24h Le Mans
For the first time since 2011, this weekend the European Le Mans Series will return to the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, of which the drivers are especially fond, for the fifth of six 2016 season rounds.
With more than 40 voitures on the starting grid of this next-to-last round of the season, the European endurance championship is obviously doing very well. The field in the class (13 cars) will have one more than at the preceding round in Le Castellet at the end of August given the arrival of the Belgian outfit Team WRT (read article). The #47 Ligier JS P2-Judd will be driven by two men at the start of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans: Will Stevens (second in LM P2 with G-Drive Racing) and Laurens Vanthoor (ninth in LM P2 with Michael Shank Racing). The two drivers will compete along with Dries Vanthoor, the latter’s younger brother.
There are no changes in LM P3, with the exception of the presence of Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the Managing Board of PSA. It is the most packed class, with no less than 20 cars, all Ligier JS P3s, brought by Alex Brundle, Mike Guash and Christian England, only a few points from their goal: if the United Autosport trio finishes ahead of its rivals Duqueine Engineering (#19) and Graff (#9), it is assured the title at the end of the season.
Though the class has only eight players, the title is more contested in LM GTE. Only eight points separate the top three in the standings, and Andrea Bertolini (winner in LM GTE Am at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans), Rob Smith and Rory Butcher are the provisional leaders two rounds from the end of the season. The finale will take place at the Portuguese circuit at Estoril on October 23rd.
Meanwhile, the 41 competitors will take the start at the 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, September 25th at 2:00 p.m. with two 90-minute free practice sessions each (Friday at 3:20 p.m. and Saturday at 9:20 a.m.) and qualifying (Saturday starting at 1:25 p.m.).
