A record field of 27 LMP2 prototypes will compete in the LMP2 class at the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans.
All bar the CD Sport entry will field ORECA 07 chassis (with the #27 squad fielding a Ligier JS P217), all powered by the ‘spec’ and glorious Gibson 4.2 litre normally aspirated V8 and all shod with Goodyear rubber, a change this year though is that there are slicks and full wets available for the class, but no intermediates.
All cars will run to WEC specification, that means with the lower drag, lower downforce bodywork previously reserved (Pre-2021) for Le Mans only and with front dive planes removed.
As with last year, the field is split into LMP2 and, for teams featuring at least one Bronze-rated driver, LMP2 Pro-Am.
RICHARD MILLE RACING TEAM
WEC Full Season
#1 Oreca 07-Gibson: Lilou Wadoux* (FRA), Sébastien Ogier* (FRA), Charles Milesi (FRA)
After two seasons with an all-female line-up Richard Mille Racing Team returns with a mixed line-up this time. Nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Ogier is the headline here, Ogier though needs time to unlock pace. Lilou Wadoux is another rookie at Le Mans, the young French woman drafted into the Signatech-run squad after an impressive season in Alpine Elf Europa Cup win. Charles Milesi, LMP2 class winner at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans with WRT completes the trio.
Best Time At Test Day:3:33.642
DKR ENGINEERING
#3 Oreca 07-Gibson: Laurents Hörr* (DEU), Jean Glorieux* (BEL), Alexandre Cougnaud* (FRA)
DKR Engineering has earned a return to Le Mans for the first time since 2013 as the 2021 European Le Mans Series LMP3 champions. The team will be hoping for a more competitive showing than they managed with a Lola-Judd just under a decade ago.
The Luxembourg-based team has had astounding form in LMP3 in recent years and brings multiple title winners Laurents Hörr and Jean Glorieux for their first crack at the Great Race in a car rented from Graff. Hörr in particular is going to be one to watch!
Frenchman Alexandre Cougnaud completes an all-rookie trio after participating in the 2018 Test Day with Graff Racing-SO24.
Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.219
TEAM PENSKE
#5 Oreca 07-Gibson: Dane Cameron* (USA), Emmanuel Collard (FRA), Felipe Nasr* (BRA)
Roger Penske’s team is competing in the World Endurance Championship for the very first time this season with Le Mans being their final race of a half-season commitment before the squad switches its full focus to their 2023 Porsche Hypercar programme.
The hugely successful American outfit has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans just once, in 1971 with a Ferrari 512 M!
The car will be driven by a pair of double IMSA Champions – Dane Cameron (33), IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship winner in 2016 and 2019, and Ex Grand Prix racer Felipe Nasr (29) who took the IMSA title in both 2018 and 2021. Emmanuel Collard (51) who has 24 Le Mans starts under his belt, joins the team as their mandatory Silver-rated driver.
Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.200
PREMA ORLEN TEAM
WEC Full Season
#9 Oreca 07-Gibson: Robert Kubica (POL), Louis Delétraz (CHE), Lorenzo Colombo *(ITA)
Prema was already a force to be reckoned with in single seater racing and now has shown it has real potential in sportscars too, the team linking with Iron Lynx and finding form in LMP2.
Their Le Mans car is a 2-22 full season FIA WEC effort bringing reigning European Le Mans Series champions, Robert Kubica and Louis Delétraz together at a new team and adding promising Italian talent Lorenzo Colombo to complete the line-up. The team’s other #9 Oreca has won the first two rounds of the ELMS with Deletraz and Colombo both part of the winning crew there too.
Best Time At Test Day:3:33.526
VECTOR SPORT
WEC Full Season
#10 Oreca 07-Gibson: Nico Müller *(CHE), Ryan Cullen (GBR), Sébastien Bourdais (FRA)
This new, Silverstone-based team is managed by former JOTA Technical Director Gary Holland
The #10 Oreca will be shared by two-time DTM Championship runner-up Nico Müller, Ryan Cullen (three starts) and Sébastien Bourdais (16 starts).
Best Time At Test Day:3:37.034
TDS RACING x VAILLANTE
#13 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07-Gibson: Philippe Cimadomo* (FRA), Mathias Beche (CHE), Tijmen van der Helm* (NLD) Pro/Am
TDS Racing has linked with the Michel Vaillant brand for a full season ELMS effort, the team successful in their bid to be added to the Le Mans entry too.
The project will spawn a graphic novel due to be published in 2023 to coincide with the centenary of the legendary race and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jean Graton, the French author and illustrator who created comic book hero Michel Vaillant in 1957.
The driver line-up will be spearheaded by Mathias Beche (seven starts). He will be joined by 18-year-old Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm whose LMP2 debut came at the 24 Hours of Daytona with G-Drive Racing by APR, and Philippe Cimadomo, a former 24-Hour Series championship racer.
Best Time At Test Day: 3:33.371 (Fastest in Pro-Am)
UNITED AUTOSPORTS USA
WEC Full Season
#22 Oreca 07-Gibson: Phil Hanson (GBR), Filipe Albuquerque (PRT), Will Owen (USA)
#23 Oreca 07-Gibson: Alex Lynn (GBR), Oliver Jarvis (GBR), Joshua Pierson* (USA)
After dominating the LMP2 class in 2020 including ELMS and WEC Class Championships and a win at Le Mans, United Autosports was bettered by Team WRT last year.
They were in contention throughout the season but suffered disaster at le Mans with one team car taking out a second!
The #22 car driven by 202 winners Phil Hanson (seven starts) and Filipe Albuquerque (eight starts) and Will Owen (four starts) is a potential race winner, but the sister #23 shouldn’t be counted out after winning the opening round of the 2022 FIA WEC season, the 1000 Miles of Sebring.
GTE Pro race winner Alex Lynn (five starts) and 2017 LMP2 winner Oliver Jarvis will be ably backed by 16-year-old American Josh Pierson, he arrived in the WEC already a two-time LMP2 race-winner in the Asian Le Mans Series and will make history as the youngest ever starter at Le Mans.
#22 Best Time At Test Day: 3:32.099
#23 Best Time At Test Day: 3:32.879
NIELSEN RACING
#24 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07-Gibson: Rodrigo Sales (USA), Matt Bell* (GBR), Ben Hanley (GBR)
Nielsen Racing returns for a second 24 Hours of Le Mans on the back of its LMP2 win in the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series.
This time though the long-time LMP3 front-running team are full season European Le Mans Series entrants too and their full season ELMS trio and Asian Le Mans Series Champions The architects of the Asian Le Mans Series title will share the wheel of the #24 Oreca: Rodrigo Sales has raced at Le Mans with JMW in GTE Am whilst Ben Hanley has five starts on his cv, Matt Bell makes a deserved and long-awaited debut.
Best Time At Test Day:3:34.861
CD SPORT
#27 (Pro-Am) Ligier JS P217-Gibson: Christophe Cresp* (FRA), Michael Jensen* (DNK), Steven Palette* (FRA)
This French team based in Périgueux picked up its first Le Mans 24 Hours with an impressive 2022 Asian Le Mans Series LMP3 title. CD Sport has also competed in Road To Le Mans on four occasions.
The CD Sport Ligier is an ex Eurointernational machine for Christophe Cresp and Michael Jensen, two racers with solid LMP3 experience. They will be captained by Steven Palette who has just won three titles in a row in three different disciplines: the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint, the FFSA French Touring Car Championship, and the Asian Le Mans Series with CD Sport.
Best Time At Test Day:3:42.738
JOTA
WEC Full Season
#28 Oreca 07-Gibson: Oliver Rasmussen* (DNK), Ed Jones* (GBR), Jonathan Aberdein* (ZAF)
#38 Oreca 07-Gibson: Roberto González (MEX), António Félix da Costa (PRT), Will Stevens (GBR)
After last year’s last lap dramas in LMP2 the final result saw Team WRT take the class win over JOTA by a mere seven-tenths of a second, JOTA then are still seeking a second win under their own banner (though the Jackie Chan DC Racing effort in 2017 was firmly a JOTA- crewed affair.
Sharing the wheel of the #28 Oreca will be three FIA WEC novices: Oliver Rasmussen, Edward Jones and Jonathan Aberdein. Rasmussen and Jones have transferred from single-seater series, whereas Aberdein competed in the 2021 European Le Mans Series with United Autosports, winning the 4 Hours of Portimão. Meanwhile, in the #38, Roberto González and António Félix da Costa will team up once again. Former Panis Racing driver Will Stevens replaces Anthony Davidson, who joins the DSC Editor as part of the race’s TV commentary team!
#28 Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.118
#38 Best Time At Test Day: 3:32.382
DUQUEINE TEAM
#30 Oreca 07-Gibson: Richard Bradley (GBR), Guillermo Rojas (MEX), Reshad de Gerus* (FRA)
Gilles Duqueine’s team is embarking on its fourth le Mans 24 Hours.
Double ELMS Champion Guillermo “Memo” Rojas (six starts) returns for a second season with the team. Richard Bradley returns after spending 2020 with APR. To complete the trio, the team is banking on the budding talent of Reshad de Gerus (17), twice runner-up in the French Formula Four Championship (2018 and 2019).
Best Time At Test Day:3:34.596
TEAM WRT
#31 Car WEC Full Season
#31 Oreca 07-Gibson: Sean Gelael (IDN), Robin Frijns (NLD), René Rast (DEU)
#32 Oreca 07-Gibson: Rolf Ineichen (CHE), Mirko Bortolotti* (ITA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL)
Team WRT took a clean sweep of the silverware in its début endurance season, winning the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the FIA WEC class title and the European Le Mans Series with Le Mans doling out real drama as the team’s leading car failed on the very last lap, their second car inheriting the win!
In the #31 car, Robin Frijns is the only survivor from the 2021 line-up with Charles Milesi now defending the colours of Richard Mille Racing Team, and Ferdinand Habsburg switching to the #41 Oreca of Realteam By WRT. Frijns teams up with former JOTA driver Sean Gelael, and René Rast. They arrive at Le Mans having won last time out at Spa.
Driving duties in the Le Mans only #32 will be shared between Rolf Ineichen who makes a second consecutive Le Mans start after a GTE AM effort with Herberth last year, Mirko Bortolotti, the GT3 ace in his first Le Mans run and Dries Vanthoor (two starts including a win in GTE AM).
#31 Best Time At Test Day: 3:33.154
#32 Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.253
INTER EUROPOL COMPETITION
#34 Car WEC Full Season
#34 Oreca 07-Gibson: Jakub Śmiechowski (POL), Alex Brundle (GBR), Esteban Gutiérrez* (MEX)
#43 Oreca 07-Gibson: David Heinemeier Hansson (DNK), Fabio Scherer (CHE), Pietro Fittipaldi* (BRA)
Fifth in class last year, Inter Europol Competition is doubling its chances of playing a leading role this time around by fielding two Oreca 07s.
The #34, an FIA WEC full-season entry, will be driven by Jakub ‘Kuba’ Śmiechowski (three starts) and ELMS race winner Alex Brundle (seven starts). Rookie Esteban Gutiérrez, the former Sauber Formula One driver, will complete the trio.
The #43 car is running in the 2022 European Le Mans Series. David Heinemeier Hansson (seven starts including a class win at le Mans and two further podium finishes), Fabio Scherer (one start) and Pietro Fittipaldi, the former Haas F1 Team reserve driver, will share the wheel for the Brazilian’s Le Mans debut.
#34 Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.252
#43 Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.281
ULTIMATE
WEC Full Season
#35 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07-Gibson: Jean-Baptiste Lahaye* (FRA), Matthieu Lahaye (FRA), François Heriau* (FRA)
After finishing third in the 2021 European Le Mans Series LMP2 Pro/Am class, Ultimate stepped up to the FIA WEC. The Brittany-based team is all set to contest its first 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Oreca 07 is managed by the Tech1 Racing structure of Simon and Sarah Abadie, together with former Formula One star, Olivier Panis. Ex LMP1 racer Matthieu Lahaye (five starts) drives with his brother Jean-Baptiste and Gentleman DRIVER François Heriau who missed out on a debut in the SRT 41 car last year after a cycling accident.
Best Time At Test Day:3:34.958
COOL RACING
#37 Oreca 07-Gibson: Yifei Ye (CHN), Ricky Taylor (USA), Niklas Krütten* (DEU)
The Swiss ex- full season race winning WEC, now ELMS team is about to take on its second 24 Hours of Le Mans having finished eighth in LMP2 in 2020.
Regular full-season ELMS driver and Team Principal Nicolas Lapierre is racing in Hypercar with Alpine and for Le Mans the team is fielding 2022 ELMS regulars Yifei Ye, (2021 European Le Mans Series champion with Team WRT) and Le Mans debutant but rapid and experienced GT and LMP3 racer Niklas Krütten. The pair will be joined by IMSA Champion Ricky Taylor, set to make his seventh start at Le Mans.
Cool Racing has taken delivery of a brand new ORECA for Le Mans. Chassis #100 of the successful racer!
Best Time At Test Day: 3:33.368
GRAFF RACING
#39 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07-Gibson: Eric Trouillet (FRA), Sébastien Page* (CHE), David Droux* (CHE) Pro/Am
Graff Racing is a regular on the 24 Hours of Le Mans grid with nine appearances. Pascal Rauturier and Éric Trouillet’s team this year has a Pro/Am victory in its sights after debuting their 2022 driver squad in the Asian Le Mans Series and continuing in the ELMS. While Trouillet has one Le Mans start to his name, Sébastien Page and David Droux will be making their début.
Best Time At Test Day: 3:36.810
REALTEAM BY WRT
WEC Full Season
#41 Oreca 07-Gibson: Rui Andrade (PRT), Ferdinand Habsburg (AUT), Norman Nato (FRA)
Team WRT is fielding a third car, but in Realteam colours, allowing the squad to accept an auto-invitation on top of their two WEC full season efforts.
Angolan/ Portuguese racer Rui Andrade, who appeared for G-Drive Racing last year, will partner 2021 LMP2 Le Mans winner and WEC Champion Ferdinand Habsburg, and Jaguar’s Formula E test driver Norman Nato (four starts). This is another very strong squad, capable of contesting the win on pace.
Best Time At Test Day: 3:32.958
ARC BRATISLAVA
WEC Full Season
#44 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07-Gibson: Miroslav Konôpka (SVK), Bent Viscaal* (NLD), Tristan Vautier* (FRA)
ARC Bratislava (The ARC stands for Auto Racing Club) and their #44 Oreca is unlikely to be the fastest over the 24 Hours but is fuelled by the passion of long-time racer, team owner and driver Miro Konopka.
The team is preparing for its fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans appearance after finishing 15th in the LMP2 class in last year’s race. Konôpka is backed by 2022 ELMS podium finisher Dutchman Bent Viscaal, and French racer Tristan Vautier, a Le Mans rookie despite being a seasoned IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaigner.
Best Time At Test Day:3:37.170
ALGARVE PRO RACING
#45 Car WEC Full Season
#45 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07 Gibson: Steven Thomas* (USA), James Allen (AUS), René Binder (AUT)
#47 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07 Gibson: Sophia Flörsch (DEU), John Falb (USA), Jack Aitken* (GBR)
The Husband and wife operated Portuguese-flagged team is set to compete in its sixth 24 Hours of Le Mans after a traumatic start to the year saw all their plans change in the days leading up to the WEC season opener as a result of the effective sanctioning of G-Drive out of racing.
Reverting to their own brand and a modern take on their previous sky blue livery, the team has come out punching with a car in the FIA WEC and two in the ELMS, one of which scored a mightily impressive second place overall at the opening race of the season.
The #45 car sees the team’s full-season WEC line-up: Le Mans rookie Steven Thomas line up with James Allen and René Binder (four starts each).
The #47 sees a mix and match from the team’s ELMS cars with Sophia Flörsch, formerly of Richard Mille Racing Team, joining John Falb (three starts). The pair are joined by the very rapid talents of F1 race starter Jack Aitken.
#45 Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.973
#47 Best Time At Test Day: 3:34.440
IDEC SPORT
#48 Oreca 07-Gibson: Paul Lafargue (FRA), Paul Loup Chatin (FRA), Patrick Pilet (FRA)
It’s a sixth Le Mans 24 Hours for IDEC Sport, a history that has seen significant pace, and significant shunts. Patrick Pilet’s introduction to the team came in 2020 as a direct result of one of those shunts, stepping in for an injured Dwight Merriman.
He has speed, and so too does Paul Loup Chatin, much of the question as to whether the #48 can be a feature in this race then comes down to which Paul Lafargue turns up, ELMS title-winning Paul, or the other Paul.
Best Time At Test Day:3:33.088
PANIS RACING
#65 Oreca 07-Gibson: Julien Canal (FRA), Nicolas Jamin (FRA), Job van Uitert (NLD)
Panis Racing, managed by the Tech1 Racing outfit of brother and sister Simon and Sarah Abadie, together with former Formula One star, Olivier Panis, has scored two consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans podiums (third in 2020 and 2021) and took a maiden ELMS race win in 2021 too.
There’s a new look driver squad in 2022 with the returning Julien Canal (12 starts and three Le Mans class wins) and Nicolas Jamin (three starts) joined by highly rated Dutch racer Job van Uitert (three starts).
Best Time At Test Day: 3:33.850
AF CORSE
WEC Full Season
#83 (Pro-Am) Oreca 07-Gibson: François Perrodo (FRA), Nicklas Nielsen (DNK), Alessio Rovera (ITA)
Double FIA WEC GTE AM Champion Francois Perrodo is the driving force behind this AF Corse effort in both the FIA WEC and ELMS LMP2 Pro/Am categories, this is his second shot at LMP2 after a season with TDS Racing a couple of years ago.
This effort though is different, the Pro/ Am category is an attraction for Perrodo, but LMP2 is an attraction for AF Corse, Ferrari, and for their two young guns.
There’s little doubt that this gives the team a stepping stone towards next year’s Hypercar programme and the effort is already showing stunning pace, Nielsen was on pole at Sebring and Rovera did likewise at both Spa (WEC) and Imola (ELMS).
This is an effort that can win the LMP2 Pro/ Am class on pace and get in amongst the overall LMP2 frontrunners at times too.
Best Time At Test Day:3:34.326
Top 5 in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Teams before the 24 Hours of Le Mans:
WRT – 52 points
United Autosports USA – 46 points
Realteam By WRT – 41 points
JOTA – 27 points
Prema Orlen Team – 24 points
Top 4 in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Pro/Am Teams:
AF Corse – 63 points
Ultimate – 42 points
Algarve Pro Racing – 41 points
ARC Bratislava – 18 points
*Le Mans 24 Rookie
(Pro-Am) – LMP2 Pro-Am entry
