LM GTE Am: SMP Racing bank Russia’s first Le Mans win – The Russian national anthem was played for the very first time at the 24 Hours circuit after SMP Racing’s Ferrari 458 Italia, driven by Aleksey Basov, Andrea Bertolini and Victor Shaytar, claimed class victory. With two consecutive wins at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring and the Circuit of The Americas, the outfit built a big-enough lead to see them comfortably through the remaining rounds of the WEC season and pick up the driver and team titles.

LM P2: G-Drive Racing triumphs at last – In 2014, G-Drive Racing were pipped at the post for the LM P2 world title by compatriots SMP Racing at the final round in São Paulo. This year, Roman Rusinov’s team pulled out all the stops by entering two Ligier JS P2-Nissan prototypes. The plan worked as they pulled off the driver/team double they had been pursuing since 2013. Rusinov shared the trophy with teammates Julien Canal, the Le Mans-born gentleman driver, and Britain’s Sam Bird, selected by FIA WEC to drive the Toyota TS040 Hybrid LM P1 at the end-of-season rookie test.

LM P2: BR01 making steady progress – The 2015 endurance season also witnessed the launch of the first-ever Russian prototype, the BR01, named after SMP Racing owner Boris Rotenberg and designed by Paolo Catone, the brains behind the 2009 Le Mans-winning Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. The car went from strength to strength during the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) season, culminating in podium finishes in the final two rounds at Le Castellet and Estoril. Two cars were entered for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and both successfully completed the race. A BR01 rejoined the WEC grid for the season finale in Bahrain where it made the Top 5 in class. This is a car that will undoubtedly be in the mix when the 2016 season gets under way.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO – Translated from French by David Goward

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, WEDNESDAY 10 JUNE 2015, PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING SESSIONS. The Russian BR01 prototype crossed the finish line on its Le Mans début.