Since 2011, the GT categories have been combined into a single one at Le Mans, LM GTE split up into two groups: LM GTE Pro with professional drivers, and LM GTE Am (cars from the previous season with only one professional driver in the line-up).

LM GTE – gateway to the stars!

Eleven cars will be at the start in the first category and the field has reached a never-before achieved level as with the exception of the talented private team, JMW Motorsport, (Ferrari F458 Italia), all the other entries represent major manufacturers!

Ferrari will be back to repeat its 2012 victory thanks to its satellite team AF Corse with two F458 Italias, the ones to beat in the category, in the hands of talented drivers like Giancarlo Fisichella, Gianmaria Bruni and Olivier Beretta.

Opposition to the Italian cars will come from two Corvettes, out for revenge after their disappointing showing in 2012, and two Aston Martins flying the colours of the make that’s celebrating its centenary this year, plus two Porsches and two Vipers.

The Stuttgart manufacturer has entrusted a brace of 911 RSRs to the Porsche AG/Team Manthey, which will run them on an exclusive basis in 2013. This entry with works drivers Lieb and Bergmeister is a foretaste of the Stuttgart make’s arrival in LM P1 in 2014.  

Viper marks his comeback to the Sarthe with two cars, evolutions of the ones entered by the manufacturer in the American Le Mans Series last year. This is the first time a Viper has appeared at Le Mans since 2003.

LM GTE Am: America stars!

LM GTE Am has also attracted a full field with fourteen cars led by the two Larbre Competition Corvettes. The French team has won in both LM GT2 and LM GTE since 2010: once again they will be up against the IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche with which Larbre fought a thrilling battle in 2012 that went down to the wire. AF Corse has no fewer than three Ferraris, and in all there will be six 458 Italias at Le Mans in this category thanks to loyal team Krohn Racing, the Extreme Speed Motorsport entry, and the F458 entered by 8 Star Motorsport. The field is completed by two Aston Martins and two Porsches 911 GT3 RSRs, the first entered by Proton Competition and the second by Dempsey Racing Proton.

Obviously all eyes will be on the latter! No. 77 will be driven among others by Patrick Dempsey, the American actor made famous by the TV series Grey’s Anatomy. Dempsey, who usually races in LM P2 in the USA, has preferred to enter the GTE Am category as his team has the backing of Proton Competition, the German make’s satellite outfit. In 2009, the American actor competed in the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Ferrari F430 and finished thirtieth.

The LM GTE reserves

There are four teams on the list: three in GTE Am and one in GTE Pro.