Honda, Nissan, Toyota ... with the big Japanese manufacturers returning in Prototypes this definitely looks like being one of the highlights of the Test Day and the 24 Hours  in 2011.

For the opening round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at Sebring, each manufacturer had a new car , and the twelve hour race was full of drama and potential for the teams. The new LMP1 prototype Honda ARX-01e was second on the closely behind the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP Team Oreca Matmut. In its first appearance,  the Toyota Racing Lola Rebellion B10/60 finished in 7th place. And LM P2 resulted in a first and second finish for the Japanese, thanks to the Lola-Honda Level 5 Motorsports and the French team Signatech Oreca Nissan 03. In Europe at the Le Castellet circuit, Nissan  also finished victorious in LM P2 at the 6 Hours of Le Castellet, with the  Greaves Motorsport Zytek.

Adding to the strong Japanese  presence at Le Mans will be the Strakka Honda Racing HPD ARX 01 and the RML HPD which will be two other major proponents in the LM P2 Category. The Strakka team will be defending it's class win in  the 24 Hours in 2010, where the car set a record for the distance in this category. And with one of those happy coincidences that make great stories, this Japanese comeback coincides with the twentieth anniversary of the victory at Le Sarthe of Mazda, which is still the only Japanese manufacturer to win overall at Le Mans.

The official test day of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held April 24.

Jean-Philippe Doret

Photo: Sebring (Florida, USA), March 19, 2011. After the 7th place finish of the Jani / Prost / Bleekemolen Rebellion Racing  at Sebring, the team will be at Le Mans with two entries for the Lola-Toyota Coupe.