With two weeks to go to the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours the drivers will find their marks on the circuit during tomorrow’s test day. The track will be live from 09h00 to 13h00 and again from 14h00 till 18h00. This day is not obligatory except for drivers who have never raced in the event or who haven’t done so for five years, as well as new teams or new cars like the Nissan GTR - LMs, which will be one of tomorrow’s star attractions.
This year, the greatest endurance race of the year promises even more excitement than usual in all the categories.

A big step forward in LM P1
In the LM P1 category all eyes will be riveted on the second installment of the three-handed battle between Audi, Porsche and Toyota as the respective teams have made mind-boggling progress in terms of performance during the winter. While respecting the regulations introduced in 2014, which required manufacturers to reduce their fuel consumption by almost 30 per cent, they have succeeded in lowering their laps times by several seconds in the first two rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Silverstone and Spa. This should lead to exceptional lap speeds during the test day. This year Nissan has joined the above-mentioned to the delight of the public with cars that have already attracted a tremendous amount of attention in the pit lane.

Audi, winner of the 2014 Le Mans 2014 and of the first two races of the season, Toyota, the reigning world champion and Porsche, the record holder for the number of outright victories at Le Mans (16), which has entered a third 919 Hybrid with current F1 ace Nico Hülkenberg as part of the line-up, are the hot favourites for victory, but they will have to reckon with Nissan making its comeback to the blue ribbon category. The last works entries by the Japanese manufacturer in Le Mans go back to 1999. Good performances are also expected from privateer Swiss team Rebellion Racing’s Rebellion R-Ones making their first appearance this year, which has opted for a new engine that should help them to take the fight to the works teams. The third private LM P1 entered by Team by Kolles that didn’t race at Le Mans last year is also using the AER engine.

Newcomers in LM P2
It’ll be very interesting to see how the 21 cars in LM P2 (19 entries and 2 reserves) perform. This category comprises cars entered for the European Le Mans Series and for the FIA World Endurance Championship in almost equal measure. In the first group after the Ligiers in 2014, seven of which will be racing this year, innovation is the watchword with three new closed cars: the BR01, the first Russian car to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, two of which have been entered by the SMP Racing squad, the Dome S103 from English team Strakka Racing and the first two Oreca-05s. They will be up against some very tough opposition like the Ligiers powered by Honda and Nissan engines, and other front-runners such as the Alpine, the Morgans, the Oreca 03s and the Gibsons. The latter is, in fact, the Zytek Z11SN which won the category last year driven by Dolan-Tincknell-Turvey, a line-up that has been partially renewed this year. Tincknell who has joined the Nissan attack has been replaced by young New Zealander, Mitch Evans.

Corvette is out for revenge on Ferrari
The LM GTE Pro field consists of two works Porsche 911 RSRs, three works Aston Martin V8 Vantages and two AF Corse-runned Ferrari 458 Italias, all entered in the world championship and their iconic rivals from across the Atlantic, Corvette Racing.
The American manufacturer is out for revenge and determined to win with its new C7.Rs. The GM sports car victorious seven times at Le Mans since 2000 will do its utmost to come first in what is an extremely competitive category.

Dempsey, Corvette and Viper as American stars!
In addition to the 14 cars entered in LM GTE Am there are two reserves, a Porsche 911 RSR and a Ferrari F458 Italia plus other two Ferraris run by AF Corse, which has already entered three cars in this category. They won’t race in the event itself on 13th June, but will run during the test day. In this category battle will also rage between Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, and this year Corvette, with such well-known drivers as Emmanuel Collard, the record holder in terms of starts of drivers still racing who is back for the 21st time, Pedro Lamy and Patrick Long. The latter will again team up with one of the best prepared gentlemen drivers, Patrick Dempsey, racing in the whole FIA World Endurance Championship this year having set up his own team with Porsche’s backing. Another focal point of interest will be the no. 53 SRT-Viper GTS entered by Riley Motorsport-Ti Auto, which will do battle with the first client version of the Corvette C7.R run by French outfit, Larbre Competition.

The new LM P3s given their chance
The new category created by the ACO for the European and Asian Le Mans Series, LM P3, will make its Le Mans debut as there are two Ginetta-Nissans entered for the test day from among the six in the ELMS. This is the entry level category for teams and drivers in the world of endurance, and the first step on the pyramid of which the Le Mans 24 Hours is the pinnacle. They are allowed to take part in the test day but not in the race itself. In one of the two cars will be Sir Chris Hoy (knighted by the Queen), the 6-time track cycling Olympic gold medalist, who is continuing his apprenticeship in endurance and is betting on racing in the 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours in LM P2. The LM P3s are entered by the British LNT squad which is racing in the whole European Le Mans Series.

Now lap times are what count!

 

Download the list of entries for the test day

Practical information
The 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours
83rd running
3rd round of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship

Dates : 13-14 June 2015

General enclosure ticket price: 56,25 euros (ACO members) 75 euros (non ACO members).

Free for young people born after 14th June 1999 accompanied by an adult.

Test day: Sunday 31st May 2015. Ticket price : 20 euros

Scrutineering and administrative checks: Sunday 7th and Monday 8th June 2015.

Free practice and qualifying: Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th June 2015.

Start of the 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours: Saturday 13th June 2015 at 15h00.