Le Mans LMP2 photoshoot
The 16 LMP2 cars set to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours next month took part in a photoshoot on the Mistral Straight yesterday (featured), led by the 2023 class-winning #34 Inter Europol ORECA.
The 2024 edition of the Le Mans 24 will be the eighth for the ORECA 07 Gibson, a total that looks set to reach double figures before the next-gen ruleset arrives.
Additional GT3 car goes testing
The 43 ELMS cars entered for the 4 Hours of Le Castellet were joined today by an AF Corse-run 296 GT3 driven by Andrea Bertolini. The car took to the circuit in a bare carbon, and after arriving on Pirelli transport tyres, is believed to have spent the day tyre testing on Goodyear rubber.
Notably, the rain showers throughout the day meant Goodyear’s LMGT3 wet tyre was used for the first time in the ELMS, following its debut during the 6 Hours of Imola last month in the rain-affected WEC race.
Jewiss joins Steller
Steller Motorsport’s Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II is on-site and ready for the Le Mans Cup race this weekend with a tweaked driver line-up.
This weekend the British team will race with Darren Malkin and Porsche Carerra Cup GB Pro class champion Kiern Jewiss.
Back in Barcelona, the team’s Audi was driven by Malkin and Alex Aka.
Blackthorn ready for Le Mans Cup debut
British outfit Blackthorn AMR is set to make its first Le Mans Cup start in the GT3 class this weekend with a single 2024-spec Vantage GT3 for Claude Bovet and David McDonald.
The team joins the season later than expected after supply chain issues prevented it from fielding a car in Barcelona.
Blackthorn owns two 2024 Vantages. Both are on site though only one will race, the second car still featuring British GT Championship shadebands and number panels after its Silverstone 500 start last weekend. The withdrawl of the second Aston brings the number of GT3 cars on the entry down to 10.
Proton Huber returns
Another addition to the GT3 field for this weekend is Proton Huber Competition, with its #73 Porsche 911 GT3 R 992.
The German team is set for its first start of the season after withdrawing from the meeting in Spain after its team manager Gerhard Freundorfer was fatally injured in the paddock during set-up. The team’s car and truck are sporting tribute decals in his memory.
New Ligier for Nielsen
Nielsen Racing has taken delivery of a new JS P4, which it will use for the remainder of the Ligier European Series season with Ben Caisley and Logan Hannah.
Last time in Barcelona the team utilised a chassis supplied by Ligier Automotive.
Costa will not race at Le Mans with Nielsen
Albert Costa Balboa has revealed that he will not be taking part in the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours with Nielsen Racing, the team he currently competes in the ELMS with.
“Unfortunately, it seems this year I will NOT be racing in Le Mans 24h. Sad for this last-minute change of plans,” he revealed on Twitter. “I will keep pushing for another opportunity, after last year’s LMP2 win I am ready to go for it again!”
He is however on site with Nielsen this weekend as expected, where he will share the #24 ORECA with Colin Noble and John Falb in LMP2 Pro/Am.
We now await further news from Nielsen regarding his replacement.
New Vantage built up for Grid Motorsport effort
The Aston Martin Vantage being used in the LMGT3 class this weekend by GRID Motorsport by TF is not the chassis that was heavily damaged during the Barcelona Prologue last month, or the loan car from Comtoyou Racing that it eventually used for the season opener.
Instead, it is a converted GTE car, team owner Tom Ferrier telling DSC that it’s the #002 chassis used by D’Station at the end of the 2023 FIA WEC season converted into current LMGT3 spec.
Ferrier also shed more light on the tough start to the season for the other car in its garage – the AO by TF ORECA – which finished ninth in Barcelona.
He explained that the car sustained damage early in the race when a gaggle of cars came together coming in and out of an FCY period. The car then lost further time caught at pit out while the exit was closed.
Ligier JS P2 exhibited
The reception area at Circuit Paul Ricard is hosting an ex-IDEC Sport Ligier JS P2 this weekend. This is the same car driven by Jann Mardenborough and Nico Prost at the Dubai Historic Festival last December.
Mardenborough took the car to a solo overall win in the second race, beating off the challenge of multiple LMP1 cars, including a Peugeot 908.
Kubica tops testing times
Testing today for the ELMS and Le Mans Cup runners was heavily affected by wind, rain and cold temperatures all day.
Over the five hours of track time for the ELMS, the best lap came from Robert Kubica in the AO by TF ORECA, a 1:54.690. LMP2 Pro/Am was topped by Alex Quinn for Algarve Pro, who reeled off a 1:55.257.
In LMP3 it was Pedro Perino in the #88 Inter Europol Ligier with a 2:02.281, while LMGT3 saw the #57 Kessel Racing Ferrari complete a 2:07.850, with Daniel Serra setting the benchmark time.
All the fastest times came in the morning test, as conditions worsened throughout the day.
