LM GTE: 9 cars
51 D AF Corse – Piergiuseppe Perazzini, Marco Cioci, Rui Aguas (Ferrari 458)
55 D AF Corse – Duncan Cameron, Matt Griffin, Aaron Scott (Ferrari 458)
56 D AT Racing – Alexander Talkanitsa, Alexander Talkanitsa Jnr, Alessandro Pier Guidi (F458)
60 D Formula Racing – Johnny Laursen, Mikkel Mac, Christina Nielsen (Ferrari 458)
66 D JMW Motorsport – Robert Smith, Rory Butcher, Andrea Bertolini (Ferrari 458)
77 D Proton Competition – Marco Seefried, Wolf Henzler, Mike Hedlund (Porsche 911)
88 D Proton Competition – Gianluca Roda, Richard Lietz, Christian Ried (Porsche 911)
96 D Aston Martin Racing – Roald Goethe, Stuart Hall, Richie Stanaway (Aston Martin Vantage)
99 D Aston Martin Racing – Andrew Howard, Alex MacDowall, Darren Turner (Aston Martin Vantage)
A very healthy full-season entry of eight cars, joined for Silverstone at least by a ninth, should entertain on Saturday for the opening four-hour encounter of the season.
It’s a three-marque class for 2016, with Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin all represented. With GTE Am regulations in place, there are no 2016 cars permitted and all runners will be sporting new-for-2016 versions of the increasingly impressive Dunlop rubber.
Let’s start with the Aston attack, bolstered on home ground with a second car as Roald Goethe brings us an unexpected treat: his #96 Aston Martin on the Silverstone entry with the German joined by regular co-driver Stuart Hall and AMR factory man Richie Stanaway.
The full-season #99 AMR car meanwhile sees a change from the planned full-season line-up as the ludicrously cramped weekend schedule put paid to Jonny Adam’s triple race programme. The AMR factory driver withdrew from the ELMS and WEC commitments to fulfil his contract at TF Sport for the British GT opener at Brands Hatch instead.
His seat is very adequately filled by fellow AMR man Darren Turner, who, together with Richie Stanaway, WILL be on double duty with ELMS and WEC. Andrew Howard, meanwhile, making a full-season debut in the ELMS IS doing double duty between British GT and ELMS. He’ll be hoping to add further success to that scored with a one-off appearance in the series in the Estoril round last season where the Beechdean-backed Aston scored a fine podium finish. Alex MacDowall completes a more than solid line-up and with circuit knowledge already locked in, this car could be a strong contender.
On the Porsche front, there’s a pair of full-season 911 RSRs from the Proton Competition squad, Christian Ried’s outfit looking more AF Corse-like in its ever-presentness seemingly by the day! The #77 car provides a compelling case for potential speed, with full-season man Marco Seefried always committed, joined by a Silverstone one-off, Porsche factory man Wolf Henzler (another man doubling up in the WEC this weekend!).
If ELMS debutant and experienced GT3 racer Mike Hedlund can get dialled in to the art of GTE racing quickly then this may be one to watch, although Mike has plenty to learn about the ELMS circuits this season.
The #88 car sees team owner Christian Ried matched with Porsche returnee (after a tricky 2015 in the WEC in the Larbre Corvette) Gianluca Roda – the previous two-time winner of the Porsche cup for the most successful privateer driver back where he perhaps feels most comfortable. A man who had an altogether better 2015 in the WEC, reigning GTE drivers Champion Richard Lietz, completes the line-up.
More than half of the Silverstone entry is formed of Ferraris – but no 488s of course, it’s 458 GTEs all round! The only car not fielded by AF Corse or a customer team is the fan favourite #66 JMW Motorsport car, a tweaked livery will make this one stand out for sure. Jim McWhirter and co have been busy putting together a compelling full-season package.
Rob Smith returns and is growing in confidence in the Ferrari race by race. Rory Butcher impressed hugely in his outing for the team last season and will likely impress further on a circuit he knows well. Andrea Bertolini brings some Ferrari factory sheen to the effort, arriving on the back of his key role in securing the GTE Am WEC title for SMP Racing. This is definitely an effort to watch as the team waits (fairly) patiently to see whether its current position as first reserve for the Le Mans 24 Hours changes!
Formula Racing won the title last season and is back with one important change to the package as Christina Nielsen adds an ELMS/LM24 programme to her IMSA commitments.
The daughter of multiple LM24 podium finisher Lars Erik Nielsen, Christina spent the pre-season test learning the differences between her regular GT3 machinery and the GTE. She arrives on the back of a Sebring class win in the Scuderia Corsa 488 GT3. Anything close to that at Silverstone will be a big plus.
In the same car, Mikkel Mac was a standout throughout the 2015 season. He’ll look again to bring the steel toecap to the #60 boot with Johnny Laursen the gentleman driver.
Another much-fancied team is the #56 AT Racing squad. The Talkanitsa father-and-son combo can have some very good days in the all-black Ferrari and with Alessandro Pier Guidi again joining the effort, this is another Ferrari that’s likely to feature in the thick of things.
The pair of AF Corse-entered 458s both look strong, too. The #51 car sees one of the team’s longest-standing customers, Piergiuseppe Perazzini, joined by two of its most loyal and effective Pro drivers. Messrs Cioci and Aguas will keep the car in the mix: the pressure here is on the gentleman driver to stay in touch.
That should be less of an issue for the #55 car: Duncan Cameron has real speed on tap, Matt Griffin continues to show his world-class credentials race by race and Aaron Scott produced some stellar spells in 2015. This car is one to watch.
