June is here and for racing enthusiasts that means only one thing: Le Mans. The annual round-the-clock race ranks as one of the most important events on the motorsport calendar. For both participants and spectators it is so much more than a race or the ultimate test of durability. Each year over 250,000 fans from all over the world flock to Le Mans to experience this unique event. In recent years they were treated to a one man(ufacturer) show for the overall victory, but the arrival of Peugeot in 2007 has changed all that. There have been many other improvements made to make the race easier to follow for the fans like the leader lights system, which helps spectators keep track of the top three of each class at any time during the race. New for this year are the tiny Kangaroo TVs, enabling the spectators to watch what happens all around the track.
With a large majority of the track consisting of public road, the participants can not just come over to test in preparation for the race. The organizing Automobile Club de l�Ouest (ACO) have tackled that problem with an official test day, held two weeks before the race. This is mandatory for each team and at least two of the drivers. Each driver that has not raced at Le Mans in at least one of the previous three editions of the race has to complete at least ten laps to qualify for the race. There are no exceptions, not even for previous winners; this year 2003 winner Guy Smith was the victim of many jokes as he had to complete his �rookie test.�
As in previous years we were trackside during the test day and captured all of the cars in their latest configuration and liveries. Sadly the test was dogged with bad weather and only rarely did the track get really dry. The times set are probably not an accurate reflection of the strengths of each entry. All the information gathered at Le Mans and over the last months has been compacted in the following class by class preview, a fully illustrated entry list and a
150-shots slideshow.
LMP1
The current state of endurance racing is well illustrated by the size and depth of the premier prototype class. With 21 cars, it makes up for over a third of the field and includes only few relatively weak entries. Realistically only the six Works supported Audis and Peugeots will be fighting for top honours, but behind them there are more than half a dozen candidates for the best of the rest position. The Aston Martin engined Lola, one of the Pescarolos and one of the Courage-Orecas have all clinched a podium position each in the three Le Mans Series races this season. The Pescarolo team has not been off the podium at Le Mans for three years and their superb reliability, quick team of mechanics and vastly experienced drivers should get them closer to the top of the field with every hour that passes in the race. Especially in qualifying it will be interesting to keep an eye on the all new Dome S102 coupe. The manufacturer�s previous machines always proved blisteringly fast along the track�s long straights and the S102 is a clear improvement. We think it might be able to challenge the diesels over one lap, although the lack of (racing) mileage might prevent the stylish from making it to the finish.
Audi vs. Peugeot is the headline for Le Mans for the second year running. The French manufacturer has now also fielded a third car and expanded their driver line-up with ex-Formula 1 racers only, including 1998 Le Mans winner Alexander Wurz. The highly successful 908 also received updates. At Audi little seems to have changed with identical line-ups and only very minor changes were made to the car.
Peugeot has won all three Le Mans Series races, but Audi came close at each occasion and was robbed of at least one victory by sheer bad luck. At the end of the test Peugeot walked away as winners and losers; in a rare dry moment Wurz set a 3:22.222 (a whopping four seconds faster than last year�s pole and the fastest Audi), but only minutes later Marc Gene destroyed the #7 in a very violent accident that even took a chunk out of the wall. Gene is alright to race, but the French team is running worryingly low on spare parts. Despite Peugeot�s obvious pace advantage, it would still not surprise us if the R10 would score its third victory in a row at what many believe to be its final appearance at Le Mans. The Audi is more frugal and reliable than the Peugeot and the German mechanics� efficiency in the pits is legendary. The #2 Audi with Capello, Kristensen and McNish is certainly the fastest of the three and is our best bet to cross the line first.
LMP2
In the ALMS the LMP2 cars can rival their bigger brothers for overall glory, but with slightly different regulations (an additional 25 kg) and the long straights, we highly doubt that to happen at Le Mans. Causing most of those upsets in North America is the Porsche RS Spyder, which was campaigned there exclusively for two seasons. It has finally made it (back) to Europe in 2008 and two examples will race in the 24 Hours. Reminiscent of the days of old, Porsche has prepared a special low drag body for the high speed track. It looks almost identical to the standard configuration, yet increases the top speed by 15 km/h. With Formula 1 ace Jos Verstappen and A1GP / Porsche Cup star Jeroen Bleekemolen in one car and former Le Mans winner John Nielsen and Works driver Sacha Maassen in the other, the two RS Spyders are certainly the cars to beat. The only car we think that can come close to them is the Speedy Lola B08/80 Coupe. Especially on race pace, it has proven to be a match for the Porsches and has shown remarkable reliability. That is the key word in this class, which last year saw only two cars cross the line. Over long distance races the RS Spyder has only rarely had a trouble free run and the car is notoriously difficult to work on, so any problem could cause lengthy delays. If the fastest cars will hit trouble, the RML MG-Lola (class winner in 2005 and 2006), the Barazi-Epsilon Zytek or the Saulnier Pescarolo could also walk away with the silverware. LMP2 will come down to a simple question: Who will be the last man standing?
GT1
For years this class has been the playing field of specialists Pratt & Miller (Corvette) and Prodrive (Ferrari and now Aston Martin), who have always put on a great show. With the GT-classes under discussion, this could be the last we see of these very quick machines at Le Mans. Last year an early and very rare problem put one of the Corvettes out, giving the edge to the Aston Martins. After a Ferrari win in 2003, it was only the second time Corvette got beaten since 2001. Needless to say the Corvette team has returned to reclaim the class victory and like Aston Martin Racing will field two cars. Neither team has had the best preparation with Corvette running solo in the ALMS and Aston Martin not racing at all this season. However both teams are well oiled machines and should be able to cope with any challenge thrown their way. The DBR9 is probably the faster car over one lap, but over 24 hours the roaring C6.R should have the edge.
Fighting for the best of the rest position behind the four Works cars will be a further two Aston Martins, two Corvettes, a Saleen and the howling Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT. The Team Modena DBR9, the #72 Alphand Corvettes and the Larbre Saleen have already proven to be very evenly matched in the Le Mans Series and could fight for position for the full 24 hours.
GT2
This used to be Porsche 911 territory and might still be, but the position is seriously challenged by the eternal rival Ferrari. One of the 911�s biggest strengths was in the number of examples entered, but this year only three 997 GT3 RSRs are present, compared to seven F430 GTCs. Last year the RSR was no match for the Ferrari, except at Le Mans where its superior reliability and some luck saved Porsche�s honour. Both cars have upgraded for 2008 and Porsche clearly made the biggest step forward. For the three Porsche teams, who do receive considerable factory support and drivers, it must be comforting to know that neither a 360 GT(C) or F430 GTC has ever come close to winning the GT/GT2 class at Le Mans. If a Ferrari will not win this year, then it�s doubtful they�ll ever; the 2007 FIA GT, ALMS and Le Mans Series champions are all present and are eager to clinch the Italian�s first class win at Le Mans for decades. Only the brave Spyker team continues to challenge the two behemoths with their quirky racers. This year they will field the brand new Laviolette GT2-Rs in a striking blue and yellow paintscheme. Engine problems during the test do not bode well for the race, but if reliability can be found a podium finish is not unfeasible.
Final thought
Le Mans style endurance racing is in better shape than it has been for many years and this year�s field for the 24 Hours is dripping with quality both in the car and driver department. All four classes will be closely disputed and if it remains dry the distance record set in 1971 might finally be broken. The race will be easier to follow than ever at track with the leader lights and Kangaroo TV and at home through live timing and Radio Le Mans. Enjoy! We sure will.
LMP1
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1 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10
Frank Biela
Emanuele Pirro
Marco Werner
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2 Audi Sport North America
Audi R10
Rinaldo Capello
Tom Kristensen
Allan McNish
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3 Audi Sport Team Joest
Audi R10
Lucas Luhr
Mike Rockenfeller
Alexandre Premat
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11 Dome Racing Team
Dome S102 Judd
Daisuke Ito
Yugi Tachikawa
Tatsuya Kataoka
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19 Chamberlain-Synergy
Lola B06/10 AER
Gareth Evans
Bob Berridge
Amanda Stretton
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LMP2
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26 Team Bruichladdich Radical
Radical SR9 AER
Marc Rostan
Ben Devlin
Gunnar Jeannette
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32 Barazi Epsilon
Zytek 07S/2
Juan Barazi
Michael Vergers
Stuart Moseley
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33 Speedy Racing Team Sebah
Lola B08/80 Judd
Xavier Pompidou
Andrea Belicchi
Steve Zacchia
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34 Van Merksteijn Motorpsort
Porsche RS Spyder
Peter van Merksteijn
Jos Verstappen
Jeroen Bleekemolen
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41 Trading Performance
Zytek 07S/2
Karim Ojjeh
Claude Yves Gosselin
Adam Sharpe
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44 Kruse Schiller Motorsport
Lola B05/40 Mazda
Jean de Pourtales
Hideki Noda
Allan Simonsen
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GT1
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007 Aston Martin Racing
Aston Martin DBR9
Karl Wendlinger
Andrea Piccini
Heinz Harald Frentzen
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009 Aston Martin Racing
AstonMartin DBR9
David Brabham
Antonio Garcia
Darren Turner
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50 Larbre Competition
Saleen S7-R
Christophe Bouchut
Patrick Bornhauser
David Halliday
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53 Vitaphone Racing Team
AstonMartin DBR9
Peter Hardman
Nick Leventis
Alexandre Negrao
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GT2
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77 Team Felbermayr-Proton
Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
Anthony Davison
Wolf Henzler
Horst Felbermayr Snr.
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80 Flying Lizard Motorsports
Porsche 997 GT3 RSR
Johannes van Overbeek
Jorg Bergmeister
Seth Neiman
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90 Farnbacher Racing
Ferrari F430 GTC
Lars Erik Nielsen
Pierre Ehret
Pierre Kaffer
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97 BMS Scuderia Italia
Ferrari F430 GTC
Paolo Ruberti
Matteo Malucelli
Fabio Babini
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*Withdrawn on the Tuesday before the race
Ultimatecarpage.com
2008 24 Hours of Le Mans Preview
