LM24 Le Mans 2017 Entry List and Driver Updates

Mike E · 17 Aug 2016, 12:56 (Ref:3666137)

It's only 300 days until I set off for Le Mans again so it's high time we started making stuff up.

Unfortunately, both Audi and Porsche have confirmed two car entries for next year.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report...017-third-cars

"We have still to reach a decision on that," said Toyota Motorsport GmbH technical director Pascal Vasselon, whose team lost victory in this year's 24 Hours with five minutes to go.

"Had we entered three cars this year, maybe we would have been able to win Le Mans." Hmmmmm....

Deleted · 17 Aug 2016, 14:58 (Ref:3666155)

The best you can hope for LMP1 is 10x, if Toyota finally opens the wallet, but if (when) not it's the standard 9. I don't think anyone believes Kolles to double up. So while is not "great" again I suppose we should be grateful for even that given the motivational problems of Rebellion, it could've easily been miserable 7.

I fear the only non Oreca, non Onroak LMP2s will be the grandfathered SMPs, and then at best single representatives from Riley and/or Dallara. Similarly to LMP3, I just can't buy into people going for those others when the French spec dealers are so much "easier" to deal with in Europe. And the new chassis with the Zyteks are gonna be so spec anyway that the performance differences likely won't be huge so you might just well get that standard clone Oreca or whatever. Or they'll just keep using the old grandfathered French chassis while they still can, they might not win (on pace) but it's cheaper.

I hope G56 actually makes it on track, IMO it's the most interesting of those yet.

Hope for LMGTE to shrink and ACO to throw more of them to reserves.

PorscheFanNo1 · 19 Aug 2016, 11:05 (Ref:3666525)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

Hope for LMGTE to shrink and ACO to throw more of them to reserves.

They will hardly turn down GTE-Pro applications, they need and want the manufacturers. Ford will again apply for 4 cars, they have said, likely we will get a similar situation as this year with Ferrari feeling forced to try and match the numbers and so will Porsche with its new WEC cars plus possible IMSA cars. So, I'm expecting kinda the same in GTE-Pro but with 4 new Porsches. GTE-Am was already quite thin this year, WEC entries are auto, and they are forced to accept a few from ELMS, otherwise the interest to race in ELMS would dwindle. So I hardly think there will be fewer GTE cars for '17. Add to that, the rumoured Labre WEC GTE-Pro effort.

Either way, with only tops 10 LMP1 cars, and 60 car feild, why would you wantGTE feild to shrink? Only to benefit from that would be a LMP2 feild of some 30+ cars, all being Orecas and Ligiers?

Deleted · 19 Aug 2016, 13:36 (Ref:3666555)

I didn't say it's what I expect to happen (because obviously it will not - the auto entries alone guarantee that), it's what I hope to happen.

Even dumbified grid of clone Oreca-Zyteks and Onroak-Zyteks is more exciting prospect to me than the garbage fake entertainment of LMGTE.

Coach Ep · 20 Aug 2016, 21:36 (Ref:3666788)

ELMS - 4
1x winner P2 -> P2
1x winner P3? -> P2
1x winner GTE -> GTE-Am?
1x winner GT3 Cup -> GTE-Am

WSC (IMSA) - 2
1x best Am driver P -> P2
1x best Am driver GTD -> GTE-Am
(or whoever likes to receive their invites)

AsLMS - 3
1x winner P2? -> P2
1x winner P3? -> P2?
1x winner GT? -> GTE-Am?

Anything else?

That's 9 spots already. Plus 32ish for 'full-time' WEC runners. Makes 40-42.

Victor_RO · 21 Aug 2016, 07:32 (Ref:3666832)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

Anything else?

LM class winners, but at least one of them (#2 Porsche) will be back as a full-time WEC entrant instead of based on the invite.

Mike E · 21 Aug 2016, 07:39 (Ref:3666834)

Welter Racing have their very neat looking Garage 56 entry. Hopefully that processes well.

http://www.racecar-engineering.com/a...elter-racing/#

Coach Ep · 22 Aug 2016, 15:12 (Ref:3667024)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

LM class winners, but at least one of them (#2 Porsche) will be back as a full-time WEC entrant instead of based on the invite.

I'd expect the same with Signature's P2 Alpine. And we can safely assume Ford will get 4 entries again in GTE-Pro. That leaves Scuderia Corsa in GTE-Am. And G56. That's +2.

42-44.

18-20 to go. That's more than in previous years I think.

Coach Ep · 22 Aug 2016, 22:11 (Ref:3667109)

Keating + Bleekemolen will request an entry with a new P2 Multimatic-Riley/Gibson.

Mike E · 23 Aug 2016, 13:06 (Ref:3667194)

GRAFF Racing will apply for an LMP2 place with an ORECA 07.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/0...s-to-lmp2.html

jimclark · 24 Aug 2016, 17:19 (Ref:3667388)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

ELMS - 4
WSC (IMSA) - 2
1x best Am driver P -> P2
1x best Am driver GTD -> GTE-Am
(or whoever likes to receive their invites)

Anything else?

Yes please.

I've been "out of the loop" (is that a dated expression?) and am wondering what "WSC" is.

Thank you kindly.

Hawkwood · 24 Aug 2016, 17:32 (Ref:3667389)

Weathertech Sportscar Championship

The USA's premier endurance racing series.
Though I thought it was WSCC.

jimclark · 24 Aug 2016, 21:34 (Ref:3667426)

Riiiight. Thank you Hawk. I should have pulled that out of my as...err...hat . It is WSC which is what threw me as I kept being distracted by the thought of the old World Sporscar Championship. The WeatherTech name is popular (I even have their window vents on my car fer Pete's sake...).

In regard to your thought of "WSCC"), mayhaps you're thinking of the support series (no offense to anyone who has participated...ahem...hint, hint) which is the Continental Tire Sportscar Series..."CTSC".
http://www.imsa.com/
Anywho, thanks for helpin' defrag this tired ol' brain...

The Badger · 10 Sep 2016, 19:34 (Ref:3671546)

Ilike to see Toyota land out and give one to a decent privateer to run with some support .

jimclark · 11 Sep 2016, 11:54 (Ref:3671679)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Ilike to see Toyota land out and give one to a decent privateer to run with some support .

I'd be happy if they just ran three rather than "land out" (don't know that term)) along with Audi and Porsche. 'Much rather see factory efforts than privateer with their lesser resources. I understand "support" but it's not the same as a full blown effort.
On the other hand, with the world in such a mess as it is, I'm glad we've got what we've got as opposed to none....

Hawkwood · 26 Sep 2016, 14:42 (Ref:3675277)

United Autosports and JMW Motorsport have clocked two auto entries from 2016's ELMS season.

whitemr2 · 6 Oct 2016, 20:48 (Ref:3677937)

According to dailysportscar Rebellion switches to LMP2 in 2017, very sad news for LMP1.

jimclark · 6 Oct 2016, 23:10 (Ref:3677974)

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitemr2

According to dailysportscar Rebellion switches to LMP2 in 2017, very sad news for LMP1.

And, as good as they are, 'may be very sad news for the rest of LMP2 as well......

Deleted · 6 Oct 2016, 23:57 (Ref:3677981)

7 car LMP1 field...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimclark

And, as good as they are, 'may be very sad news for the rest of LMP2 as well......

It's a near spec category with clone cars and engines + artificial driver and other restrictions... they're not gonna dominate anything. I'm pretty sure most of the existing budget is gonna be axed anyway now that they can't really utilize anything. Oh and more pay drivers!

**Aysedasi** · 7 Oct 2016, 07:37 (Ref:3678054)

Partly true, but we all know that the cream always rises to the top......

Deleted · 7 Oct 2016, 16:27 (Ref:3678160)

I'm sure they'll be along the top LMP2s, but hardly the way you saw in ILMC and WEC at the start of the decade when LMP1 privateers still had healthy divisions. Can't get excited about the prospect at all.

jimclark · 8 Oct 2016, 16:01 (Ref:3678418)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiana

7 car LMP1 field...
It's a near spec category with clone cars and engines + artificial driver and other restrictions... they're not gonna dominate anything. I'm pretty sure most of the existing budget is gonna be axed anyway now that they can't really utilize anything. Oh and more pay drivers!

Oh. And you mean like Penske and Ganassi don't dominate sillyarse "spec" IndyCar???

Quote:

"Aysedasi: Partly true, but we all know that the cream always rises to the top......"

My point exactly. (however, not all know...

)

Deleted · 8 Oct 2016, 20:08 (Ref:3678438)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimclark

Oh. And you mean like Penske and Ganassi don't dominate sillyarse "spec" IndyCar???

My point exactly. (however, not all know...

)

Those two have infinitely more money, resources and better drivers than rest of the ICS field. They are pretty much like the Oreca and Onroak of that series. Rebellion might have spend good penny in LMP1 too (at least in earlier years) but if anyone expects them to carry over similar budgets to LMP2, I'm afraid it's very naive. First off, there's no need to go high end as it's development frozen, but second as it's forcefully cost capped and destined to be lower division by rule. Unlike Indycar

jimclark · 8 Oct 2016, 23:21 (Ref:3678473)

Admittedly, I don't follow as closely as I used to. What development is there in Indycar?
I posted on another board that was discussing how Indycar fan base might be greater if there was more testing during the off season like there was in the CART (and prior) days. I mentioned the fact there was nothing to test as there was no development to be made. No one raised an eyebrow.

Mike E · 23 Oct 2016, 20:17 (Ref:3682306)

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2016/1...nvitation.html

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