Test Day - a day for firsts!

Today, Saturday 30 May, the paddock is buzzing more than ever as final preparations are completed for the Test Day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2015. More and more drivers can be seen around the circuit, on foot, on bicycle and even on an electric skateboard for Audi driver Lucas di Grassi. Every one of them is expected at the administrative checks before taking to the track on Sunday 31 May. Some of them will then be getting to grips with a new car or a new class for the very first time.

The graduates from the Nissan GT Academy will be making their debut at the wheel of a LM P1 prototype. Lucas Ordoñez, Jann Mardenborough, Mark Shulzhitskiy and their GT-R LM NISMO will undoubtedly be subjected to particularly close scrutiny. After a convincing performance in LM P2 (fourth in the class) last year, German René Rast has earned his stripes as an Audi factory driver in LM P1, taking the wheel of the third R18 e-tron quattro entered in the race. Force India Formula One driver, Nico Hülkenberg will be one of the star attractions at this year’s 24 Hours in the third Porsche 919 Hybrid. Between the Test Day and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he will be contesting the Canadian Grand Prix on 7 June!

The LM P2 class will also be seeing the arrival of an open-wheel specialist with G-Drive Racing. Driving for Ferrari last year in LM GTE, Briton Sam Bird made an outstanding start to his prototype career by taking the class win at the 6 Hours of Silverstone and will be one of the hot favourites at Le Mans, at the wheel of the No.26 Ligier JS P2. The same feat was achieved by Austrian Mathias Lauda in LM GTE Am with Aston Martin. This prestigious name will at long last be recorded in the annals of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the very first time. Again in LM GTE Am, Frenchman Emmanuel Collard will be making his 21st Le Mans start but this one will forever be etched in his memory. For the first time, he will be racing at the wheel of a Ferrari, the No.83 458 Italia entered by AF Corse, the Italian marque’s official representative in endurance.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO – Translated from French by David Goward