ACO unveils 2010 LeMans entry list. DOME LMP1 returns.

[EJ25RUN]

Entry list unveiled for Le Mans

Autosport

By Steven English Thursday, February 4th 2010, 12:33 GMT

2009 Le Mans 24 HoursThe entry list for this year's Le Mans 24 Hours has been revealed, with LMP1 cars filling 21 of the 55 places.

Last year's winner Peugeot returns with three cars as expected, as does Audi, which has confirmed its line-ups for each car. Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello will remain together, with Mike Rockenfeller, Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas in a second car and Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer in the third.

Each team has only had to register one driver per car at this stage, so the only confirmed Peugeot drivers are Alexander Wurz, Nicolas Minassian and Sebastien Bourdais.

The factory Aston Martin team will return with two cars, with Darren Turner and Harold Primat listed to drive. The Dome team will also return to Le Mans after its absence last year. Sebastien Philippe is the only driver listed so far.

The rest of the LMP1 class is as expected, with ORECA running one of its own cars as well as a customer Peugeot 908. Signaure-Plus will enter a customer Aston Martin, Kolles will again field two Audi R10s, Pescarolo will run one car, with Sora Racing bringing a second. Lola will be represented by Drayson Racing, Rebellion Racing with two cars and American team Autocon. Nigel Mansell's entry has also been confirmed, alongside his sons Leo and Greg, in a Ginetta-Zytek.

Highcroft Racing will enter its Acura in the LMP2 class, with last year's winner David Brabham registered to drive. Strakka Racing will bring a second Acura, while Pescarolo will be represented by Oak Racing with two cars. Lolas will come from RML and Racing Box, and Ginetta-Zyteks from Quifel-ASM and Bruichladdich. Gerard Welter/Salini completes the class entry with its WR-Zytek.

Eight cars are entered for the GT1 class, but only three from the new-for-2010 GT1 World Championship and there are no Maseratis, despite the MC12 being declared eligible for Le Mans.

There will be three Corvettes, two from Alphand and one from Peka Racing, two Ford GTs from Match Competition and Marc VDS, plus the Larbre Competition Saleen, Young Driver AMR Aston Martin and JLOC Lamborghini.

BMW and Jaguar will join the GT2 class this year, with two works cars from the German manufacturer - with Andy Priaulx and Jorg Muller signed up to drive - and an RSR-run Jaguar XKR. The factory Corvette team will enter GT2 for the first time, with two cars. There are six Ferraris; two from Risi Competizione and one each from Modena, Farnbacher, AF Corse and BMS Scuderia. One Porsche each for Prospeed, IMSA and Flying Lizards, plus the Dutch Spyker.

Scrutineering will take place on Sunday and Monday June 6-7, with first practice on Wednesday June 9 from 1600-1800.

2010 Le Mans 24 Hours entries
# Team Car Drivers
LMP1

#1 Peugeot Peugeot 908 HDi Wurz, TBA, TBA
#2 Peugeot Peugeot 908 HDi Minassian, TBA, TBA
#3 Peugeot Peugeot 908 HDi Bourdais, TBA, TBA
#4 ORECA Peugeot 908 HDi Panis, Lapierre, TBA
#5 Beechdean-Mansell Ginetta-Zytek Z09R Mansell, Mansell, Mansell
#6 ORECA ORECA 01-AIM Ayari, TBA, TBA
#7 Audi Audi R15 TDi Kristensen, McNish, Capello
#8 Audi Audi R15 TDi Lotterer, Fassler, Treluyer
#9 Audi Audi R15 TDi Rockenfeller, Bernhard, Dumas
#10 Dome Dome S102-Judd Philippe, TBA, TBA
#11 Drayson Lola B09/60-Judd Drayson, Cocker, TBA
#12 Rebellion Lola B10/60-Rebellion Belicchi, Boullion, TBA
#13 Rebellion Lola B10/60–Rebellion Prost, Jani, TBA
#14 Kolles Audi R10 TDi Albers, TBA, TBA
#15 Kolles Audi R10 TDi Bakkerud, TBA, TBA
#17 Pescarolo Pescarolo 01-Judd Tung, TBA, TBA
#18 Sora Pescarolo 01-Judd Tinseau, TBA, TBA
#19 Autocon Lola B06/10-AER Lewis, TBA, TBA
#007 Aston Martin Lola-Aston Martin Primat, TBA, TBA
#008 Signature-Plus Lola-Aston Martin Ragues, Mailleux, TBA
#009 Aston Martin Lola-Aston Martin Turner, TBA, TBA

LMP2

#24 Oak Pescarolo 01-Judd Nicolet, TBA, TBA
#25 RML Lola B08/80-HPD Newton, Erdos, TBA
#26 Highcroft Acura ARX-01c-HPD Brabham, Franchitti, TBA
#29 Racing Box Lola B08/80-Judd Pirri, TBA, TBA
#35 Oak Pescarolo 01-Judd Hein, TBA, TBA
#37 Welter/Salini WR-Zytek Salini, TBA, TBA
#40 Quifel-ASM Ginetta-Zytek 09S Amaral, Pla, TBA
#41 Bruichladdich Ginetta-Zytek 07S Ojjeh, Greaves, TBA
#42 Strakka Acura ARX-01c Watts, Leventis, TBA

GT1

#50 Larbre Saleen S7R Berville, Bornhauser, TBA
#52 Young Driver AMR Aston Martin DBR9 Nygaard, Enge, TBA
#53 Peka Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Kumpen, TBA, TBA
#61 Matech Ford GT Gachnang, Allemann, TBA
#69 JLOC Lamborghini Murcielago Yogo, TBA, TBA
#70 Marc VDS Ford GT de Doncker, TBA, TBA
#72 Alphand Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Alphand, TBA, TBA
#73 Alphand Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Gregoire, TBA, TBA

GT2

#63 Corvette Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Magnussen, O'Connell, Garcia
#64 Corvette Chevrolet Corvette C6.R Gavin, Beretta, TBA
#75 Prospeed Porsche 997 GT3 RSR van Splunteren, TBA, TBA
#76 IMSA Porsche 997 GT3 RSR Narac, TBA, TBA
#78 BMW BMW E92 M3 Muller, TBA, TBA
#79 BMW BMW E92 M3 Priaulx, TBA, TBA
#80 Flying Lizard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR Neiman, TBA, TBA
#81 Jaguar RSR Jaguar XKR GT2 Pruett, Goossens, Gentilozzi
#82 Risi Ferrari F430 GT2 Jonsson, Krohn, TBA
#83 Risi Ferrari F430 GT2 Melo, TBA, TBA
#84 Modena Ferrari F430 GT2 Rusinov, TBA, TBA
#85 Spyker Spyker C8 Laviolette Coronel, TBA, TBA
#89 Farnbacher Ferrari F430 GT2 Farnbacher, Simonsen, TBA
#92 JMW Aston Martin Vantage Bell, TBA, TBA
#96 AF Corse Ferrari F430 GT2 Perez-Companc, Russo, TBA
#97 BMS Ferrari F430 GT2 Malucelli, TBA, TBA

[atlantamx3]

Sad to see the lack of Mazdas....

[EJ25RUN]

Sad to see the lack of Mazdas....

I'm with you there as I'd like to see Dyson earn a spot with their Mazda powered car. The big thing here is Mazda has to commit to racing outside the privateer level.

Also, it's not like the Grand Am RX8 qualifies under FIA GT rules since it's a Riley chassis underneath the body.

[Elbow]

A little OT, is Audi running Sebring? I know they said no, they're running Petit, but they were testing there.

[EJ25RUN]

A little OT, is Audi running Sebring? I know they said no, they're running Petit, but they were testing there.

Thank Peugeot for Audi not being there.



Audi's participation in the 2010 Sebring 12 Hours with an interim version of its R15 prototype has been vetoed by archrival Peugeot.

The German manufacturer proposed taking this year's R15s fitted with 2010-spec engines to the American Le Mans Series opener in March. The move, which needed unanimous agreement of rival teams, was rejected by Peugeot.

Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich explained that late confirmation of next year's Le Mans regulations made it impossible to build a revised R15 fully conforming to the 2010 regulations in time for Sebring on March 20.

"We would have liked to do Sebring," he said. "That is why I had discussion with IMSA and then the Automobile Club de l'Ouest. The ACO said that if our competitors agreed for us to run a mixed car, then they would find solution. One of our competitors did not agree, and therefore we had to give up [on the idea]."

Audi was seeking to be allowed to run the car with the front-end aerodynamics that caused so much controversy in 2009. New rules for next year have limited the profile and position of a flap inside the nose that works in conjunction with the splitter to create, according to its critics, an illegal front wing.

Peugeot Sport boss Olivier Quesnel confirmed that he had objected to Audi's return to Sebring for a 12th successive assault.

"We have regulations and everyone should conform to them," he said. "Can you imagine if I asked Audi if we could have run at Le Mans this year without air-conditioning [which is mandatory for coupes]?"

Audi will still be taking one R15 to Sebring in March. It plans to undertake an endurance simulation at the Florida venue immediately after the race.

Ullrich explained that the track would present ideal conditions for a 30-hour test in the week after the race.

"There will be grid on the track, some debris around and lots of tire pick-up," he said.

Peugeot has confirmed that it will still race at Sebring in spite of Audi's absence.

To read more visit the AutoWeek ALMS racing news and reports section.

[roscoe]

Haven't been keeping up with Le Mans the past couple of years but has Spyker had an entry in years before?

[EJ25RUN]

Haven't been keeping up with Le Mans the past couple of years but has Spyker had an entry in years before?

Many.

Usually with Tom Coronel driving.