The LM P2 category has attracted 22 cars compared to eighteen in 2012 and it is again the biggest in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. Among the entrants 90% are potential victory contenders so everything points to an no-holds-barred battle. To give honour where it’s due, the Starworks squad will defend its 2012 title, but without its Venezuelan driver, Vincente Potolicchio, who will attempt to win in LM GTE Am. The American squad will face tough opposition from the three Morgan-Nissans entered by OAK Racing, Greaves Motorsport, Thiriet by TDS Racing, Murphy Prototypes, Pecom Racing, etc.

Well-armed newcomers

Two new teams will make their debut in the Le Mans 24 Hours: Sébastien Loeb Racing with an Oreca 03-Nissan and the Chinese squad KCMG with a Morgan-Nissan.

Sébastien Loeb Racing

After two outings as a driver (rtd in 2005, 2^nd in 2006) Sébastien Loeb will be present at Le Mans this year but not behind the wheel. The 9-time World Rally Champion will be on the pit wall as team manager of the car he has entered whose lead driver is the very quick and experienced Franck Montagny. This top-class squad looked after by Loeb and his associate, Dominique Heintz, will be among the hot favourites. Note that its car will run on Michelin tyres in a category dominated by Dunlop.

KCMG

The KCMG team will have a tougher job trying to win first time out. It’s in part due to its entry in the Asian Le Mans Series Championship that this teams owes its invitation. But not entirely, as it’s a well-established squad that enjoys a good reputation in Asia, and has racked up significant results in Formula Nippon, the Japanese F3, Super GT and Chinese Touring Car Championships. These successes led to the Hong Kong-based squad owned by Paul Ip becoming the first Chinese team to be an official partner with Toyota in Formula Nippon.

The entry of KCMG that will have two Chinese drivers plus the Swiss Imperatori, already nominated, sends out a strong signal to the teams in the new ACO continental series, the Asian Le Mans Series, which will kick off on 5^th May 2013 in Shanghai (CHI).  

Lotus, yet another comeback!

In 2012, the Lotus Racing team entered a Lola chassis with a V8-Judd engine rebadged Lotus for the Le Mans 24 Hours. This year the Bavarian-based squad managed by Colin Kolles is back with two brand-new cars bearing the famous Lotus name designed by the technical studio ADESS in Munich. The links between ADESS and Kolles’ team go back to Formula 1 when the latter was in charge of the HRT squad. These very pretty machines will be powered by the same V8 Lotus engines as in 2012 and shod with Dunlop tyres. The first drivers named are Kevin Weeda and Thomas Holzer. After the disappointing performances of the completely underpowered Evora in LM GTE two years ago, and the LM P2 that went out with a broken gearbox last year, the new cars seem to have what it takes to be among the front-runners in this extremely competitive category.

LM P reserves

There are seven reserves: six in LM P2 but none in LM P1.