Photo :  Christian VIGNON

 

LM GTE

2015 is the last year of the current regulations as new ones governing this category will be introduced in 2016. However, it has been agreed that it will still be possible to enter cars complying with the 2015 regs next year.

The teams in LM GTE Pro (driver line-ups consisting of three professionals if desired) can enter a new evolution of their car this season. The entrants in LM GTE Am (one professional driver out of the three) must run 2014 models.

The balance of Performance (BoP) will be announced later.

LM GTE Pro: can Ferrari keep its title?

Nine cars will be at the start in the premier category. After its superb win in 2014 Ferrari will again be among the front-runners with two works 458 Italias entered by the Scuderia’s skilled satellite squad, AF Corse. Gianmaria Bruni and Davide Rigon are the nominated drivers in nos 51 and 71 respectively.

Although entered in LM 1 Porsche is determined to repeat its 2013 victory in GTE Pro with Team Manthey. Patrick Pilet and Richard Lietz are the nominated drivers in the German squad. Porsche’s rivals include two Corvette C7.Rs, which were in stunning form in last month’s Daytona 24 Hours as Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia and Ryan Briscoe won the GT category, while the second car of Oliver Gavin-Tommy Milner-Simon Pagenaud came home third. Magnussen and Gavin are the nominated drivers in nos 63 and 64 respectively.

As in 2014 three Aston Martin Vantage V8s will carry the English make’s colours with Marco Sorensen, Darren Turner and Fernando Rees as nominated drivers.