PRESS KIT 24 HOURS OF LE MANS 2018

- LM P1

- LM P2

- LM GTE Pro and Am

- Entry list

Copyright :

Alexis GOURE / Arnaud CORNILLEAU / Frederic GAUDIN / Sébastien BASSANI / Guénolé TREHOREL / Medhi Fouquet / Yoann Boulay / Thierry Desvignes /

Christophe Millet / Jacky Cordier / Alexis Toureau / Alex Houdayer / Guillaume Rousseau / Florent Marmion / Jean-René ROGER / Jonathan BICHE / Michel

JAMIN / Frédéric TIMORES / Jean-Pierre ESPITALIER / Camden THRASHER / Pascal BLEJEAN / DOMINIQUE BREUGNOT / Jean-Philippe BOYER / Prundencio

Cazales / Toshiaki UEDA / Nicolas Tesson / ACO / FIA/WEC

2018 RACE

2018 RACE – LMP1

History in the making

Irrespective of whether Toyota or an LMP1 privateer wins the 86th 24 Hours of Le Mans, it will be a

landmark result. The Japanese manufacturer has been pursuing victory since 1987 and a non-hybrid

prototype has not won the race since energy recovery systems were introduced in 2012.

Toyota at last?

Nothing less than victory will do for Toyota, now the only manufacturer in the LMP1 field. On paper,

the Japanese constructor has everything it takes. It has made only minor changes to its two TS050

Hybrids this year. The cars showed what they were capable of towards the end of last season, and in

the opening round of the 2018-19 World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) Super Season in Spa

where they took the top two spots.

Toyota can also rely on talented and experienced drivers. Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi, who set

the average lap speed record at Le Mans last year, combine peak speed and reliability, while their co-

driver in the #7 TS050 Hybrid – José María López, three-time World Touring Car (WTCC) champion –

no longer has the rookie label hanging around his neck. In the #8 sister car, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki

Nakajima can rack up fast laps, manage long stints without errors creeping in, and enhance their car’s

reliability. Add Fernando Alonso to the mix and the solid duo becomes a formidable trio! The two-time

Formula One world champion may be an endurance novice, having made his discipline début in

Daytona earlier this year, but the McLaren man is an extremely talented driver whose recruitment is a

source of motivation for the entire team.

It will be no walk in the park for Toyota, however, despite their many strong points. Le Mans is still Le

Mans – a long, demanding race where the outcome can change at any time, even in the last lap, as the

Japanese marque found out to its cost in 2016. All the pressure will be on them too. As the only

manufacturer in the running, with cars at the cutting edge of technology, and having never won the

race in its twenty campaigns, Toyota simply has to win. It’s a matter of honour. And, finally, because

the new regulations have been devised to close the gap between the TS050 Hybrids and the eight-

strong LMP1 privateer challenge.

Nonetheless, Toyota remains strong favourite to break its duck this year although wearing that mantle

is not necessarily a good thing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans! It is also worth pointing out that, since FIA

WEC came into being in 2012, the car that won the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps – generally

considered a rehearsal for Le Mans – has never gone on to win the precious trophy.

LMP1 privateers with nothing to lose

The rule changes introduced by the ACO and FIA have had the hoped-for effect. Equivalence of

Technology (EoT) has brought the Toyota hybrids’ performance levels within range of the private LMP1

entries. Five private outfits – Rebellion Racing, ByKolles Racing Team, CEFC TRSM Racing (Manor),

DragonSpeed and SMP Racing – on the LMP1 grid is a sure sign of the strategy’s success. And even if

they all finish behind the two Toyotas, the first one of them to cross the line will, at best, take third

place on the overall podium or, if beaten to that spot by an LMP2, third place in class. A tremendous

accolade for a privateer. Should one of the eight cars finish ahead of one or both Toyotas, it would be

quite simply historic!

Among the private armada, the ones particularly worth keeping an eye on are the Rebellion R13s that

are equipped to take on Toyota. Any lingering doubts concerning the power of their naturally aspirated

V8 compared with Toyota’s hybrid engine and their privateer rivals’ turbos were dispelled by the #3’s

third place in Spa. The team has an impressive driver line-up too, with the #1 being shared by none

other than Neel Jani, who triumphed at Le Mans in 2016, three-time winner André Lotterer, and Bruno

Senna! Another podium challenger will be SMP Racing. Their BR1s designed by BR Engineering from a

Dallara chassis are expected to be particularly quick. Question marks remain, however, over the

reliability of their AER twin-turbo V6 engine. SMP Racing has also attracted quality drivers in the shape

of 2009 F1 world champion Jenson Button, partnering Vitaly Petrov in #11, and former Peugeot and

Toyota works driver Stéphane Sarrazin in #17.

Which of Rebellion Racing, ByKolles Racing Team,

CEFC TRSM Racing, DragonSpeed and SMP Racing

will come out on top? We’ll know the answer at

15:00 on 17 June.

2018 RACE – LMP2

Glory for a rising star?

LMP2 is an excellent training ground for future stars of the LMP1 class and the ideal playing field

for gentleman drivers. There are plenty of contenders for victory among the drivers, teams and

chassis manufacturers, with Ligier (as Onroak Automotive) and Dallara keen to rival with Oreca.

LMP2 retains all its appeal this year, with no fewer than 20 cars on the grid. Oreca is well-

represented once again, with eight cars plus the Alpine A470, but, unlike in 2017, there is more

balance between three of the four appointed chassis suppliers (Riley will be absent), with eight

Ligiers and three Dallaras also in the starting line-up. It should be noted that the regulations have

permitted the latter three chassis makers, who lacked performance last year, to make some technical

upgrades to narrow the gap with Oreca.

Nevertheless, most of the money is on the Oreca 07 which, in 2017, clinched the FIA World

Endurance Championship Teams’ Trophy for Vaillante Rebellion, the class win for Jackie Chan DC

Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and, the icing on the cake, two spots on the overall podium, just

below winners Porsche. And the Oreca 07s are fielded by some of the sharpest looking teams: Jackie

Chan DC Racing, Signatech Alpine Matmut and DragonSpeed.

At least three teams in the running for the title

The deck has been reshuffled this year with reigning champion Rebellion Racing’s return to LMP1.

Class winner at last year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jackie Chan DC Racing will be looking to defend its

crown but there are at least two serious challengers: Signatech Alpine Matmut and DragonSpeed,

then the other Oreca 07s fielded by TDS Racing, G-Drive Racing, Graff-So24 and IDEC Sport. Panis-

Barthez Compétition, United Autosports, Larbre Compétition,

Algarve Pro Racing and Eurasia Motorsport will be fighting in

the Ligier JS P217 corner. Meanwhile Racing Team Nederland,

SMP Racing and Cetilar Villorba Corse are hoping to upset the

apple cart by placing the Dallara among the frontrunners.

Some changes on the driver list too, as 2017’s most promising

young talent Thomas Laurent has moved up to LMP1. This

year, keep a close eye on André Negraõ in the Alpine A470

and Gabriel Aubry in the #38 Oreca n°38 for Jackie Chan DC

Racing, as they will be hoping to follow Laurent’s example.

However, there are plenty of other top-flight drivers in LMP2,

including several with Formula One experience (Pastor Maldonado, Jean-Eric Vergne and Paul Di

Resta as well as Juan Pablo Montoya, pictured here), so these rising stars will have their work cut out

if they are to outshine the rest of the class!

2018 Race – LMGTE

One of the most impressive line-ups

the race has ever seen

With BMW back this year, LMGTE Pro has never seen such a glittering array of teams. The six

constructors, Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet Corvette, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche are all potential

winners and have a posse of professional drivers to defend their chances.

LMGTE Pro: six marques for one title

Only one manufacturer can claim the top step of the LMGTE Pro podium, meaning five others will be

disappointed. BMW is back with a vengeance this year, fielding two cars opposite strong competition

and hoping to replicate Ford’s 2016 comeback, with a win first time out.

The Bavarian brand’s new M8 GTE looks set to be a formidable rival for the other big-name

competitors. The road version of the BMW will be launched during the race, while the world’s eyes are

on Le Mans. The four Fords of Chip Ganassi Racing and three Ferrari 488s entered by AF Corse are sure

to put up a good fight, both teams having placed cars on the podium in the first round of the FIA World

Endurance Championship 2018-19 Super Season at Spa-Francorchamp. BMW should also beware of

the four tried-and-tested Porsche 911 RSRs, in their second year in competition and no doubt hungry

for victory given that their last class win at Le Mans was back in 2013. Defending champion Aston

Martin will be wielding two all-new Vantage AMRs and no doubt as tough to beat as ever.

The winner is anyone’s guess at this stage and, if last year is anything to go by, may well remain

uncertain until the closing laps.

At the wheel of these mean machines,

a line-up that reads like a hall of fame.

Porsche has former outright winners

Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard, Nick

Tandy and Earl Bamber, no less.

Impressive, but then Aston Martin has

the solid experience of Darren Turner,

Ferrari boasts Toni Vilander, Chevrolet

Corvette Oliver Gavin and Jan

Magnussen, while Ford is counting on

Dirk Müller and Sébastien Bourdais –

 all of whom are Le Mans class winners. Martin Tomczyk and Augusto Farfus will lead BMW’s onslaught.

LMGTE Am: amateurs take on the pros

In true Le Mans spirit, this class gives amateurs the chance to pit their driving skills against world-class

drivers who race, and often win, for a living. This year, thirteen “gentlemen drivers” will be taking the

wheel in a field comprising six Porsche 911 RSRs, five Ferrari 488 GTEs and two Aston Martin Vantages.

The crews of Dempsey Proton Racing, Proton Competition, Gulf Racing, TF Sport, Aston Martin Racing

and JMW Motorsport all include two amateur drivers whose talents deserve every respect. Last year’s

winner JMW Motorsport and frontman Liam Griffin will be keen to return to the podium but the rest

of the field is unlikely to leave the way clear!

N° LM P1 NAT TYRES CAR Hybrid DRIVER #1 NAT DRIVER #2 NAT DRIVER #3 NAT 10

1 REBELLION RACING CHE MICHELIN REBELLION R13 - GIBSON André LOTTERER DEU P Neel JANI CHE P Bruno SENNA BRA P

3 REBELLION RACING CHE MICHELIN REBELLION R13 - GIBSON Thomas LAURENT FRA G Mathias BECHE CHE P Gustavo MENEZES USA G

4 BYKOLLES RACING TEAM AUT MICHELIN ENSO CLM P1/01 - NISMO Oliver WEBB GBR G Dominik KRAIHAMER AUT G Tom DILLMANN FRA G

5 CEFC TRSM RACING CHN MICHELIN GINETTA G60-LT-P1 – MECACHROME Charles ROBERTSON GBR S Michael SIMPSON GBR S Léo ROUSSEL FRA G

6 CEFC TRSM RACING CHN MICHELIN GINETTA G60-LT-P1 – MECACHROME Oliver ROWLAND GBR P Alex BRUNDLE GBR G Oliver TURVEY GBR P

7 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING JPN MICHELIN TOYOTA TS050 - HYBRID Hybrid Mike CONWAY GBR P Kamui KOBAYASHI JPN P Jose Maria LOPEZ ARG P

8 TOYOTA GAZOO RACING JPN MICHELIN TOYOTA TS050 - HYBRID Hybrid Sébastien BUEMI CHE P Kazuki NAKAJIMA JPN P Fernando ALONSO ESP P

10 DRAGONSPEED * USA MICHELIN BR ENGINEERING BR1 - GIBSON Henrik HEDMAN SWE B Ben HANLEY GBR G Renger VAN DER ZANDE NLD G

11 SMP RACING RUS MICHELIN BR ENGINEERING BR1 - AER Vitaly PETROV RUS P Mikhail ALESHIN RUS P Jenson BUTTON GBR

17 SMP RACING RUS MICHELIN BR ENGINEERING BR1 - AER Stéphane SARRAZIN FRA P Egor ORUDZHEV RUS G Matevos ISAAKYAN RUS G

N° LM P2 NAT TYRES CAR Hybrid DRIVER #1 NAT DRIVER #2 NAT DRIVER #3 NAT 20

22 UNITED AUTOSPORTS USA DUNLOP LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Philip HANSON GBR S Filipe ALBUQUERQUE PRT P Paul DI RESTA GBR P

23 PANIS BARTHEZ COMPETITION FRA MICHELIN LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Thimothé BURET FRA S Julien CANAL FRA S Will STEVENS GBR P

25 ALGARVE PRO RACING PRT DUNLOP LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Mark PATTERSON USA B Ate DE JONG NLD B Tacksung KIM KOR B

26 G-DRIVE RACING RUS DUNLOP ORECA 07 - GIBSON Roman RUSINOV RUS G Andrea PIZZITOLA FRA S Jean-Eric VERGNE FRA P

28 TDS RACING FRA DUNLOP ORECA 07 - GIBSON François PERRODO FRA B Matthieu VAXIVIERE FRA G Loïc DUVAL FRA P

29 RACING TEAM NEDERLAND NLD MICHELIN DALLARA P217 - GIBSON Frits VAN EERD NLD B Giedo VAN DER GARDE NLD P Jan LAMMERS NLD B

31 DRAGONSPEED USA MICHELIN ORECA 07 - GIBSON Roberto GONZALEZ MEX S Pastor MALDONADO VEN P Nathanaël BERTHON FRA G

32 UNITED AUTOSPORTS USA DUNLOP LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Hugo DE SADELEER CHE S William OWEN USA S Juan Pablo MONTOYA COL P

33 JACKIE CHAN DC RACING CHN DUNLOP LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON David CHENG USA S Nicholas BOULLE USA S Pierre NICOLET FRA S

34 JACKIE CHAN DC RACING CHN DUNLOP LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Ricky TAYLOR USA P Côme LEDOGAR FRA P David HEINEMEIER-HANSSON DNK S

35 SMP RACING RUS DUNLOP DALLARA P217 - GIBSON Victor SHAITAR RUS S Harrison NEWEY GBR S Norman NATO FRA G

36 SIGNATECH ALPINE MATMUT FRA DUNLOP ALPINE A470 - GIBSON Nicolas LAPIERRE FRA P Andre NEGRA0 BRA G Pierre THIRIET FRA S

37 JACKIE CHAN DC RACING CHN DUNLOP ORECA 07 - GIBSON Jazeman JAFAAR MYS G Nabil JEFFRI MYS S Weiron TAN MYS S

38 JACKIE CHAN DC RACING CHN DUNLOP ORECA 07 - GIBSON Ho Pin TUNG NLD G Stéphane RICHELMI MCO G Gabriel AUBRY FRA S

39 GRAFF-SO24 FRA DUNLOP ORECA 07 - GIBSON Vincent CAPILLAIRE FRA S Jonathan HIRSCHI CHE G Tristan GOMMENDY FRA P

40 G-DRIVE RACING RUS DUNLOP ORECA 07 - GIBSON James ALLEN AUS S Jose GUTIERREZ MEX S Enzo GUIBBERT FRA G

44 EURASIA MOTORSPORT PHL DUNLOP LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Andrea BERTOLINI ITA P Niclas JÖNSSON SWE S Tracy KROHN USA B

47 CETILAR VILLORBA CORSE ITA DUNLOP DALLARA P217 - GIBSON Roberto LACORTE ITA B Giorgio SERNAGIOTTO ITA S Luiz Felipe NASR BRA P

48 IDEC SPORT FRA MICHELIN ORECA 07 - GIBSON Paul LAFARGUE FRA S Paul Loup CHATIN FRA G Memo ROJAS MEX G

50 LARBRE COMPETITON FRA MICHELIN LIGIER JSP217 - GIBSON Erwin CREED FRA B Romano RICCI FRA B Thomas DAGONEAU FRA B

N° LM GTE Pro NAT TYRES CAR Hybrid DRIVER #1 NAT DRIVER #2 NAT DRIVER #3 NAT 17

51 AF CORSE ITA MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE EVO Alessandro PIER GUIDI ITA P James CALADO GBR P Daniel SERRA BRA G

52 AF CORSE ITA MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE EVO Toni VILANDER FIN P Antonio GIOVINAZZI ITA P Luis Felipe DERANI BRA G

63 CORVETTE RACING - GM USA MICHELIN CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R Jan MAGNUSSEN DNK P Antonio GARCIA ESP P Mike ROCKENFELLER DEU P

64 CORVETTE RACING - GM USA MICHELIN CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R Oliver GAVIN GBR P Tommy MILNER USA P Marcel FASSLER CHE P

66 FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM UK USA MICHELIN FORD GT Stefan MÜCKE DEU P Olivier PLA FRA P Billy JOHNSON USA P

67 FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM UK USA MICHELIN FORD GT Andy PRIAULX GBR P Harry TINCKNELL GBR P Tony KANAAN BRA P

68 FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM USA USA MICHELIN FORD GT Joey HAND USA P Dirk MÜLLER DEU P Sébastien BOURDAIS FRA P

69 FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM USA USA MICHELIN FORD GT Ryan BRISCOE AUS P Richard WESTBROOK GBR P Scott DIXON NZL P

71 AF CORSE ITA MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE EVO Davide RIGON ITA P Sam BIRD GBR P Miguel MOLINA ESP P

81 BMW TEAM MTEK DEU MICHELIN BMW M8 GTE Martin TOMCZYK DEU P Nicky CATSBURG NLD G Philipp ENG AUT G

82 BMW TEAM MTEK DEU MICHELIN BMW M8 GTE Augusto FARFUS BRA P Antonio FELIX DA COSTA PRT P Alexander SIMS GBR P

91 PORSCHE GT TEAM DEU MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Richard LIETZ AUT P Gianmaria BRUNI ITA P Frédéric MAKOWIECKI FRA P

92 PORSCHE GT TEAM DEU MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Michael CHRISTENSEN DNK P Kevin ESTRE FRA P Laurens VANTHOOR BEL P

93 PORSCHE GT TEAM USA MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Patrick PILET FRA P Nick TANDY GBR P Earl BAMBER NZL P

94 PORSCHE GT TEAM USA MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Romain DUMAS FRA P Timo BERNHARD DEU P Sven MÜLLER DEU G

95 ASTON MARTIN RACING GBR MICHELIN ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE AMR Marco SØRENSEN DNK G Nicki THIIM DNK P Darren TURNER GBR P

97 ASTON MARTIN RACING GBR MICHELIN ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE AMR Alex LYNN GBR P Maxime MARTIN BEL P Jonathan ADAM GBR P

LIST OF THE COMPETITORS AND CARS INVITED TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHECKINGS & SCRUTINEERING

Association Sportive Automobile de l'Automobile-Club de l'Ouest des 24 Heures du Mans

N° LM GTE Am NAT TYRES CAR Hybrid DRIVER #1 NAT DRIVER #2 NAT DRIVER #3 NAT 13

54 SPIRIT OF RACE CHE MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE Thomas FLOHR CHE B Francesco CASTELLACCI ITA S Giancarlo FISICHELLA ITA P

56 TEAM PROJECT 1 DEU MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Jörg BERGMEISTER DEU P Patrick LINDSEY USA S Egidio PERFETTI NOR B

61 CLEARWATER RACING SGP MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE Weng Sun MOK MYS B Matthew GRIFFIN IRL G Keitha SAWA JPN S

70 MR RACING JPN MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE Motoaki ISHIKAWA JPN B Olivier BERETTA MCO P Edward CHEEVER ITA S

77 DEMPSEY-PROTON RACING DEU MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Matt CAMPBELL AUS G Christian RIED DEU B Julien ANDLAUER FRA S

80 EBIMOTORS ITA MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Fabio BABINI ITA G Christina NIELSEN DNK S Erik MARIS FRA B

84 JMW MOTORSPORT GBR MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE Liam GRIFFIN GBR B Cooper MACNEIL USA S Jeffrey SEGAL USA G

85 KEATING MOTORSPORTS USA MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE Ben KEATING USA B Jeroen BLEEKEMOLEN NLD P Luca STOLZ DEU S

86 GULF RACING GBR MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Michael WAINWRIGHT GBR B Benjamin BARKER GBR G Alexander DAVISON AUS S

88 DEMPSEY-PROTON RACING DEU MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Matteo CAIROLI ITA G Khaled AL QUBAISI ARE B Giorgio RODA ITA S

90 TF SPORT GBR MICHELIN ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE Salih YOLUC TUR B Euan HANKEY GBR G Charles EASTWOOD GBR S

98 ASTON MARTIN RACING GBR MICHELIN ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE Paul DALLA LANA CAN B Pedro LAMY PRT P Mathias LAUDA AUT S

99 PROTON COMPETITION DEU MICHELIN PORSCHE 911 RSR Patrick LONG USA P Timothy PAPPAS USA B Spencer PUMPELLY USA S

N° RESERVE CARS NAT TYRES CAR Hybrid DRIVER #1 NAT DRIVER #2 NAT DRIVER #3 NAT 2

R1 55 SPIRIT OF RACE CHE MICHELIN FERRARI 488 GTE Duncan CAMERON GBR B Aaron SCOTT GBR S Marco CIOCI ITA G

R2 49 HIGH CLASS RACING DNK DUNLOP DALLARA P217 - GIBSON Anders FJORDBACK DNK S Dennis ANDERSEN DNK B

Categorisation - P : Platinum - G : Gold - S : Silver - B : Bronze

* Driver line up with a temporary dispensation as per article 10.9.1 f)