Though as of this year only four constructors are allowed to build LM P2 chassis (ORECA, Onroak Automotive, Dallara and Riley/Multimatic), at Le Mans the class has also proved rich with highlights and victories for French constructors.

Alpine 2013-2016: a legend resurrected - Since 2013, the LM P2 class has fostered new chapters in the one of the greatest histories in French motorsports. Alpine made its return to the track with a prototype based on the Oreca 03 chassis. Called the A450, as a reference to the 50th anniversary of the marque's first appearance at the 24 Hours, it was entrusted to the French team Signatech. From then on, Signatech Alpine's ascent was as methodical as it was relentless: two consecutive titles in the European Le Mans Series (2013 and 2014), a podium finish at Le Mans (third in 2014) and a first win in the LM P2 class in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) at Shanghai in 2015. Last year, the A450 was replaced by the A460 (this time based on the Oreca 05) for a dream season culminating in the victory in the class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA Endurance LM P2 Drivers and Teams Trophy in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).

Ligier 2014-2016: another French revitalization - In 2013, after having won in the LM P2 class with its team OAK Racing and its Morgan chassis both at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), Jacques Nicolet and Onroak Automotive, the constructor branch of OAK Racing, took on another challenge: reviving the name Ligier at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. So was born the JS P2 prototype which debuted at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014. After pole position for Thiriet by TDS Racing's car and lengthy leader status for OAK Racing's JS P2, in the end the former reached the second step on the podium. Three Ligier JS P2s figured in the class top 10, including the one driven by David Cheng-Ho Pin Tung-Adderly Fong, the first 100% Chinese driver line-up to cross the finish line at the 24 Hours. Thanks to the Russian team G-Drive Racing, the Ligier JS P2 claimed another podium finish at Le Mans with third place in 2015. Though victorious in LM P2 in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) that same year (then in the Asian Le Mans Series in the 2016/2017 season), the JS P2 never managed to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Morgan 2013-2016: between a French prototype and a British sports car - Created as the OAK Pescarolo, the prototype designed by Onroak Automotive became the Morgan in 2012 as a result of a partnership with the British sports car constructor founded in 1910. In 2013, OAK Racing scored a one-two in LM P2 at the 24 Hours, before going on to win the driver and team titles in the class in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). Three years later, for its final appearance at Le Mans prior to new regulations requiring closed cockpits, the Morgan was at the center of the challenge undertaken by Frédéric Sausset. In Garage 56, reserved for an unranked innovative prototype, the quad-amputee driver made it to the 24 Hours of Le Mans checkered flag along with Christophe Tinseau and Jean-Bernard Bouvet.

In addition to this "Franco-British Le Mans" prototype, another 100% British constructor has also built a superb record in the LM P2 class...to be continued in the third and final installment of this series.

Click below for the first installment in this series:

LM P2 constructors at Le Mans 2008-2016 (1) - Porsche, Honda and ORECA

Photo: A winner in 2016 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), this year the Alpine A460 is set to be replaced by the A470 which will benefit from a significant increase in power thanks to the new class regulations.