So we are going to have interesting American Le Mans Series season, as well as Le Mans series, and of course 24 hrs Le Mans!

The good news I can see is Aston Martin and Lola will enter LMP1 coupe with Tomas Enge, Jan Charouz and Stefan Mucke

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64606

You can also add that the Gran-Am season will be kicking off their season on January 26 - 27, 2008 with the Rolex 24 At Daytona .

the European LMS in 2008 has a very fine racer in the field; Jos "The Boss" Verstappen in the Porche RS Spyder.

He's in the running to win the 24 hour of Le Mans this year as well.........................

of course

Epsilon Euskadi (from Spain) will probably compete in the ALMS with a LP1 car, and LM 2008. For sure, they'll be in LM 2009. This team is already in Formula Renault 3.0, and 2.0 (Italy). The engine will be a Judd GV5 V10 5.0l of 800 CV at 10000rpm.

Here are some pics:



Epsilon Euskadi

yes, I knew everybody would know it too. .... I knew it...

running for what?!

what verstappen knows is that in year they all forgot his win 24 hours le mans win!

He's in the running to win the LMP2 class, but he won't win Le Mans outright - they'll have to pray for a lot of rain and some accidents to befall Audi & Peugeot for something like that to happen. Even then, the LMP2 win won't be easy with the other couple of Spyder's and RML's decent MG-Lola; he's also running with the car's owner as the third driver (alongside Jeroen Bleekemolen)...but you never know, still some months away.

LMS, FIA GT, GT3, GT4 and the British GT are all looking good so far this year! Be interesting to see how the R10 faces off against the 908 HDi around tracks other than La Sarthe, not to mention seeing the new LMP1 Lola-Aston....Should be a good year!

hey hey ... not so pessimistic huh!

Well i can't say i'm a fan of "Jos the Boss" so...

First practice and quallifying sessions takes place today at Daytona for the Rolex 24.

You can follow it live here: Live timing

Damn, according to live timing there are 62 cars out right now

Yeah. Its going to be crazy during the race!

Yeah, the Rolex 24 promises to be insane this year! They've even got Fox to show the first part of the race live on network TV. It remains to be seen, though, whether anybody will care in the slightest about the rest of the season.



One of the biggest pieces of news out of the ALMS during the offseason is their 'Green Racing' initiative.

http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=3879
http://www.americanlemans.com/news/Article.aspx?ID=3886

"At a time when nearly all of motorsports has lost its relevance regarding progressive technology or any connection from the race track to the showroom floor, the American Le Mans Series stands alone in providing a platform of solutions for our nation's automotive, transportation and energy needs" - Scott Atherton, president and CEO of ALMS.

Wow...a motorsport that actually encourages innovation and relevance to the showroom floor. What a concept! In one sentence he just took a swipe at every other major series in motor racing. You've gotta love that!

It will be interesting to see what the manufacturers come up with in the near future and how the governing body is able to equalize the playing field.

Hey somebody !!! Start a Rolex 24 thread
Quals start in 40 mins

Jp

Shame that the actual Grand-Am cars are so ugly! Still, at least the GT class is beautiful, and only the two F430's...

(two, didn't see the second car! lol)

Qualifying is now go

For the race itself, Coverage for the UK & Europe:

Eurosport 2 (times in GMT)
Sat - 6:15pm - 7:30pm / 9:00pm - 11:00pm
Sun - 4:00pm - 6:45pm

GT cars are now qualifying, followed by the DP cars.

Yep, looks to be fairly close so far. Some decent names in the GT Pack, i'd expect to see Richard Westbrook near the top of the time sheets at some point. Hopefully Johnny Mowlem does alright too.

Edit: Nevermind, DP's going now.

Qualifying 1 is over and if anything it just proved how bad the FABCAR chassis is; 2.8 seconds adrift (and what a team too! Ortelli, Bobbi, Babini and Garcia!).

Some fantastic names in both classes for this. I've never really got into Grand-Am before but i'll give this a go. JPM's team finished 6th for the Montoya fans. Another session still to go mind.

just did..


http://forums.autosport.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=99191

Bump

Testing today for ALMS at Sebring...and...the Peugeot Deisel kicked butt.
Track Record on its 4th run of the session with Nic Minnasian at the hem.
Looks like Audi may get a run for it's money this year, if they can finish.
More here
Peugeot Pics here

Zonta possibly driving the Peugeot at Le Mans.

I'm really happy to see Peugeot do Sebring this year. They'll definately give Audi a run for their money in Southern Florida.

Yes I agree. It will be a big boost to have the Lions at Sebring. P1 needs the competition. Having the P2 cars take out right wins on the smaller, tighter tracks during the rest of the ALMS season, while fun to watch, hasn't done the series or class differentiation any favors.

Agreed. The P1 class really needs to step it up this year.

BTW - Will Peugeot contest the entire ALMS season or are they just entered at Sebring??

Not sure, possibly only Sebring and Petit Le Mans.

Here's a good site to keep track of the contestants in endurance racing on both sides of the pond.

Thanks!

26 Entries so far for LMP1 for Le Mans of which 4 different closed roof prototye manufacturers

Total entries are at 88.

Lovely to see endurance racing so healthy - now to just get Le mans back into the FIA endurance championship.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64948

you don't know what you're saying, the Le Mans organisers the Automobile Club de l’Ouest and the FIA well don't see exactly eye to eye.

Le Mans is the pinnacle of endurance racing and by FIA endurance championship would you mean FIA-GT?

Do you know anything new about Epsilon Euskadi?

If things have gone well, they should have already tested the car in the wind tunnel but I've got not idea whatsoever about "track tests". I recently read that they may take part in two months in a race here in Spain, in Barcelona.

Well things about the Epsilon-Euskadi are very unsure, no real car has been seen for now.

However the ACO has announced that there were 4 closed prototype (possible) entries for LMP1, so imo that would/could be Peugeot, Epsilon-Euskadi, Dome, and Lola-Aston.

Exactly!!!
Lets not confuse Max Mosley`s clown outfit, the FIA...with the ACO.

There is a record number of LMP1 entries this year.....88!....with 55 spots.

Hey Indy 500, bump that!!

Thanks Sébastien.

I will try to keep an eye on their progess. They may even take part at some races of the LMS

Well believe me the ACO has it's flaws and quirks too


Not quite there are 88 entries but 26 in LM P1 (which is indeed a record), 15 in LM P2, 22 in LM GT1, 25 in LM GT2.

21 of those entries have already earned their spot because of their results last year in Le Mans, ALMS, LMS or FIA-GT, so that leaves 67 entries for 34 places (and 8 reserves).

The list of those selected will be published at the end of February.

I wonder what Vitaphone Racing will do with their entry slot again. Because they won the Teams Championship in GT1 of the FIA GT's, they automatically get given an entry into the race - problem is they've got the Maserati MC12 which doesn't fit the ACO's GT1 regulations. Last year they where going to enter an F430 into the GT2 class but it never came about...and according to the LM site so have Scuderia Playteam Sarafree. There's two GT1 entries that are in the air then.

Well according to the ACO : "Vitaphone and Scuderia Playteam Sarafree: The Maserati MC12s first and second in the FIA GT1 Championship do not comply with the ACO regulations and have not validated their automatic invitations"

Their entry slots are already gone so they are not on the list of the 21 teams that are already confirmed.

There are 22 entries for the LM GT1 so the ACO will have plenty of choice.

In November 2008 the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (Le Mans organisers) are now organising a 1000 km race in Shanghai.

Should be a direct way to secure entrance to LM 2009 as the winners of the LM P1, LM P2, LM GT1 and LM GT2 categories will receive an automatic invitation for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours.

http://www.lemans.org/sport/sport/actu/200...NC_2519_gb.html

Cheers I was going off the link in the post before hand

brain fade

For some reason I imagined that the ACO run endurance series was run by the FIA and the ACO only did Le Mans hence Audi not taking part in the Le Mans series. I am aware that the ACO and FIA dont see eye to eye (understatement).

According to 'Le Journal de Montreal', Villeneuve is still in talks with Peugeot's Serge Saulnier about a possible return to the squad for this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The french marque is scheduled to announce its 2008 programme on 15 february.

The test- and raceweekend would clash with his NASCAR schedule though.

Also it's getting mighty crowded in those 2 Peugeots because Gené, Minassian, Villeneuve, Lamy, Sarrazin, Montagny, Wurz and Zonta have all been mentioned as possible drivers.

Anthony Beltoise (son of) has been appointed test driver according to Auto-Hebdo.

Who knows there might be third Peugeot driving at Le Mans.

Also I heard that Peugeot will have a 2 day test at Barcelona starting tomorrow.

During the Sebring test, a spokesperson from Peugeot, who wished to remain anonymous, did confirm that Villeneuve was still part of their plans for 08.

http://www.canoe.com/sports/nouvelles/arch...206-114902.html

Moreover, he will fly to US for a NASCAR race on the same sunday, if a deal happens...

Well taking a guess at the Peugeot line up i'd have to say that Lamy, Gene, Sarrazin and Minassian would be odds on for taking four of the seats, leaving two left to the others. I'm not sure who'd take the remaining two - maybe Zonta and Montagny if JV can't do it due to the NASCAR and Wurz due to F1 testing.

JV might be part of Peugeot's North American plans for 2008 unless the spokesman mentioned Le Mans specifically; he could be part of their team at Sebring or Petit certainly.

Well I would like to see Jacques in les 24 Heures but leaving early to get a plane to a NASCAR race

Furthermore there is the qualy/test weekend 2 weeks before, there's a NASCAR race then too.

Jacques should be there to try to win the race and that requires 100% dedication, but ohh well I think that the people deciding at Peugeot will have that in mind too.

But otoh is Jacques already contracted for the whole NASCAR season, I seem to have read somewhere that he was only confirmed for part of it?

Only five races, if he ends up after that out of the top 35 lock ins, I'm doubting he'll continue.
If JV is going to commit himself 100% to NASCAR, he'd better call Peuguet and tell them sorry, no, right now.

But Villeneuve sees this as Peugeot's BIG chance to win this year's running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans!

Can't he get a replacement for the NASCAR race? Dunno, someone like Said or whomever, really, who could try to grab a few points for car #27 ?

Hmmmm...
Peuguet eyeballs the ALMS series...and now it appears that BMW is close behind, albeit in GT2, late in 2008.
The 2009 season will see Rahal Letterman campaign two M3s for a full-season championship run.
BMW will compete in a GT2 field that includes efforts from defending class champion Ferrari as well as Aston Martin, Dodge, Ford, Panoz and Porsche.

Some (lousy) pics here

Gee, I wonder if Rahal/Letterman got more money for this than he did for indycar this year.