Photo : DR / Pascal SAIVET

 

The entry list of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) was unveiled last Thursday at the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's press conference in Paris, at the same occasion where were revealed the 56 teams invited to the 82nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (ticket information).

Porsche's arrival among automakers vying for the LM P1 class title will transform the duel Audi / Toyota into a three-way battle, the Weissach automaker intending to be at the forefront from the beginning of the season, while the development by Lotus of a prototype that will adhere to the new LM P1 class regulations will allow the R-One of the Rebellion Racing team to gauge itself in the private teams class.

Strakka Racing is doing the opposite of Lotus by returning to the LM P2 class, a class that the British team won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010, after an interlude in the LM P1 class. The all-British trio will find in its path three Russian teams, G-Drive Racing - in partnership with OAK Racing - as well as a team based in the United Arab Emirates and a Chinese outfit, KCMG - having participated for the first time at Le Mans last year.

Not much change in comparison to last year in the LM GTE Pro class, other than the arrival of the 2013 European Le Mans Series champion, the RAM Racing team, with a Ferrari. The Italian automaker, defending champion, will once again compete against the official teams of Porsche and Aston Martin.

If not completely overhauled, the LM GTE Am class was somewhat revised with the arrival of Luis Perez-Companc in GT after a foray into the LM P2 class, but also of the RAM Racing team and the Belgian team ProSpeed ​​Competition, present at Le Mans last year.

If you would like to participate in a historic event - Porsche's return to competition in the queen class - reserve your seats right away for the weekend of April 20th, with a noon race start local time!

Cécile Bonardel / ACO