[LM24 Race] 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans Entry List Thread

[nobster]

Expect Jeroen Bleekemolen to sneek in somewhere...

[Simmi]

JMW announced on Twitter they will announce their Le Mans drivers this weekend.

I'm intrigued as to what the trio will be.

[911targa]

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

#79 Prospeed Competetion Porsche -- their second car. It was suppose to be an ELMS entry but the car was damaged at the test and the team has instead decided to run in GTC in ELMS instead.

The chassis damaged badly in test day was the 2009 one updated to 2011 spec, should the second entry get in, they could lease the 2012 chassis from Crubile. Paul Van Splunteren drove for ProSpeed in 2009 LM24.

Originally Posted by TheMightyM

There are a couple of new teams in GTE in ELMS that the ACO could ask to see if they’d be interested (AT Racing Ferrari, Kessel Racing Ferrari x 2, Crubilé Sport Porsche, Gulf Racing UK Porsche and Aston Martin).

Crubile's Collard and Perrodo are confirmed for #75, so that entry could ends up #79 with different drivers under ProSpeed banner.

And the Gulf AMR is for Jamie Campbell-Walter(2013 WEC #96), which is believed to be an option for #96, or #98 less likely on the list.

Anyway we've a great chance of running out of GTE reserves.

[Richard117]

Originally Posted by isynge

. Indeed you could argue that the Mazda Skyactiv LMP2 could be a legit Garage 56 concept, in that it's outside the regs but doing something that could be innovative.

Why is it outside the regs?
According to article 5.1 and 17.2.2, Diesel is allowed in LMP2.
http://www.fia.com/sites/default/fil...2%20(2014).pdf

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Richard117

Why is it outside the regs?
According to article 5.1 and 17.2.2, Diesel is allowed in LMP2.
http://www.fia.com/sites/default/fil...2%20(2014).pdf

I'm paraphrasing a bit, and am still trying to track down the precise source, but my understanding is at present diesel in LMP2 is not permitted but can be requested, so if you look at article 17 in this version of the regs (dated 14 April) you'll see the elements related to diesel are stricken out and there's the rider that use of other fuel is subject to special request.

Furthermore in this interview from February with John Doonan (DSC link) he says (emphasis added)

We said in 2012, before having to take a step back, that we wanted to provide an LMP2 customer SkyActiv diesel engine. Of course that is not currently allowed but we are in contact with the ACO about the future.

Given the sort of performance we've seen from the Mazda in TUSC I'd almost figure that they'd be better running a G56 programme, where things like tyres, weight, aero and engine performance would be a degree freer - which might see them getting that bit closer to respectable LMP2 times.

[Simmi]

Looks like we've found another LMP2 driver with Mark Shultzhitskiy likely getting the works Oak Ligier seat.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/113634

Cool to see these GT Academy guys consistently getting chances at the race. Hoping Gustavo Yacaman takes the third seat.

The article hints at Jann Mardenborough possibly going to Le Mans but I'm not really sure where he will fit in, unless they put him in the same car...

[KA]

That makes sense, given the earlier report that Shultzitskiy had been testing the car.

I'd certainly like to see Mardenborough get another run at Le Mans...

[nobster]

Mardenborough did a very good job but is his career not too much focussed on single seaters

[Rodger Davies]

Might be, but if Nissan are targeting a Le Mans victory with a GT Academy graduate, Mardenborough would likely be the top candidate/possibility at the moment so all experience would be helpful.

[Hawkwood]

When Nissan gets their LMP1 up and running they're going to have a nice headache when it comes to choosing drivers.
Not only do they have all these young guns hanging about but they have a bucket load of talent in Japan too.

[nobster]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

When Nissan gets their LMP1 up and running they're going to have a nice headache when it comes to choosing drivers.
Not only do they have all these young guns hanging about but they have a bucket load of talent in Japan too.

And some drivers who have driven in Japan for them for years...
Motoyama, Krumm, etc.

[GT6]

Like porsche Nissan will probably want to bring at least one big name star into the team to help generate publicity

[KA]

Assuming they go with a full 2-car entry, rather than a single-car and a second for LM like Toyota did when they came in, I'd expect a 'name' as GT6 suggests, a GT Academy graduate, at least one Japanese driver and someone with recent LMP1 experience.

Getting back onto the topic of this year's entry list, Simmi mentioned a couple of days back that JMW were expected to announce this weekend. IIRC, there had already been a report that their Le Mans drivers wouldn't be their ELMS squad, so I suspect this is a one-off 'rentadrive' deal for Le Mans, maybe with a pro to bolster the lineup.

I wondered if it might be a return of the Saudi/UAE drivers from last year, but IIRC Khaled al-Qubaisi is already confirmed in one of the Proton Porsches.

[Rodger Davies]

Ominous tweet from Mr Dagys referring to a number of 'changes' likely to be announced today.

[GT6]

well what did it say?

[isynge]

I guess Friday was the last 'cheap' time you could pull an entry so suspect we'll see a couple related to that.

[GT6]

suerely we would have heard by now, the grapevine would usually let that out very quickly

[Deleted]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

When Nissan gets their LMP1 up and running they're going to have a nice headache when it comes to choosing drivers.
Not only do they have all these young guns hanging about but they have a bucket load of talent in Japan too.

When = if...

[The Badger]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

Ominous tweet from Mr Dagys referring to a number of 'changes' likely to be announced today.

I reckon Lotus will pull the plug .

Wouldnt surprise me to see Strakka pull out either , over reliability issues .

Ram pull their entry due to finance issues .

SMP pull the plug cuz of finance embargo .

Melleniun pull out . Missed Silverstone and have pulled their Spa entry and pulled their Sebring entry to .

What reserves are left now ?

[Deleted]

My guesses are Lotus and Millennium.

SMP probably waits and see if they get properly choked by the US/EU sanctions later on.

I doubt Strakka will fold. And I'm pretty sure RAM would rather pull out of the rest of the WEC season if it meant they could still afford do Le Mans (the series doesn't even give financial penalties for teams giving up after LM anymore so there's no real downside, apart from ACO not looking so favourable at you for next year). LM means more than all the other sportscar races in the world combined

Dunno about the other teams mentioned earlier. The AsLMS teams look a bit shaky but will probably pull through

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by GT6

Like porsche Nissan will probably want to bring at least one big name star into the team to help generate publicity

Well they've now hired Nick Heidfeld for the Nurburgring 24Hrs, so that could spill over into next year, maybe.
Is he 'big name' enough though?

[Mal]

Originally Posted by GT6

Like porsche Nissan will probably want to bring at least one big name star into the team to help generate publicity

I have seen Chris Hoy and his Nissan backed GT entry on mainstream news several times over the past week or so and they always mention he is targeting Le Mans in 2016.

So there is your big name star generating publicity even if he is not from Motor Racing

[Rodger Davies]

Just seen Mr Dagys' followup that says yo expect three, so I guess the Lotus and Millennium or SMP guess may be a good one. I agree that Ram will likely do LM even if they drop out afterwards.

Either way, I'll be happy to see Labre get in and here's hoping it gives Signatech what they need to get a second car into the rest of the ELMS season, I'd they also get in.

[Simmi]

Wow, okay. Five entries out.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/cin...ants-repeches/

Three Astons, two Millenium Oreca 03s.

Entry list is here: http://www.24h-lemans.com/wpphpFichi...-mans-2014.pdf

No reserves left. Alpine withdrew their reserve as there was clearly nothing to it.

In come Larbre, Caterham (Greaves), Pegasus, Imsa Matmut, Prospeed.

[Samoan Attorney]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Wow, okay. Five entries out.

http://www.endurance-info.com/fr/cin...ants-repeches/

Three Astons, two SMP Oreca 03s.

Entry list is here: http://www.24h-lemans.com/wpphpFichi...-mans-2014.pdf

No reserves left. Alpine withdrew their reserve as there was clearly nothing to it.

In come Larbre, Caterham (Greaves), Pegasus, Imsa Matmut, Prospeed.

Thanks for bringing that to our attention, however it is the two Millenium LM P2 cars that have withdrawn, SMP are still on the list.