24h Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is divided into four classes, and as many 'races within the race'. Here is the LM P1 class.
It is expected that the overall winner will be in this class. Audi and Toyota are the favourites but Honda and Lola are waiting in ambush. The 2013 race marks the end of an era since new technical regulations will apply next year and there will be a new generation of prototypes. Meanwhile, the existing models have matured, both in the field of performance and reliability. All are capable of a 24-hour sprint!
☛ Entry list of the 24 Hour of Mans 2013
AUDI R18 E-TRON QUATTRO : THE FAVOURITES
n°1 - Audi Sport Team Joest - Lotterer-Fässler-Tréluyer
n°2 - Audi Sport Team Joest - Kristensen-Duval-McNish
n°3 - Audi Sport Team Joest - Gené-Di Grassi-Jarvis
11 wins in 14 attempts ... The numbers speak for themselves! The trio of Fässler, Lotterer and Tréluyer who have won the last two 24 hours, is maintained, while the illustrious duo of Kristensen and McNish receives the strong reinforcement of Loïc Duval. In fact, only the arrival of Lucas di Grassi alongside Gene and Jarvis is the only real novelty. The recruitment of former F1 driver may be a surprise considering he has before never raced at Le Mans, but the Brazilian knows the car to have set the fastest qualifying time of all the Audi drivers in the Brazilian round of the WEC 2012, 6 hours São Paulo, and finished in 3rd place. On the mechanical side, Dr. Ullrich has taken a more aggressive strategy by providing its Silver Arrows with a mysterious "blown" exhaust system and a "long tail" body (rear cover extended by 5cm) to the reduced drag. During the test day, the Audi R18 showed a significant improvement compared to 2012 with a best lap of Duval a staggering 3:22.583. For its third time at Le Mans, could the car retire undefeated?
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Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°1 Lotterer-Fässler-Tréluyer Photo : ACO |
Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°2 Kristensen-Duval-McNish Photo : ACO |
Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°3 Gené-Di Grassi-Jarvis Photo : ACO |
TOYOTA TS030 HYBRID : THE THOROUGHBRED !
n°7 - Toyota Racing - Wurz-Lapierre-Nakajima
n°8 - Toyota Racing - Davidson-Buemi-Sarrazin
For their return last year, the Toyota team opted for aggression to make a difference: Former F1 drivers such as as Wurz, Buemi, Nakajima, Davidson and multiple pole winner Sarrazin. The sixth man, Lapierre, briefly took the lead of the race. Mechanical problems slowed the TS030 but it had already demonstrated a level of competitiveness equal or greater than the Audi. Since then, the team based in Cologne has worked on the reliability while making many changes (new tub, new bodywork, engine changed). Although the Japanese car was a little less powerful than its German rivals during the test day, it can however go further on each tank-full. Also, it was only after a few hours of running a real comparison can be made does. The world's largest manufacturer is not there to make up the numbers, but to aim for a first win at Le Mans.
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Toyota TS030 Hybrid n °7 Wurz-Lapierre-Nakajima Photo : ACO |
Toyota TS030 Hybrid n °8 Davidson-Buemi-Sarrazin Photo : ACO |
LOLA B12/60 - TOYOTA : POSSIBLE PODIUM.
n°12 - Rebellion Racing - Prost-Jani-Heidfeld
n°13 - Rebellion Racing - Belicchi-Beche-Cheng
Team Rebellion appeared, slightly timidly in 2007 with a modest Spyker but it has never stopped growing. Originally the cars prepared by SEBAH Racing in the UK had always suffered from a chronic lack of reliability and also, to a certain extent, the inconsistency of their drivers, but with hard work, the team came together around Bart Hayden and they managed to combine speed with reliability. The 2012 season was downright outstanding with a victory at Petit Le Mans and a trophy in the FIA World Endurance Championship together with a fourth place at Le Mans. For 2013, the drivers are Heidfeld -Prost-Jani while six times competitor at Le Mans, Andrea Belicchi, is joined by new recruits Mattias Beche and Cong Fu Cheng. Unable to compete directly with Audi and Toyota , the Rebellion Lola will be taking a ringside seat waiting to grab the advantage if any problems hit the front running cars.
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Lola B12/60 coupé - Toyota n°12 Prost-Jani-Heidfeld Photo : ACO |
Lola B12/60 coupé - Toyota n°12 Belicchi-Beche-Cheng Photo : ACO |
HONDA ARX-03C : TOWARDS A NEW ADVENTURE?
n°21 - Strakka Racing - Leventis-Watts-Kane
Strakka’s meteoric rise! This UK based team came into existence in 2007 racing in LM GT before moving on to prototypes in 2009 with the aim of winning at Le Mans the following year. When the team arrived in LM P1 in 2012 they did not disappoint when they finished seventh overall and were the first ‘privateer’ team to cross the line at the finish. Their LMP1 success continued with their amazing podium finish at the 6 Hours of Bahrain ... something that their great rivals Rebellion never achieved. In 2010, while still running in LM P2 they beat all the LM P1 cars at Hungaroring . This was the first an LM P2 car had claimed on overall win on European soil. The same 2010 trio of Leventis-Watts-Kane are still together and have high hopes for a good result bearing in mind the reliability and competitiveness of the substantially revamped Honda (wide front tires) to pass a new achievement!
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HPD ARX 03c - Honda n°21 Leventis-Watts-Kane Photo : ACO |
