24 Hours of Le Mans 2018: a guide to the cars and drivers

Historic endurance

Historic endurance event features high-tech
prototypes and luxury GT racers

Preview

Many of the premier endurance events of yesteryear, such as the
Mille Miglia in Italy and the Nurburgring 1000km, have either been
significantly altered or permanently shut down over safety
concerns. Motor racing is dangerous, after all. 

The 24 Hours of Le Mans has continued to run since its
inception in 1923, although a number of safety improvements and
circuit tweaks over the years have kept the race up to
date. 

This year’s event kicks off on Saturday 16 June at 2.30pm local
time (1.30pm UK) and will come to a finish the same time the next
day. 

With so many cars competing in the race, it can be
difficult to follow. So here are the different categories of racing
cars and which teams to look out for: 

LMP1

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The premier category of car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is LMP1
(Le Mans Prototype 1), which features some of the fastest and most
technologically advanced racing cars on the planet. The
sophisticated powertrains and aerodynamics mean an LMP1 machine is
almost guaranteed to win the event outright, unless mechanical
gremlins play a part in the race.

Porsche has won the past three runnings of the event with
its 919 Hybrid, but the German car giant has stepped away from
top-tier endurance racing in 2018 to focus on the electric
single-seater series, Formula E.

That leaves Toyota [pictured above] as the sole hybrid-powered
LMP1 manufacturer this year, making it the favourite team to take
outright victory. The company is entering two cars into the event,
one of which will be co-driven by two-time Formula 1 champion
Fernando Alonso, who will share his car with two other drivers
during the race.

But Toyota isn’t alone in the LMP1 category, as it will be
competing against a number of non-hybrid prototypes entered by
privateer teams. These include series veterans Rebellion, the
US-based Dragon team and a pair of Russian SMP Racing cars, one of
which will be driven by former F1 world champion Jenson
Button.

While non-hybrid cars are slightly slower than their
electrified competitors, they could pose a threat to Toyota if the
Japanese squad either crashes out or encounters mechanical
problems. And considering Toyota has been denied almost certain
victory over the past two years because of vehicle faults, the
privateer teams may well have a chance at winning. 

LMP2

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Cars with LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) stickers on them are
slightly slower than their LMP1 rivals, even though they look
almost identical to the top-tier cars. Around 20 LMP2 cars have
been entered into this weekend’s race, which is almost double that
of the LMP1 class.

They may lack grunt on the circuit’s massive Mulsanne straight,
but LMP2 cars have proven to be competitive in the past. 

Last year, after Toyota’s mechanical problems dropped the
team out of contention for victory, a Jackie Chan Racing LMP2 car
[pictured above], owned by the martial artist, was leading the race
for several hours until it was passed by a Porsche LMP1 car in the
closing stages of the race. Still, the car won the LMP2 class and
finished second overall. 

Jackie Chan Racing will once again be a team to look out
for during the race, as will the United Autosport and G-Drive
teams. United Autosport has recruited multiple grand prix winner
Juan Pablo Montoya, while one of the G-Drive cars will be driven by
Formula E race winner Jean-Eric Vergne.

GTE

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Last, but certainly not least, is the GTE (Grand Touring
Endurance) class. These machines will be far more familiar to car
fans, as they all take the form of supercars that can be bought in
showrooms. 

They are not identical to their road car counterparts,
though, as each car is fitted with specially developed engines and
an assortment of wings to help them generate grip at high
speeds. 

This year’s running will include the Ferrari 488 GTE, the
Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, a pair of retro-looking Porsche 911 RSRs
and the Ford GT. Aston Martin will run its all-new Aston Martin
Vantage AMR racing for the first time at Le Mans, as will BMW with
its M8 GTE. 

The GTE category is arguably the most competitive group on
the grid and there’s a good chance any of these cars could win the
class. For example, Ford’s advanced GT supercar took victory on its
debut in 2016, only to be beaten by Aston Martin’s older Vantage
GTE the following year.

Top image credit: Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty
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