In pursuit of Signatech Alpine's French winners, the Oreca 05-Nissan of G-Drive Racing and the BR01-Nissan of SMP Racing finished second and third in the LM P2 class at the 2016 24 Hours, respectively.

G-Drive Racing, the year of change - Winner of the FIA Endurance LM P2 Teams and Drivers Trophy in the 2015 World Endurance Championship (WEC), Roman Rusinov's team decided not only to go from the Ligier JS P2 to the Oreca 07, but also to enter the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) after joining forces with the British team Jota Sport. Despite an ascension never before seen in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), including five pole positions in LM P2 in nine races, it would take until the second half season, after a few driver changes, to see G-Drive Racing get back its groove. To the three wins at the last three races at Fuji, Shanghai and Bahrain were added the LM P2 title in the ELMS clinched at the final round at Estoril.

SMP Racing, looking to 2018 - Winner in the LM GTE Am class at Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2015, SMP Racing decided to enter its LM P2 BR01 prototypes both in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and in the ELMS. They proved highly reliable in the European Le Mans Series, with three podium finishes and two other top 5s which secured the third place overall in the LM P2 teams. In the World Championship, the BR01 achieved its best performances at the end of the season, with second place at Shanghai and two other top 5s at Fuji and Bahrain.

As we wait to learn more about G-Drive Racing's program for 2017, SMP Racing has already announced its intention to move into the LM P1 Private Teams category in the 2018 World Championship, with once again its own chassis. Perhaps Russia has carved out a prime spot in the ongoing rise of endurance racing.

Photo: After competing with its own LM P2 chassis - the BR01 - in 2015 and 2016, in 2018 SMP Racing will be the first Russian team to race an LM P1 in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), in the Private Teams category.