in that wheel of partnership with the ACO.”

The Garage 56 project has been very personally satisfying for Doonan, giving him a chance to revisit previous experiences as a grassroots racer who ultimately rose to a powerful position in the motorsports world. Under Doonan’s guidance, Mazda grew into the most popular brand in American road racing.

“I feel like I’m back in the race team side of the sport, and a huge part of me is going to miss this project when we reach the checkered flag on Sunday, June 11,” Doonan said. “I grew up at the racetrack; I’ve been a racer all my life. This project gave me a chance to go back to rooting for a specific car in a race, so it’s given me a little boost of energy and excitement to be back on that side.

“But the men and women who have executed this thing are the real heroes of the project. It’s been a total blast and I feel like I’ve gained a whole new batch of friends. There’s no doubt that has been the most rewarding aspect. It’s a historic moment for NASCAR, and I’m super proud of the opportunity to be part of it.”

The art and science of shipping Hendrick Motorsports’ Garage 56 cars to Le Mans

If no detail is too small in racing, Hendrick Motorsports is testing that theory as the final days of preparing its Garage 56 entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans close in. But these details extend beyond car preparation. Hendrick Motorsports will ship …

If no detail is too small in racing, Hendrick Motorsports is testing that theory as the final days of preparing its Garage 56 entry for the 24 Hours of Le Mans close in.

But these details extend beyond car preparation. Hendrick Motorsports will ship two cars to France, a primary and a backup. Building and sending off race cars to competition, however, is an area Hendrick Motorsports is familiar with. In the case of Garage 56, it’s packing and shipping thousands of other parts, pieces, and various items that is a new world. One of its NASCAR Cup Series haulers has a quarter to maybe half of that much equipment.

Racing closer to green flag 🟢🟢🟢 pic.twitter.com/iF83x05n9k

— NASCARG56 (@nascarg56) May 8, 2023

“We have to bring everything,” program manager Ben Wright said.

And “everything” is no exaggeration. Hendrick Motorsports walked RACER through what was the No. 5 and 9 Cup Series race team shop as it prepared for shipping day. It’s where the Garage 56 program has been housed. Bigger items for Garage 56, such as toolboxes, ladders, a refrigerator, and most of the car parts, were sent via sea freight. It took about a month for those items to arrive in France, which they now have.

Thursday is air freight shipping day. Both cars and the remaining equipment are set to leave the shop — pieces like bodywork, suspension parts, brakes, diffusers and the underwing.

“There are multiples of multiples, and things down to specialty bolts and screws,” said Scott Honan, race mechanic and logistics coordinator. “Things that you can’t even grasp how many special fasteners or things there are. It keeps adding up.”

There is no going back to the race shop if something is missing or another tool is needed. And the team isn’t going to take the chance of what they need being in France somewhere or having partners who can lend them something. Unlike going to Darlington Raceway or North Wilkesboro for a Cup Series race and the team knowing what they need, it’s completely new with the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Some of those at Hendrick Motorsports have been sports car racing before, but nothing to the extent of preparing for Le Mans.

“We don’t have a clue (what we need),” said Honan. “You keep looking and packing and thinking, ‘Maybe I need more of this or these.’ It seems like overkill, but maybe it’s not because I keep reminding myself we don’t know what we’re in for.”

“We’re trying to be self-sufficient,” said Wright. That includes bringing tables and chairs, the necessary apparel, crew suits, hats and extra crew shoes. There are even bags upon bags of shoelaces and air fresheners. Those aren’t for competition but as giveaways to fans during a parade event.

There are lists for everything. Honan said it’s not uncommon to pack things, unpack them, move them around and pack them all again.

Speaking of lists, because the team is dealing with international travel, there has to be a catalog of what’s shipped. And those lists can’t change once they’ve been submitted. If more items are thought of, they’ll get packed into suitcases and bags for team members to take individually.

Hendrick Motorsports went as far as building its own wooden crates for what’s being packed. Honan opened one to show how a center or rear clip was put in it in as close to one piece as possible. Most of the shipped parts and pieces are kept as intact as possible to limit the time spent in France having to put it all together.

It’s the same for the two cars, which an auto carrier will pick up. Those will stay largely intact and won’t be put in a crate. The front splitter will be wrapped in some way to protect it while pieces that protrude from the car, like the side mirrors, dive plains (on the front fenders), and rear canards (on the rear quarter panels), are taken off as not to be damaged in transportation.

Before the sea freight left, Honan and others played Tetris on the shop floor. They mapped out the size of the sea freight container and worked to see how everything would fit before putting it all in the real thing. There was also a 3D rendering done before packing it so Hendrick Motorsports knows everything in their container and how it fits.

It was helpful to do that after taking a 16-hour reconnaissance trip to Sebring recently, where they watched some of the WEC teams unload their containers and saw what did or didn’t work.

“It’s been about three months, and I haven’t touched a race car at all,” said Honan. “Sea freight and air freight is all I’ve done for three months.”

While the last of the equipment is shipped off Thursday, the team doesn’t leave for France until the 27th. The race is June 10-11.

“It’s exciting, for sure,” Wright said of being involved in the Garage 56 program. “Doing this for a one-off, to be racing at Le Mans, for me, it’s a bucket list thing. New cars are always fun. They’re fun and a mountain of work. And it’s a challenge, but I think we all like to be challenged.”

Hendrick Motorsports is going to Le Mans intending to finish the race. As far as it can find through research, a car built purposely for a Garage 56 entry has never finished the race. Some never even made the start having experienced problems beforehand.

Of course, everything that gets shipped to France has to come back. Nothing can be left behind when the race is over. Meaning the whole packing and shipping process will repeat itself before being unloaded and categorized back at the Hendrick Motorsports shop.

Porsche’s global GTP program brings parts supply challenges

Supporting customer GTP teams has presented Porsche with markedly different challenges than it’s been accustomed to with traditional GT3 customer outfits. Ongoing work to produce enough cars and spares as its three-car Le Mans effort looms only …

“It’s certainly a big difference because the car is much more complicated,” Urs Kuratle, Porsche Motorsports’ Director of Factory Racing explained. “As you can see, there is a lot of equipment and especially a lot of software to take care of. The customer support program is much more difficult than in a GT car. Certain things are the same, but to set up the support program and to bring the team up to speed — that’s a big focus.”

JDC-Miller Motorsports — Porsche’s newest partner — is entering this weekend’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship round with hardly anything in reserve.

“What I hear is zero (spares),” driver Mike Rockenfeller explained. “Maybe we have a few, but honestly I feel there is not much, and I think Jota was in the same situation at Spa. You have to start going at a certain point, otherwise we wouldn’t be here, and in six months still saying, ‘Oh, there are no parts; we cannot race; we need more time.’ I think we just go and see what happens.”

Incidents in the opening round of the IMSA championship have placed the whole global operation on the back foot.

“As we are racing in both (IMSA and the WEC) in parallel, we have to have spare parts on both sides of the ocean and that’s a big effort. We need a lot, a lot, of spare parts,” Kuratle said. “In the first few races we had quite a lot of contact on track as well, so we lost quite a lot of bodywork and parts there. It’s a big effort for us to have it all up to speed.”

Kuratle told to RACER that the three Porsche 963 chassis that Porsche Penske Motorsports will use at Le Mans will be the two World Endurance Championship chassis combined with one from the IMSA side.

Tire warmers returning for Le Mans after Spa complaints

The ACO has confirmed that tire warmers are set to be re-introduced to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month, under a single-race exemption. According to the ACO, this decision has been made to ensure that …

The ACO has confirmed that tire warmers are set to be re-introduced to the FIA World Endurance Championship for the 24 Hours of Le Mans next month, under a single-race exemption.

According to the ACO, this decision has been made to ensure that “drivers of all experience levels will be able to compete in the safest possible environment regardless of track conditions and temperatures.”

It will also give “tire manufacturers, teams and drivers will gain valuable time to develop a better understanding of how to bring cold tires up to temperature ahead of the remainder of the 2023 FIA WEC season.”

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The return of tire warmers will apply to all three classes, with the warming ovens set to be powered by 100% sustainable fuel from the series’ exclusive supplier TotalEnergies.

This decision comes after several significant incidents impacted the 6 Hours of Spa weekend, caused by cars struggling on cold tires in the changeable conditions.

The new-for-2023 policy was originally introduced to reduce the FIA WEC’s environmental impact as part of a long-term tire “road map” after months of discussions with the series’ tire manufacturers, Michelin and Goodyear. However, the incidents for front-running Hypecars in Spa involving Brendon Hartley (Toyota) in qualifying at Raidillon and Antonio Fuoco (Ferrari) on the way down to Eau Rouge during the race, put the issue in the spotlight.

The reaction to the incidents included an openly critical statement after the race from Antonello Coletta, the head of Attiva Sportive GT.

“Starting from the assumption that the rules are the same for everyone and that we abide by them, I think we need to reflect on the ban on tire warmers,” he said. “It’s a common opinion in the paddock and among professionals, not to mention the drivers, that this situation has become dangerous. At Spa, there have been many accidents and extreme episodes due to cold temperatures and changeable weather, and it’s time to do some serious thinking on the matter because it has major ramifications for safety.

“We are on the eve of a decisive race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans where, overnight, temperatures are low and speeds very high. It’s not just an issue for us. The accidents involved different cars, from different classes, driven at the time by both professional and gentleman drivers, and this situation had already been predicted some time ago.”

RACER understands that Ferrari was the only manufacturer openly lobbying for this change.

Provisional entry list revealed for Le Mans 24 Hours

The final gaps in the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours entry list have been filled, with today’s release of the latest provisional entry list for the centenary race. There have been a handful of changes in the three main classes, though only in the driver …

The final gaps in the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours entry list have been filled, with today’s release of the latest provisional entry list for the centenary race.

There have been a handful of changes in the three main classes, though only in the driver columns. There have been no changes to the list of teams, but the reserve list has been reduced to eight following a withdrawal from IMSA stalwart Risi Competizione.

With all 186 drivers now named, we have a clear picture of the level of quality in the field for this year’s running of the world’s greatest endurance race, set for June 10-11. The list includes no fewer than 16 drivers with F1 experience, two of whom are world champions: Jenson Button and Jacques Villeneuve. It also features 10 previous overall Le Mans winners, 11 WEC world drivers’ championship winners, five GTE Pro champions and 16 other class champions.

There are also title winners from various other global championship including NASCAR, IndyCar, Champ Car, IMSA and WTCC.

A pair of Glickenhaus 007s will be on hand at Le Mans to do battle with their Hypercar rivals. Motorsport Images

In Hypercar, the latest edition of the entry confirms the drivers for Glickenhaus Racing’s second 007 LMH. The No. 709 will be driven by Franck Mailleux, who stood in for Ryan Briscoe at Spa in the No. 708, Nathanael Berthon who will make his eighth Le Mans start and former Sauber and Haas F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez.

LMP2, meanwhile, sees a few new names confirmed.

In Prema Racing’s No. 9 WEC-entered ORECA, Juan Manuel Correa returns after missing Sebring and Spa due to his F2 commitments. It means future Lamborghini LMDh driver Andrea Caldarelli is without a drive in the race.

DKR Engineering brings a newly confirmed all-Belgian trio to the entry, with just one of the team’s ELMS full-season drivers, Tom Van Rompuy, set to drive. He will be joined by BMW factory driver Maxime Martin and Ugo de Wilde in the No. 43 Pro-Am entered ORECA.

The remaining tweaks and additions come in the GTE Am field, for the category’s final appearance at Le Mans.

GTE Am power Proton has made a number of changes to the rosters of its Porsche entries for Le Mans. Motorsport Images

At the top of the list, Jan Heylen is named alongside Ryan Hardwick and Zacharie Robichon in the No. 16 Proton Competition Porsche. Heylen becomes the team’s third co-driver of the season, after Harry Tincknell in the WEC races pre-Le Mans and Alessio Picariello in the ELMS season opener.

It may come as a surprise to some to see this lineup feature in the ELMS No. 16 rather than the FIA WEC No. 88, but Proton’s efforts will reshuffle after Le Mans with the arrival of its Porsche 963 for the Hypercar category.

With Hardwick and Robichon in the No. 16, the No. 88 that has contested the opening WEC races of the season will be driven by Harry Tincknell, Brendan Iribe and Oliver Millroy. Originally Gianmaria Bruni was listed as the car’s nominated first driver, but a drive for the 2022 GTE Pro Le Mans class winner has not come to fruition for what would have been his 15th start. However, the Italian ace is still expected to form part of Proton’s Porsche 963 effort in IMSA and WEC post-Le Mans, along with Tincknell.

In the third and final car entered by Proton, Martin Rump has been named, as expected, alongside his full-season ELMS teammates Michael Fassbender and Richard Lietz in the No. 911.

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Three of the Ferrari teams on the GTE Am list have added new names to the grid.

AF Corse’s No. 21 sees Diego Alessi’s seat taken up by Frenchman Julien Piguet. ELMS outfit JMW Motorsport has named a new set of drivers for its No. 66 488. The British team will race with Thomas Neubauer, Louis Prette and Giacomo Petrobelli. Meanwhile, Asian Le Mans Series GT3 title winner Walkenhorst Motorsport has signed Chandler Hull, Jeff Segal and Andrew Haryanto for its Le Mans debut.

There are no surprises from the Aston Martin teams in the entry, although this entry list confirms the addition of Heart of Racing trio Ian James, Daniel Mancinelli and Alex Riberas in the No. 98 Northwest AMR Vantage. They replace Paul Dalla Lana, Axcil Jefferies and Nicki Thiim, following PDL’s sudden retirement last month.

The absence of Dalla Lana and Thiim breaks two significant streaks. This year would have been Dalla Lana’s 11th start and Thiim’s 10th.

ENTRY LIST

Jan Magnussen returning to Le Mans in Inter Europol LMP2

Inter Europol Competition has confirmed that Jan Magnussen will spearhead the driver lineup for its No. 32 LMP2 Pro-Am ORECA at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. The Polish team has signed the former longtime Corvette Racing factory driver for what will …

Inter Europol Competition has confirmed that Jan Magnussen will spearhead the driver lineup for its No. 32 LMP2 Pro-Am ORECA at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Polish team has signed the former longtime Corvette Racing factory driver for what will be his 24th start in the race. The Dane, who made his debut at Le Mans in 1999, has four class wins to his name, all with Corvette in GT1, and will hope to add to his successes this year.

“It is extra special, as it will be my 24th participation in Le Mans,” he said. “Crazy to think that during my first race in 1999, I said to the press that I would not come back again. When I later crossed the finish line and saw the crew standing on the pit wall tired, dirty but also happy to see the car finish the race, everything changed.

“Since then, Le Mans has been the greatest moment of the year, and I’m happy to be back again for another try. With only weeks until the start, we have limited time for testing and preparation, but with a strong team behind us combined with a lineup of drivers with lots of long-distance experience, we are optimistic and looking forward to getting started.”

Magnussen will drive alongside fellow Dane Anders Fjordbach and Californian Mark Kvamme, who have both been teammates of his in the past.

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Magnussen has competed at Le Mans with Fjordbach, as part of High Class Racing’s LMP2 effort in his most recent start back in 2021. He also has 24-hour experience with Kvamme, sharing the No. 53 MDK Motorsports Porsche in the Rolex 24 At Daytona earlier this year.

In addition to the No. 32, Inter Europol will field its full-season FIA WEC-entered No. 34 ORECA in the race, with Jakub Smiechowski, Fabio Scherer and Albert Costa.

Ferrari frustrated by ‘dangerous’ WEC tire warmer ban

Ferrari Attiva Sportive GT boss Antonello Coletta and Giuliano Salvi, the Ferrari GT & Sports Race Cars race and testing manager, have both spoken out on the FIA World Endurance Championship’s decision to ban tire warmers for this season, following …

The rule change, which was made to reduce the environmental impact the FIA WEC has during race meetings, has been a key topic of discussion since the first round of the season. However, throughout the meeting Spa, which was held in significantly colder temperatures than the events in Sebring and Portimao, the debate came more into focus as teams and drivers began to question whether or not it is a safety issue that needs further thought.

The track action in Belgium was heavily impacted by multiple incidents throughout the meeting, caused specifically by drivers struggling to heat up their stone-cold tires. This included two accidents for front-running Hypercar factory drivers, Toyota’s Brendon Hartley and Ferrari’s Antonio Fuoco, both of whom were passengers in their respective cars as they veered off the notoriously unforgiving Spa circuit.

For Hartley, the off at Raidillon in qualifying meant he and his teammates in the No. 8 GR010 HYBRID were forced to start at the very back of the grid. Not only did the team have to deal with the consequences of not setting a time, it further disrupted the team’s race strategy as it also lost a set of tyres that were needed for the race.

A day later, Fuoco’s accident in the No. 50 Ferrari 499P during the race was more damaging still. The Italian, driving in a straight line out of the pits, was sent careening into the guardrail on the run down to Eau Rouge after the car snapped sideways. The retirement for the No. 50 came after an earlier moment at in the race, when Miguel Molina suffered major understeer at pit out, narrowly avoiding the concrete divider between the pit lane and the exit of La Source. Thankfully the Spaniard missed it, but he was later penalised for crossing the pit exit white line.

“This (Fuoco’s) kind of incident comes from regulations without blankets. We saw the same with Toyota. We saw a lot of crashes. We said many times Spa could be tricky, but it’s the same for everybody. Fortunately, nobody was injured,” Salvi told the media in a post-race technical briefing.

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Coletta expanded on Salvi’s thoughts later in the evening with a post-race statement which was openly critical of the new regulation, describing it as “dangerous.”

Both Ferrarin and Toyota had issues on cold tires at Spa. Motorsport Images

It’s not just members of the Ferrari team that have been vocal on this issue since yesterday’s race. Toyota driver Mike Conway, who went on to win the 6 Hours of Spa in the No. 7 GR010 HYBRID, told RACER he would welcome the return of tire warmers.

“Yeah,” he said when asked directly if it was time for a change. “There are some people pushing for it. We saw Brendon yesterday in qualifying. When you leave the pits you are on ice and (just) surviving.”

However, Conway questions whether such a change in regulations would be smart, or even feasible ahead of Le Mans, which is just weeks away.

“I wouldn’t be against it, but I don’t know if they can do such a big change going into Le Mans,” he continued. “Does everyone have the capacity to do it?

“We also don’t know what effect it will have on the tires by warming them a bit quicker. Maybe something could be done? It could avoid these incidents. In colder temperatures, on a high-energy track like here, you’re forced into a situation where you have got to take a tire that’s a bit harder and harder to warm up.

“Yes,” he said when asked by RACER if he was worried about Le Mans. “Not so much at the exit of pit lane, but when you come down that hill (after the Dunlop Bridge), I know already what it’s going to feel like.”

While rule makers have repeatedly stated that there is no intention to change or even review this new policy, on-track incidents and now public reaction from key partners in the championship inevitably add pressure to look again at the initial problem, the chosen solution, and any available alternatives.