Volume 8

October 2008, Volume 8, No. 10

• RUMOUR: LMS - Will Racing Box be Back in 2009???:

  After Racing Box's disasterous foray into LMP2 with Lucchini, the team could be back for 2009.

• The 2009 Le Mans Series Calendar Announced:

  2008 was a cracking season! The Le Mans Series races contributed to giving the colours of Le Mans and endurance racing an even higher profile on the international scene.

September 2008, Volume 8, No. 9

• Embassy Racing Closes its Doors:

  Embassy Racing has announced today that the doors to its two car Le Mans Series racing efforts have been closed to business.

• RUMOUR: LMS - How Many RS Spyders will Race in 2009???:

  Rumour is rife regarding who will run Porsche RS Sypders in the Le Mans Series in 2009.

• So Near Yet so Far in the LMS for Modena:

  Team Modena Gallery from Silverstone Team Modena went into the final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone knowing that only a win would secure them the Teams and Drivers LM GT1 class titles in the five-race championship, and even then the championship leader only had to score one point to claim the crown. The team did all it could, the Aston Martin was right on the pace all weekend and Antonio Garcia and Tomas Enge drove flawlessly in the 1000km race to win by a lap - but the French run Corvette declined to challenge the DBR9 and cruised home to take third and enough points to win the titles by six points.

• Paolo Catone Leaves Peugeot :

  Following a period of three years of fruitful cooperation together, and by common accord, Paolo CATONE and Peugeot Sport have decided not to extend the contract between them which extended until the end of 2008. Indeed, Paolo Catone wishes to give a new direction to his career.

• Charouz to Demo at Brno as they Test Primat and Yamamoto
• Bid for Liz Halliday's Signed Race Suite and Help Mencap!:

  Fans of Liz Halliday have the opportunity to own one of the dual sportswoman's race suits, signed by the California-born racing driver and equestrian.

• Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt5:

  Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt5
  Ferrari
  Guillaume Moreau
  Ryan Lewis
  Lola Cars
  Strakka

• Silverstone: Horag Racing wins Michelin Energy Challenge:

  The fifth and final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone, Great Britain, today saw HORAG RACING clinch the "Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge" to earn itself a guaranteed entry for next year's Le Mans 24 Hours .

• Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt4:

  Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt4
  Audi
  Peugeot
  Charouz
  Porsche

• Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt3:

  Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt3
  Van Merksteijn
  Horag
  RML
  Speedy Sebah

• Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt2:

  Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps pt2
  Team Modena
  Strakka
  Zytek
  Saulnier
  Quifel ASM

• Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps:

  Silverstone: Post Race Driver and Team Recaps
  Spyker
  James Watt Automotive
  Michelin
  Tomas Enge
  Harold Primat

• PHOTOS: First Pics of the Peugeot 908HY:

  PHOTOS: First Pics of the Peugeot 908HY

• Silverstone: Audi Takes the Win and an Unlikely Championship:

  Audi recorded its first win in the 2008 Le Mans Series at the fifth and final race, the Autosport Silverstone 1000kms. By so doing, the German manufacturer claimed the teams' and manufacturers' titles, while with fourth place on the road, Alexandre Premat and Mike Rockenfeller won the drivers' title

• Silverstone: Race Results:

  Silverstone: Race Results

• Silverstone: Selected Post Qualifying Team and Driver Recaps pt2:

  Silverstone: Selected Post Qualifying Team and Driver Recaps pt2
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz
  Van Merksteijn
  Quifel ASM

• Silverstone: Selected Post Qualifying Team and Driver Recaps:

  Silverstone: Selected Post Qualifying Team and Driver Recaps
  James Watt Automotive
  Spyker Squadron
  Tomas Enge
  Michelin

• Silverstone: Peugeot Takes Pole as Lamborghini Wins Pole in GT1:

  Peugeot locked out the front row of the grid for the fifth and final race of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone. Stephane Sarrazin set a new qualifying record of 1m30.359s to beat his team-mate Nicolas Minassian by one hundredth of a second. Minassian recovered from a collision with Xavier Pompidou's Speedy Racing Lola which damaged the rear of the 908 Hdi FAP in which he, and co-driver Marc Gene, have won twice to lead the series.

• Presenting the Peugeot 908HY:

  Peugeot Sport will profit from the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone to unveil a 908 HDi FAP demonstration car equipped with hybrid power featuring a kinetic energy recovery system. The 908 HY will be shown in a new, specific silver-grey livery and will provide a foretaste of what Peugeot’s next endurance racing challenger could resemble, although its use will depend on the regulations that will govern LMP1 cars from 2009.

• The ACO Outlines the Rule Direction for the Future:

  The 2009 endurance season will be marked by the application of new equivalence that prefigure the new regulations for the years 2010 and 2011.

• Silverstone: Qualifying Times:

  Silverstone: Qualifying Times

• Horag Racing's Lienhard to Retire Following LMS Season Finale At Silverstone:

  Sunday's 1,000 Kilometers of Silverstone will not only bring the 2008 Le Mans Series (LMS) to an end, but it will also mark the last race for Horag Racing driver Fredy Lienhard.

• Silverstone: Practice 2 Times:

  Silverstone: Practice 2 Times

• Silverstone: Practice 1 Times:

  Silverstone: Practice 1 Times

• RUMOUR: (A)LMS - Has Chamberlain Sold their Lola???:

  With all the hype surrounding Petit Le Mans entries, it seems we could be in for more news.

• Silverstone: Team Previews of the Silverstone 1000km pt3:

  Silverstone: Team Previews of the Silverstone 1000km pt3
  Pescarolo
  Charouz
  Van Merksteijn

• Silverstone: Team Previews of the Silverstone 1000km pt2:

  Silverstone: Team Previews of the Silverstone 1000km pt2
  Quifel-ASM
  Saulnier
  Tomas Enge

• Silverstone: Ryan Lewis To Race Creation Aim :

  Ryan Lewis is back in the UK this week, preparing to compete in the ‘Autosport 1000km of Silverstone', the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series. The British driver who only made his sportscar debut a few weeks ago in the American Le Mans Series has teamed up with Creation AIM for the UK round of the Le Mans Series this weekend.

• Silverstone: Team Previews of the Silverstone 1000km:

  Peugeot
  Audi
  Porsche
  Modena
  Harold Primat

• RUMOUR: (A)LMS - Will Eco Race or Not:

  After Eco Racing announced their intention to race at the Silverstone 1000km and at Petit Le Mans, people were getting excited at the prospect of seeing the Radical LMP1 on track and to see what this car could do.

• Silverstone: James Watt Automotive to Debut Aston Martin GT2:

  Eccleshall, Staffordshire -- James Watt Automotive (JWA) is pleased to confirm that it will utilise this weekend's 'Autosport 1000km of Silverstone', Round 5 of the 2008 Le Mans Series, to officially launch its 2009 activities, using the 'home' event for the much anticipated debut of the team's #93 Aston Martin Vantage GT2 entry. The Staffordshire-based squad will field the car in the GT2 class in the Le Mans Series season finale with Tim Sugden, Alan van der Merwe and Michael Outzen sharing driving duties, Friday 12th -- Sunday 14th September.

• First Photos of the RML Lola Coupe:

  After RML released the best kept secret - see this story so to complete this story, here are some pictures...

• Successful Snetterton Shakedown for RML MG Lola Coupe:

  Just seventeen days after competing in round four of the 2008 Le Mans Series at the Nurburgring, RML was testing their LMP2 sports prototype again at Snetterton in Norfolk. At first glance, perhaps there is nothing significant or even surprising about that fact, but pause to consider that the car on test was both the same car, and yet a totally new one.

• RML to Upgrade and race LMP2 Lola Coupe at Silverstone:

  RML and AD Group will contest the final round of this year’s Le Mans Series with a comprehensive upgrade of the MG Lola EX265 LMP2 sports prototype. In collaboration with Lola Cars of Huntingdon, the team is to carry out a final shakedown test of the fully revised EX265C at Snetterton on Wednesday, where regular drivers Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos will assess their first experience of the new closed-cockpit configuration.

August 2008, Volume 8, No. 8

• Silverstone 1000km: Darren Turner Joins Strakka Racing:

  Locally-based Strakka Racing will make a high-profile return to the 2008 Le Mans Series for the season finale at Silverstone on September 14th. The team's regular pairing of Nick Leventis and Peter Hardman will be calling upon the services of one of the trio of drivers who helped steer Aston Martin to a second successive GT1 victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours this year, Darren Turner.

• Silverstone 1000km Picks Up Media Interest and a Naming Partner:

  The fifth and final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone over 12-14 September will be sponsored by Autosport -- the UK's biggest selling weekly motorsport magazine.

• RUMOUR: (A)LMS - Who May Use Chevy Power in 2009???:

  With the relaxing of the engine rules for Le Mans Style series, rumour has been heating up on who may use the 7.0 litre Chevrolet unit that is currently been used in the GT1 car.

• Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt4:

  Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt4
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Porsche
  Charouz Aston Martin

• Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt3:

  Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt3
  Ferrari
  Modena
  Van Merksteijn
  Horag
  Saulnier Racing

• Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt2:

  Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt2
  Spyker
  Lola
  Zytek
  QUIFEL-ASM

• Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt1:

  Nurburgring: Recaps After the Race pt1
  Harold Primat
  Liz Halliday
  Rob Bell
  Tomas Enge
  Michelin

• Nurburgring: Peugeot Win P1 as the P2 Title is Settled:

  A perfect race in perfect conditions saw Peugeot score a 1-2 finish at the fourth race in the 2008 Le Mans Series at the Nurburgring. In front of 22,000 spectators, Stephane Sarrazin and Pedro Lamy led home their team-mates Marc Gene and Nicolas Minassian, the two diesel-powered prototypes crossing the line 16 seconds apart after 1000kms. The race was completed in five hours, 44 minutes at an average speed of 174km/h (108 mph) around the 5.137km circuit.

• Nurburgring: Gene Heads Peugeot 1-2 as Aston Martin Takes Third:

  Magnifique! What other word to describe the performance of the Peugeot Total team in qualifying at the Nurburgring, as Marc Gene snatched pole position from his team-mate Pedro Lamy to put the 908 HDi-FAP diesel prototypes on the front row of the grid. And in third place was the Aston Martin Lola of the Charouz Racing System team after a fantastic performance from Berliner Stefan Mucke, who out-paced Alexandre Premat and Rinaldo 'Dindo' Capello in their Audi R10 TDI diesel prototypes.

• Peugeot to Compete at Petit Le Mans:

  In addition to its bid to defend its Le Mans Series title, Peugeot Sport is already focusing its resources on its preparations for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours. To this end, an entry for October's Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta has been added to the 908 HDi FAP's programme.

• Nurburgring: Post Qualifying Recaps pt2:

  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz Aston Martin
  Porsche
  Van Merksteijn

• Nurburgring: Post Qualifying Recaps:

  Speedy/Sebah
  QUIFEL-ASM
  Spyker Squadron
  Tomas Enge
  Michelin

• Nurburgring: Liz Halliday to Race for Creation:

  After announcing a deal to race with Creation AIM at the final two rounds of the American Le Mans Series earlier in the week, Liz Halliday will get a much earlier opportunity to race the team’s CA07 chassis than originally expected, having been called up to contest this weekend’s Nurburgring 1000kms.

• Nurburgring: LMS Previews Ahead of Round 4 pt2:

  Nurburgring: LMS Previews Ahead of Round 4 pt2
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Porsche
  Pescarolo
  Harold Primat

• Nurburgring: LMS Previews Ahead of Round 4:

  Nurburgring: LMS Previews Ahead of Round 4
  Van Merksteijn
  QUIFEL-ASM
  Spyker Squadron
  Michelin

• Spyker and Volvo Come Together in Transportation Agreement:

  Zeewolde, 9 august 2008 - Earlier this year Volvo Truck Nederland and Spyker Squadron negotiated an agreement for the use of two Volvo trucks until the end of the 2010 race season. The trucks will be used to transport the race trailers with the race cars of the SNORAS Spyker Squadron team that races in the famous 24-hours of Le Mans and in the Le Mans Series. Last Friday, at the Spyker Cars factory in Zeewolde, Spyker Squadron took delivery of their two state of the art Volvo FH520 Trucks.

• RUMOUR: LMS - Is van Merksteijn's Mission Complete in Sportscars???:

  Rumour has surfaced surrounding van Merksteijn's continued participation in the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009.

• Kruse Schiller Motorsport's Test of Young Drivers a Success:

  The test organized by the German based team KSM has become a great success for the two young Italian pilots that have participated at this test held on the "Lausitzring" Francesco Sini from Pescara (Italy), driver of the Radical SR8 of Radical Italy in the Radical European Masters has amazed even at his first experience with a LMP-2 racing car.

• Kruse Schiller Motorsport To Test Italian Young Guns:

  Monday the 4th of August will be a good day for Italian Autosport and in particular for 2 young Italian pilots as they will have the opportunity to test in one of motorsports most appraised series.

July 2008, Volume 8, No. 7

July 2008

• RUMOUR: Takuma Sato to Sportscars UPDATE:

  Just after Le Mans, we brought you a story that claimed Takuma Sato could be racing for the Dome squad.

• RUMOUR: LMS, FIA GT - What Could F1's Move to Donington Mean for Sportscars:

  With the recent announcement that the British F1 GP is moving to Donington, this would effect the sportscar world whose main races take place on the Silverstone circuit.

June 2008, Volume 8, No. 6

June 2008

• Le Mans: 2008, A Gallery #3:

  Le Mans 2008 has, so far, provided many memorable moments

• Le Mans: A Battle of the Goliaths in LMP1:

  The main battle at Le Mans was certainly a Goliath vs Goliath affair. A titanic diesel battle between the French Peugeot and the German Audi squads. But there was more – a petrol battle with Charouz, Oreca and Pescarolo and interlopers to the crown also in the field.

• VIDEO: The Last Lap - 2008:

  The 2008 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a great battle with Audi again taking the prize.

• Saulnier Racing's Pierre Ragues on Le Mans:

  You said before Le Mans that it was likely to be the biggest challenge of your career so far. Did that turn out to be the case?

• Le Mans: Egads - The Porsche Did It in LMP2:

  The LMP2 class is usually one that rewards they team that simply makes it to the end. This is something that was, again, expected in 2008. But it was something we did not get

• Le Mans: Provisional Results:

  Le Mans: Provisional Results

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - What was Takuma Sato Doing at Le Mans???:

  Feedmesportscars has been tipped from a friend, Mike Harris, that Honda's favourite driver, Takuma Sato was hanging out at the Le Mans paddock.

• Le Mans: A Summary for the Le Mans Series Teams:

  37 cars out of the 55 entrants of the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours are Le Mans Series regulars!

  Figures are edifying! There is no doubt about the sporting justification of the series which are celebrating this year their fifth season.

  In LMP1, is it necessary to underline Audi's strategic victory? Obviously based on their Le Mans -good!- experience, but also on the observation of their main challenger during the three first races of the season...

• Le Mans: Allan Simonsen's Le Mans Recap:

  It was a last minute thing for Allan Simonsen. Originally the Aussie Dane was to pilot the Tafel Racing Ferrari 430 GT2 that he raced so successfully at Sebring earlier this year, teaming with hotshots Dominik Farnbacher and Dirk Müller. Without warning, Tafel pulled the pin, citing economic reasons. With only 55 cars allowed to start (all must be invited by the ACO other than those who are 1st and 2nd in each class in 2007 plus various LMS champions) that means 165 drivers are needed and everyone wants a shot at the worlds greatest race.

• Le Mans: Yet Another Titanic Battle in GT1:

  Aston Martin vs Corvette - it seems to already be ingrained in Le Mans mythology. Its something that we look forward to each year and yet, even though it has only been with us for a few

• Le Mans: How Ferrari Got It So Right in GT2:

  Well what can one say? A Ferrari wins without a Porsche in site.

  Not only do Ferrari win by they take second, third and fourth. The best Porsche is that of Feblermayr-Proton, some 17 laps off the winning Ferrari – that of Risi Competizione.

  So where did it all go wrong for Porsche? Or as we prefer to think – where did it all go right for Ferrari?

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - Just Some of What Could Happen From What We Have Heard...:

  RUMOUR: Le Mans - Just Some of What Could Happen From What We Have Heard...

• Le Mans: Guillaume Moreau Race Recap:

  A delighted Guillaume Moreau saw the chequered flag on his second outing in the famous Le Mans 24 Hours. The man from the Limousin region drove a fault-free race with Luc Alphand and Jerome Policand in the no.72 Corvette C6.R to finish 5th in the LM GT1 category.

• Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt5:

  Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt5
  Porsche
  Pescarolo
  RML
  Team Modena
  Shell

• Le Mans: The Facts About Audi's Win:

  Ingolstadt/Le Mans – At one of the most exciting and fastest races in Le Mans history, AUDI AG clinched another triumph at what is arguably the world’s toughest motor race.

• Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt6:

  Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt6
  Ferrari
  Trading Performance
  Loic Duval
  Johnny Mowlem

• Le Mans: A Quick Race Recap:

  Alan McNish finally got his Rolex at Les 24 Heures du Mans after a tough fight to victory in the legendary 24-hour race. McNish's Audi team fought hard to overcome the three Peugeots ahead on the grid, eventually took the lead after thirteen hours and never looked back, winning in front of 285,500 spectators.

• Le Mans: By Day...:

  Among the extraordinary elements that may convince you to pay Les 24 Heures du Mans circuit a visit during the event, there are some activities in the area that awaken the imagination and let you dream. Even once the teams have taken off from the start following the official Rolex countdown, there is plenty to see in Le Mans…

• Le Mans: A Journey Through the Night:

  The 24 Heures du Mans are always held the weekend closest to the shortest night of the year in France, the 21st of June. In fact, there is something magic about the moment the race passes from day into night- it becomes a wholly different challenge, and as they say, it is the stuff that legends are made of.

• Le Mans: Overcoming a 270km/hour Accident:

  At 14:51h on June 1st, while negotiating one of the Porsche curves of the Le Mans racetrack, the Peugeot 908 Hdi-FPA number 7 flew into the air going 270 km/h. Spaniard Marc Gené was driving. When watching the violence of the crash, no one could have imagined that the Catalan driver would drive the car again, especially not for the 2008 edition of Les 24 Heures du Mans.

• Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt4:

  Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt4
  Tim Sugden
  Alex Davison
  Pierre Ragues
  Caparo

• Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt3:

  Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt3
  Paolo Ruberti
  Stuart Moseley
  Guy Smith
  Cheng Congfu

• Le Mans: 2008, A Gallery #2:

  More memorable moments from Le Mans

• Le Mans: A Winners Story - Audi:

  Le Mans: A Winners Story - Audi
  Taking the Lead
  Leading in the Rain
  Taking the Win

• Le Mans: Peugeot's Race - the One That Got Away:

  Le Mans: Peugeot's Race - the One That Got Away
  2 Hours
  5 Hours
  8 Hours
  10 Hours
  12 Hours
  15 Hours
  18 Hours
  21 Hours
  24 Hours

• Le Mans: The Race According to the GT1 Winners - Aston Martin:

  Le Mans: The Race According to the GT1 Winners - Aston Martin
  3 Hours
  6 Hours
  9 Hours
  12 Hours
  15 Hours
  18 Hours
  21 Hours
  24 Hours

• Le Mans: The Corvette Race:

  Le Mans: The Corvette Race
  6 Hours
  12 Hours
  18 Hours
  24 Hours

• Le Mans: The Risi/Krohn Recap:

  Le Mans: The Risi/Krohn Recap
  4 Hours
  8 Hours
  15 Hours
  24 Hours

• Le Mans: The Race by Larbre:

  Le Mans: The Race by Larbre
  8 Hours
  19 Hours
  Finish

• Le Mans: Harold Primat's Race:

  Le Mans: Harold Primat's Race
  6 Hours
  19 Hours
  Finish

• Le Mans: Quifel-ASM's Race:

  Le Mans: Quifel-ASM's Race
  5 Hours
  22 Hours
  Finish

• Le Mans: The Michelin Race:

  Le Mans: The Michelin Race
  3 Hours
  6 Hours
  12 Hours
  18 Hours
  24 Hours

• Le Mans: The Race According to the Flying Lizards:

  Le Mans: The Race According to the Flying Lizards
  3 Hours
  3.5 Hours
  7 Hours
  12 Hours
  21 Hours
  Finish

• Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt2:

  Le Mans: Post Race Recaps pt2
  Van Merksteijn Motorsport
  Saulnier Racing
  Charouz Racing Systems
  Spyker
  Vitaphone Racing

• Le Mans: Post Race Recaps:

  Le Mans: Post Race Recaps
  Allan McNish
  Jos Menten
  Lola
  Zytek

• Le Mans: After 24 Hours...The Checkered Flag:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 24 hours

• Le Mans: After 23 Hours...Anyone Want to Guess the Weather?:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 23 hours

• Le Mans: After 22 Hours...A Scare for Audi:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 22 hours

• Le Mans: 2008, A Gallery #1:

  Le Mans 2008 has, so far, provided many memorable moments

• Le Mans: After 21 Hours...It Starts to Dry:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 21 hours

• Le Mans: After 20 Hours...A Kink in Audi's Armour?:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 20 hours

• Le Mans: After 19 Hours...Speedy/Sebah Retires After a Competitve Run:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 19 hours

• Le Mans: After 18 Hours...Status Quo:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 18 hours

• Le Mans: After 17 Hours...The Early Morning Blues:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 17 hours

• Le Mans: After 16 Hours...Guessing the Weather:

  Le Mans: After 16 Hours...Guessing the Weather

• Le Mans: After 15 Hours...Dawn Breaks:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 15 hours

• Le Mans: After 14 Hours...Rain!!!:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 14 hours

• Le Mans: After 13 Hours...Interesting Actions From Peugeot:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 13 hours

• Le Mans: After 12 Hours...Half Distance:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 12 hours

• Le Mans: After 11 Hours...P2 Favourites, RML Retires:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 11 hours

• Le Mans: After 10Hours...And Sunday Begins:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 10 hours

• Le Mans: After 9 Hours...Saturday Ends...:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 9 hours

• Le Mans: After 8 Hours...It's All Over for Spyker:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 8 hours

• Le Mans: After 7 Hours...In the Dark:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 7 hours

• Le Mans: After 6 Hours...A Tough Time for Radical:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 6 hours

• Le Mans: After 5 Hours...A Smooth Hour for Most:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 5 hours

• Le Mans: After 4 Hours...More Problems for Some:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 4 hours

• Le Mans: After 3 Hours..The First Signs of Trouble for Peugeot:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 3 hours

• Le Mans: After 2 Hours...Things Start to Get Silly:

  All the news and the top three class positions after 2 hours

• Le Mans: After 1 Hour...The Start:

  Le Mans: After 1 Hour...The Start

• Le Mans: Interesting Michelin Facts:

  Ten wins in a row : Michelin boasts an outstanding record at Le Mans with no fewer than 16 victories on the famous circuit in the Sarthe. And we shouldn't forget that Bibendum was in on the very first running of the race that was to become the stuff of legend : in 1923 Michelin supported Lagache and Leonard in their Chenard and Walker Sport entry.

• Le Mans: Caparo and Barazi Epsilon Team Up:

  Caparo is to make its first ever appearance at the 24 hours of Le Mans this year, after signing a partnering agreement with the Barazi Epsilon team. The team will be competing in the LMP2 category and will provide Caparo with the opportunity to develop lightweight structures and components in a competitive motorsport environment.

• Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt6:

  Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt6
  Van Merksteijn
  Zytek
  RML
  Quifel ASM

• Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt5:

  Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt5
  Larbre
  Modena
  Jos Menten
  Lola

• Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt4:

  Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt4
  Rob Bell
  Harold Primat
  Stuart Moseley
  ALMS Teams

• A Stable Future for Le Mans as the ACO Outlines Rule Changes:

  In a press conference at Le Mans, the planned rules for the next four year were outlined by Daniel Poissenot the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's (ACO) Clerk of Course. This press conference has become an annual tradition and the 2008 edition was eagerly awaited.

• VIDEO: Le Mans - Coverage of Noda's Crash in the Kruse Lola:

  Le Mans qualifying offered up some surprises - some good, some bad.

• Le Mans: Peugeot Sweep Front Row as Qualifying Delivers Lightning Pace + Grid:

  Peugeot have taken this years qualifying by storm and when the chequered flag fell they occupied a very impressive 1st, 2nd and 3rd in LM P1. The Audis did begin to speed up towards the end of the session but pole is safe for the #8 Team Peugeot Total, Peugeot 908 HDI FAP driven by Lamy, Sarrazin and Wurz.

• Le Mans: Yojiro Terada To Line Up for his 29th 24 Hours:

  The great veteran of this year's 76th edition of the mythic 24 Heures du Mans is clearly Japanese driver Yojiro Terada. Terada's claim to fame is his record 29 participations in Les 24 Heures du Mans. To this day, there are only two other drivers that precede Terada's record: Bob Wolleck and Henri Pescarolo.

• Lola's Martin Birrane Awarded the Prestigious 'Spirit of Le Mans' Award:

  On Thursday 12 June, Lola Cars were honoured in the build up to this weekend's 24 Heures Du Mans, as company owner and Executive Chairman, Martin Birrane received the prestigious ‘Spirit of Le Mans' trophy. Collecting the award from the President of the ACO, Jean-Claude Plassart during the official function held at the famed ACO Museum at the Circuit De La Sarthe in Le Mans. Birrane now joins the highly acclaimed list of previous winners that include Paul Frere, Derek Bell, Phil Hill, Jacky Icky, Tom Kristensen and Wolfgang Ullrich.

• Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt3:

  Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt3
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Porsche
  Charouz

• Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt2:

  Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt2
  Corvette
  Aston Martin
  Spyker
  Risi/Krohn

• Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt1:

  Le Mans: Recaps after Thursday Qualifying pt1
  Alex Davison
  Pat Long
  Allan McNish
  Michelin

• Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt4:

  Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt4
  Pescarolo
  Larbre
  Quifel-ASM
  Harold Primat

• Le Mans: Peugeot All Powerful in Qualifying + Day 1 Combined Times:

  With the first part of qualifying now complete the Peugeots are definitely easily the fastest cars out there. They have totally dominated this session by showing astounding ‘out and out’ speed. To knock a few hundredths of a second off the fastest lap time is an achievement but to demolish the current lap record by 7.8 secs is amazing. The fastest of them all was the #8 Team Peugeot Total, Peugeot 908 HDI FAP driven by Sarrazin. He had been quick in testing but nobody expected this incredible performance.

• Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt3:

  Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt3
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz
  Corvette

• Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt2:

  Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt2
  Zytek
  Risi/Krohn
  Spyker

• Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt1:

  Le Mans: Recaps After the First Night of Qualifying pt1
  Aston Martin
  Michelin
  Allan McNish
  ALMS Teams

• Ove Andersson Dies in Rally Accident:

  Former boss of Toyota Team Europe, the organisation behind the legendary Toyota GT1 Le Mans cars, Ove Andersson has died in a rally accident in South Africa.

• Le Mans: Luc Alphand From the Ski Fields to La Sarthe:

  Luc Alphand has made many a headline in his past, and it would appear as though he has far from finished. As a man who started out as a specialized downhill skier and who went on to win 12 FIS World Cup races in the sport, Alphand's successful transition to motor sport is right on track on he prepares to take on 54 other teams at the start of this year's 24 Heures du Mans.

• Le Mans: A Return Journey for Heinz-Harald Frentzen:

  This Saturday, German Heinz-Harald Frentzen will once again find himself at the starting line of the legendary 24 Heures du Mans, now in it's 76th edition. This legendary endurance test has been in partnership with Rolex as the Official Timekeeper since 2001 and this year marks the second time in his career that Heinz-Harald Frentzen will face up to the demanding challenge.

• Le Mans: Audi Ready for Qualifying:

  Ingolstadt/Le Mans – In Le Mans city centre on Tuesday, thousands of spectators followed Technical Scrutineering of the three Audi R10 TDI prototypes with which Audi Sport Team Joest will compete in next weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours. This means the Audi squad is ready for one of the greatest challenges in motorsport.

• Le Mans: Virgo Motorsport Prepared For Le Mans Debut:

  The reigning Le Mans Series GT2 champions, Virgo Motorsport, head to France today for the Le Mans 24 Hour race, the first time that the team has taken on this ultimate sportscar endurance challenge. With an experienced driver line-up of Rob Bell, Tim Sugden and Tim Mullen, the team is hoping to be one of the class front-runners this weekend.

• Le Mans: Michelin Logistics 8000 Tyres Under One Roof !:

  The Le Mans 24 Hours is a priority fixture for Michelin. This year again, a fleet of semi-trailers will haul some 8,000 tyres to the French circuit.

  The final tyres come off the production line at the beginning of June before being trucked to La Sarthe early in race week.

• Le Mans: Le Mans Is Our Home Battlefield!:

  Here we are, on the eve of the most famous automobile track in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours. For Michelin, this weekend holds a very special significance because we have just won ten consecutive victories in the 24 Hours and there is no doubt that this winning streak will continue. As I have already had the opportunity to emphasize, Le Mans is our battlefield.

• Le Mans: Rob Bell - Insight Into The Magic Of Le Mans:

  Rob Bell returns to tackle the Le Mans 24 Hours race for the second time in his career. Driving with Virgo Motorsport, and the team’s debut at this eponymous event, he gives us the lowdown on the week ahead.

• Le Mans: Nicolas Lapierre Replaced by Marcel Fässler in the #6 Courage Oreca:

  Nicolas Lapierre, who had to skip test day due to health issues, is still not on top form according to Team Matmut Oreca’s press release of Monday June 9. His replacement driver on car #6 will be Marcel Fässler, thus teaming up with Oliver Panis and Simon Pagenaud.

• Le Mans: Racing Box Lucchini Withdraws!:

  The trio of Italien rookies; Francioni, Geri and Ceccato were to share the prototype LM P2 entered by the Italian "Racing Box SRL". A problem with conformity was the reason for this sad news. The name of a possible reserve will be announced on Wednesday morning by the course director.

• Le Mans:Lola to Stage a Fitting Tribute to David Leslie:

  As part of Lola Cars 50th anniversary activities at the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours, the Huntingdon-based marque will be staging a fitting tribute to the late sports car driver David Leslie, who tragically died in a plane accident this year that also took the lives of 4 other people. On Friday 13 June, David's son Graham will drive his father's Mark 1 Lola to head up the vast array of vintage and classic cars taking part in this year's Grande Parade des Pilotes, the official parade of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

• Le Mans: The Diesel Battle to Again Headline the Race:

  There's little doubt that Audi will face the biggest challenge of its Le Mans career this week. Just ask anyone involved with Audi Sport, and they will confirm it. The second diesel showdown in the world's greatest motor race sees three R10 TDIs from the Audi camp matched up against a trio of diesel challengers from Peugeot, a year after Audi's 10-lap victory in a rain-soaked 24 Hours.

• Le Mans: Autocon Makes their First Trip to France:

  This is the first race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Autocon Motorsports but not the first for Bryan Willman and Chris McMurry. The two, who will drive the Autocon Creation-Judd prototype with team owner Michael Lewis, made their Le Mans debut in 2002 with Jeff Bucknum in a Team Bucknum Racing Pilbeam-Nissan but only lasted six hours before an engine failure. Nevertheless the Le Mans experience is one both are eager to relive this year.

• Le Mans: The Corvette Drivers Recall their First Visit to Le Mans:

  Corvette Racing's group of drivers for the 24 Hours of Le Mans has a record any team in the paddock would envy. The six pilots have combined for 144 class wins in the American Le Mans Series and 17 at Le Mans with Corvette Racing winning five times since 2001. Despite all the success, the memories, history and significance of Le Mans still resonate throughout the team.

• Le Mans: Flying Lizards Looking to Take ALMS Form to the 24 Hours:

  It's not as easy as just one car at Le Mans compared to three in the American Le Mans Series for Flying Lizard Motorsports. No, we're talking about the 76th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans - a twice-around-the-clock classic enduro on one of the most demanding circuits in the world against sports car racing's best from all over the globe.

• Le Mans: Porsche Head of Motorsports Talks About Le Mans:

  Stuttgart. After its successes in the American Le Mans Series and the Le Mans Series, the Porsche RS Spyder is on the verge of its next great challenge: On Saturday at 3pm, the Weissach-developed and built sports prototype tackles the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time. Hartmut Kristen, Head of Motorsport at Porsche, is relaxed about the debut at the world’s toughest long distance race: “I’m confident that we are very well prepared.”

• Le Mans: Porsche Customer Teams Aim for Class Victories:

  Stuttgart. The Porsche customer teams are well prepared for the highlight of the sports car racing season. They contest the Le Mans 24 hour race (France) on 14/15 June with a total of five racing vehicles: two Porsche RS Spyder and three Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Bringing the pair of RS Spyder to the classic are the teams of Van Merksteijn Motorsport (Netherlands) and Essex (Denmark), after having already won the first three rounds of the Le Mans Series (LMS) this season. The 476 hp Weissach-built sports prototype experiences a double premiere in Le Mans in front of an anticipated 200,000 spectators. It is its first race over 24 hours and the first time on this historic circuit.

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - The Test Day Rumour Round-Up:

  The Le Mans Test Day has come and gone and typically, a number of rumours has come from it. This is what has been reported.

• Le Mans: Audi Relies On Efficiency For Le Mans Anniversary:

  On 14/15 June Audi starts for the tenth time in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. For AUDI AG it is much more than just claiming a possible eighth overall victory in the French endurance classic: Quite probably the world’s hardest car race acts as test bench for new technology later used in street cars.

• Le Mans: Frankie Cheng to Make History:

  On June 14th, 2008 Cong Fu Cheng is going to make history as the first Chinese driver to ever race Les 24 Heures du Mans. The 23 year old may be young, but his name is already well known in his home country and Cheng, Frankie to his mechanics, is ready to race.

• Le Mans: Primat and Pescarolo Targeting High Result:

  Having seen the chequered flag at the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time in 2007, Geneva-based Harold Primat is raising the stakes in 2008 as he searches for his best ever finish in the 91st edition of the historic race.

• Le Mans: Test Day Recap:

  There have been three main stories here at testing. The first has been the weather, the second the battle between Peugeot and Audi and thirdly two accidents that resulted in drivers having to go to hospital.

• Le Mans: Larbre Competition Set to Challenge Works Teams:

  Having posted the second quickest time during the Official Test Day, Larbre Competition returns to Le Mans this weekend with the hope of challenging the works teams for honours in the GT1 category.

• Le Mans: Corsa Motorsports To Be Well Represented at Le Mans:

  Despite not having an entry in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Corsa Motorsports team will be well represented at the event next week. Team owner Steve Pruitt plans to attend the race activities, and all three drivers on the Corsa roster have secured rides with other teams. Gunnar Jeannette will share the wheel of the Radical AER (LMP1), Johnny Mowlem will team with Creation AIM (LMP2), and Ralf Kelleners, who will drive with Mowlem and Jeannette at Petit Le Mans, is in the Spyker C8 Laviolette (GT2).

• Le Mans: Guy Smith Preview:

  Former Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Guy Smith returns to Le Mans to contest this year's legendary 24 Hour race next weekend (14-15 June).

  Driffield-based Smith aged 33 last contested the world's "blue ribband" endurance sportscar race in 2004 when the Yorkshireman finished second -- one year after winning the French "classic" in a Bentley.

• Le Mans: Allan Simonsen Secures Late P2 Drive:

  Last Sunday Allan Simonsen was having the weekend off. In the back of his mind however was disappointment.

• Le Mans: Jos Menten Test Day Recap:

  Team Modena worked hard these last few weeks preparing the Aston Martin DBR9 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The technical crew, led by Hans Muehlbauer, travelled down to the test day with the car in perfect and due form. On the other hand ideal weather conditions at Le Mans were not on hand. Intermittent rain and sunshine set the scene on an eventful training session, with several red flag interruptions. Team Modena's programme was also disrupted, because Jos Menten was unable to complete a single lap on a dry track.

• Le Mans: Pirro Going for 10th Consecutive Podium in the 24 Hours of Le Mans:

  Audi "factory" driver Emanuele Pirro already holds a unique record: nine times in a row, the Italian, who was born in Rome, has been on the podium at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. For the weekend of 14/15 June, the former Formula 1 driver at the wheel of the Audi R10 TDI, has set his sights on clinching his tenth podium result.

• Le Mans: Successful Test Day for Team Modena:

  The Le Mans test day, the only chance to run on the full Le Mans circuit prior to the famous 24-Hour race itself, saw Team Modena seventh quickest of the LM GT1 class cars. Any real opportunity to go for a quick time with the Aston Martin DBR9 was denied the squad as rain and red flags punctuated the day, but the team were happy with what they achieved.

• Le Mans: Pierre Ragues Test Day Recap:

  Frenchman Pierre Ragues has completed his final preparations for the 76th Le Mans 24 Hours at the traditional test day on Sunday at the La Sarthe circuit, two weeks prior to the endurance classic.

  The 24 year-old is driving a Pescarolo in the LMP2 class for Saulnier Racing, sharing with Matthieu Lahaye and Chinese driver Franky Cheng.

• Liz Halliday Joins Eurosport for the Le Mans 24 Hours:

  Racing driver Liz Halliday will form part of Eurosport’s commentary team for their exclusive coverage of the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours on 14-15 June.

  The dual sportswoman, who also competes in International 3 Day Eventing, has contested the world’s most famous motor race three times, finishing fourth in class in 2006 and leading the LMP2 category last year before gearbox failure, and will now provide expert analysis for the pan-European channel.

• Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day pt4:

  Le Mans:Selected Recaps after the Test Day pt4
  Lola
  Charouz
  RML
  Vitaphone
  Alex Davidson

• Le Mans: American Based Teams have a Mixed Day:

  A tight battle between Risi Competizione and Flying Lizard Motorsports highlighted the showing of American Le Mans Series teams at the annual Test Day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday. The two teams sat 1-2 in the GT2 standings on a soggy day in the Sarthe region France, two weeks before the 76th running of the world's most famous race will take the checkered flag.

• Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day pt3:

  Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day pt3
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Aston Martin
  Zytek

• Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day pt2:

  Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day pt2
  Corvette
  Porsche
  Larbre
  Quifel ASM

• Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day:

  Le Mans: Selected Recaps after the Test Day
  Pescarolo
  Risi
  Michelin
  Stuart Moseley

• Stuart Moseley Joins Team Barazi Epsilon For 24 Heures Du Mans:

  Stuart Moseley, (30, St Ives, Cambs, UK) has joined the Barazi- Epsilon team for the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours. Stuart will partner 2006 Le Mans Series Driver Champions race team owner Juan Barazi and Michael Vergers in the Zytek 07S car in the LMP2 class.

• Le Mans: Virgo Motorsport Set For First Taste Of Le Mans:

  Virgo Motorsport head to Le Mans today, preparing for the official test day of the Le Mans 24 Hours race which takes place on Sunday. The team will make its debut at the world-famous endurance event this year, although all three drivers – Rob Bell, Tim Sugden and Tim Mullen – and many of the team personnel have previous experience.

May 2008, Volume 8, No. 5

May 2008

• The 2008, 24 Hours of Le Mans Entry List:

  So who is competing in the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans? We have complied a list of the confirmed participants to date and what they are driving. This is a great field with a huge depth of talent and a great variety of machinery. We will update these tables as more updates come in!

• Le Mans: QUIFEL-ASM Team Takes Part in Official Tests:

  The QUIFEL-ASM Team is already in Le Mans, France, to take part in the official test day for the Le Mans 24 Hours, which is due to take place on Sunday, 1st June.

• VIDEO - Its 1956 and Mike Hawthorn Takes Us Round Le Mans:

  Le Mans 1956 - Le Mans was recovering from the tragic accident the year before but was determined to have a great race.

• Shanghai Le Mans Race Put Off Until 2009:

  At the beginning of this year the ACO announced that it was working with its Chinese partner, the S2M Company, to organise the first race in Shanghai under the Le Mans label.

• Audi R10 TDI Uses Biofuel Of The Next Generation For The First Time:

  World premiere in motorsport: At the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours on 14/15 June, the three Audi R10 TDI prototypes entered by Audi Sport Team Joest will race for the first time with the next generation of Biofuel manufactured from Biowaste and promising a reduction in the emission of CO2 by almost 90 per cent when compared with traditional diesel.

• Le Mans: Zytek Test Day Preview:

  Zytek Engineering, which manufactured engines for the cars that came first and second in the LMP2 class at last year's Le Mans 24-hours, returns to the scene of its 2007 victory with two chassis and one engine customers. Two Zytek 07S cars have been entered by the Barazi-Epsilon and Trading Performance teams. These, and the new Embassy WF01 will use Zytek's successful 3.4-litre ZG348 V8 power plant. All three are participating in this Sunday's Test Day.

• Le Mans: Larbre Competition Set For Test Day:

  Larbre Competition is set for this weekend’s official Le Mans 24 Hours Official Test Day having confirmed its driver line up for the race.

  The French squad has been granted an entry to the race for one of their Saleen S7Rs which will be piloted by sportscar star Christophe Bouchut and FFSA GT Championship front runners Patrick Bornhauser and David Hallyday.

• Le Mans: A Doubly Vital Test For Michelin:

  For Michelin, which is this year targeting an 11th straight win in the French endurance classic, the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours has already begun with the production of some 8,000 tyres for the world's greatest motor race .

• Le Mans: Harold Primat Test Day Preview:

  Ahead of the most important race of the year, the Le Mans 24 Hours, Harold Primat and Pescarolo Sport face a weekend of crucial work at the Official Test Day on Sunday 1 June. Geneva-based Primat and his regular Le Mans Series co-driver Christophe Tinseau, will be joined by Nissan works driver Benoit Treluyer at La Sarthe and the three will use their track time to re-acclimatise to the legendary 13.65km circuit and optimise their Pescarolo 01-Judd’s set up ahead of the race.

• Le Mans: Alex Davidson Preview:

  Davison is currently second in GT2 class in the European Le Mans Series

  Melbourne driver Alex Davison will contest next month's 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the biggest races in motorsport, joining an elite club of Australians to race in the sportscar classic.

• VIDEO: Allan McNish Takes up Round Le Mans:

  Our second video for you shows the Le Mans track in 2006 as according to Allan McNish and the whisper quiet Audi R10.

• Peugeot Builds up to 2008 Race:

  Barely had the chequered flag come down on the 2007 Le Mans 24 Hours than Peugeot Sport began focusing all its energy and resources on this year's race. The legendary French competition stands out as the priority objective of the brand's motor sport programme and, with less than a month to go before the start, the minds of everyone at Velizy are concentrated on this goal alone. And the team's physical preparation is considered just as crucial as the technical work.

• Le Mans: Risi Going into the French Classic on a High:

  For once, it seems like luck is on the side of Risi Competizione. Both of the team's Ferrari F430 GTs are en route to Europe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this despite a hard crash of the No. 62 car in the latter half of the Larry H. Miller Dealerships Utah Grand Prix presented by the Grand and Little America Hotels. But only the right-rear quarter panel had to be replaced, and the car's shock tower needed repairs as well.

• Le Mans: It's Settled - The 55 Cars are Locked In:

  As laid down in the 2008 24 Hours' supplementary regulations, Friday 23rd May was the cut-off date for bringing in reserves to make up the field of 55 starters for scrutineering and technical checks.

• Le Mans: Creation Confirm Drivers as Campbell-Walter is Ruled Out:

  British sports car team Creation-AIM’s regular driver Stuart Hall (England) will be in good company on his second career start at Le Mans 24 Hours this year. The eagerly anticipated news is that he will share the LMP1 Creation-AIM CA07 with the experienced Belgian Marc Goossens and fellow Englishman Johnny Mowlem.

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - What is Happening to Racing Box Entry??? UPDATE:

  Further to our story a few days ago (see here), Racing Box has made an indication of their planned participation at Le Mans.

• VIDEO: Le Mans 1997:

  As Le Mans approaches we are bringing you some race highlights of years past. This week it is 1997.

• Le Mans 24h: Speedy/Sebah Confirms Drivers:

  Speedy Racing Team Sebah announce today that their regular Le Mans Series drivers, namely Xavier Pompidou (France), Andrea Belicchi (Italy) and Steve Zacchia (Switzerland), will also form their driver line-up for the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours.

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - What is Happening to Racing Box Entry???:

  With 24 Hours of Le Mans only a few short weeks away, speculation about the field is increasing and the one car that seems to be giving the most room for conversation is the Racing Box Lucchini.

• 24 Hours of Le Mans: 24 Good Reasons To Be There!:

  
  #1. Feel awed by the start between earth and space
  100 years ago the first flight by an aircraft on European soil took place on Les Hunaudières, and the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours will commemorate this historic event. A replica of the 1908 Flyer will be towed down the pit straight by a car from Le Mans, a Léon Bollée. On board will be French astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien, American astronaut Mark Brown and Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Titov. They will give the start by waving the French flag at the same time as the residents in the International Orbiting Station, which will overfly Le Mans some 400 kms above the circuit!

• VIDEO: Highlights of the 1000km of Spa:

  Another race, another Peugeot win. But like all the rest of them, it was not an easy job.

• Virgo Motorsport Announces 24 Hours of Le Mans Drivers:

  Rob Bell, Tim Sugden and Tim Mullen are today announced as the driver line up for the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430 GT2 entry for the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours. This formidable driver lineup brings together three drivers with previous Le Mans experience as well as proven pace in the Ferrari 430 GT2.

• PHOTOS - LMS: A Peugeot, Spyker and Audi Trying to be in the Same Spot at the Same Time:

  1996 Le Mans winner and former F1 pilot Alexander Wurz was meant to come to Spa to get some miles under his belt before Le Mans - what he got was a decent crash.

• Strakka Racing Drivers to Join Vitaphone Racing at Le Mans 24 Hours:

  Strakka Racing's Peter Hardman and Nick Leventis will co-drive an Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 with Vitaphone Racing in next month's Le Mans 24 Hours. The third driver has been confirmed as former DTM racer Alexandros Margaritis.

• Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa pt4:

  Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa pt4
  Team Modena
  Strakka Racing
  Rob Bell
  Guillaume Moreau

• Spa: Another Dramatic 1000km, Another Peugeot Win + Results:

  In front of a record crowd of 35,000 spectators and in temperatures of more than 26 degrees Centigrade, the Le Mans Series put on another fantastic show at the third race of the 2008 season in Spa-Francorchamps with drama throughout the 1000km race.

• Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa pt3:

  Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa pt3
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Porsche

• Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa pt2:

  Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa pt2
  Zytek
  Charouz
  Horag

• Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa:

  Spa: Selected Recaps after the 1000km of Spa
  Spyker
  Quifel-ASM
  Harold Primat
  Michelin

• Spa: Sarrazin breaks two-minute barrier to demote McNish + Grid!:

  Peugeot and Audi will share the front row for the third race of the 2008 Le Mans Series, the Spa 1000kms after a record-breaking qualifying session. Stephane Sarrazin set a time of 1m58.069 to head Allan McNish, who was second fastest for Audi. Peugeot's Marc Gene will share the second row with Mike Rockenfeller.

• Spa: Selected Recaps after Qualifying pt2:

  Spa: Selected Recaps after Qualifying pt2
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz Aston Martin
  Porsche

• Spa: Selected Recaps after Qualifying pt1:

  Spa: Selected Recaps after Qualifying pt1
  Spyker
  Van Merksteijn
  Quifel-ASM
  Michelin

• VIDEO: Le Mans - 1988 End of Race Highlights:

  In the lead up to the 2008, 24 Hours of Le Mans, we will be bringing you some videos from previous years.

• Spa: Charouz Aston Martin to Again Mix it with the Big Factory Squads:

  Monza saw a thrilling battle a fortnight ago and the Le Mans Series competitors are heading for the third race of the season to Spa- Francorchamps this weekend. Like the Italian track also the track in the Ardennes belongs to the motorsport jewels thanks to its rich history. Moreover, the 1000 km races have a big tradition there. The Charouz Racing System team will not obviously miss the event and like in the previous two rounds they will race with a brand new Aston Martin powered LMP1 prototype.

• Spa: Van Merksteijn To Have Plenty of Dutch Fans Cheering them On:

  SPA - This weekend, the circuit of Spa-Francorchamps in the Belgian Ardennes region will be hosting the third season round of the Le Mans Series. For Dutch team, Van Merksteijn Motorsport by Equipe Verschuur the race at the Belgian Grand Prix circuit is some kind of home event, during which former F1-driver, Jos Verstappen and team owner, Peter van Merksteijn are obviously counting on the enthusiastic support of numerous Dutch fans.

• Spa: Spyker Looking for More Encouraging Results:

  With three European endurance races in just six weeks, in a season full of national bank holidays , the last weeks have been time wise challenging for the team. Time was not only spent on the preparations for the Le Mans Series events but also on the ongoing development of the new cars and the essential but time consuming preparations for the upcoming 76th run of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

• Spa: Primat Confident Ahead of Round 3:

  A superb podium finish for Harold Primat and Christophe Tinseau in the last round of the Le Mans Series at Monza has left the Pescarolo Sport duo lying fourth overall in the championship and the best-placed petrol-powered car heading to round 3 at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend. With confidence already high, the pair's Pescarolo 01-Judd gets a new aero package for the trip to Belgium, leaving the Geneva-based Primat hopeful of another strong result.

• Spa: QUIFEL-ASM Optimistic Ahead of Belgian race:

  The QUIFEL-ASM Team is due tomorrow to start preparing for the Spa-Francorchamps race, which is part of the 2008 Le Mans Series Championship. After two unlucky races, in which podium places had been in sight, the team is confident ahead of this event.

• Spa: A Unique Challenge for Michelin:

  Following the first two encounters at Barcelona and Monza, this weekend sees the 2008 Le Mans Series move on to the rollercoaster ride of Spa-Francorchamps for round three. This legendary venue and its succession of sweeping corners represent a unique challenge for tyre manufacturers, yet Michelin will be looking to keep up its unbeaten by securing its third win of the season.

• Spa: Final Countdown to Le Mans as Spa Prepares for 1000kms:

  The 7.004km Belgian circuit of Spa Francorchamps, nestled in the heart of the Ardennes region of Belgium, has a long association with endurance racing having run its first 24 hour race in 1924, one year after the inaugural Le Mans 24 hours, and ran its first 1000km race in 1966.

• Spa: Peugeot Training for Le Mans:

  The third round of the 2008 Le Mans Series calendar is the 1,000km de Spa- Francorchamps which stands out as Team Peugeot Total's final opportunity to prepare competitively for the season's highlight, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Following its wins at Barcelona and Monza, the team has no intention of taking its eye off the ball and has enlisted the services of Jacques Villeneuve and Alexander Wurz for the Belgian event which will give them race practice and strengthen the bonds between its crews.

• Spa: Back to a Historic Track for Audi:

  Ingolstadt -- On the Whitsun weekend, the Audi R10 TDI will make its racing debut at Spa-Francorchamps, on one of the world's most demanding race tracks. For Audi, the race in the Belgian Ardennes is more than just the third round of the Le Mans Series: with every racing kilometre, valuable know-how is being collected, which is fed into the next generation of Audi TDI engines. The same applies to the diesel fuel used in the V12 TDI engine of the Audi R10 TDI: Shell V-Power Diesel is a extremely clean diesel fuel delivering a very high performance, which is subjected to continuous development by means of motorsport.

• Spa: Pescarolo Looking to Gain Momentum Coming into Le Mans:

  Third test in the Le Mans Series 2008 Championship, but the final meeting before the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this race on the legendary circuit of Ardennes will, for some, be the confirmation of what everyone has been observing since the start of the season, but for others the final opportunity to turn the tables before the arrival of Le Mans. For Peugeot, it will mean maintaining dominance over Audi, and for the German manufacturer it will be vital to show that the king of Endurance has not yet lost his crown!

• Spa: Farnbacher's Allan Simonsen Talks about the Classic Belgian Event:

  The next Le Mans Series event is Round 3 at Spa, Belgium, on May 9–11. Spa is one of the world's greatest tracks and Simonsen regularly performs well there.

April 2008, Volume 8, No. 4

April 2008

• VIDEO: LMS - Jamie Campbell-Walter's Heavy Qualifying Crash:

  As if to prove that heavy accidents can happen at any time in Monza, Jamie Campbell-Walter crashes his Creation in qualifying.

• VIDEO: LMS - Rinaldo Capello's Wild Spin:

  The 1000km of Monza was truly an exciting race and not even Audi could escape the drama.

• VIDEO: LMS - Replay of Stephane Ortelli's Huge Shunt:

  Usually our video day is Thursday but this shunt is worth a special posting.

• RUMOUR: Le Mans Series - The Zytek Plans:

  A Radio Le Mans interview with Zytek's John Manchester turned up some interesting plans for the future.

• Aston Martin Racing Confirm Driver Lineup to Defend GT1 Title:

  The Aston Martin Racing team, which will race in the iconic blue and orange colours of Gulf, has announced its driver line-up for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

• Team Modena Confirm Le Mans Lineup:

  Team Modena's driver line-up for June's Le Mans 24-Hour race can now be confirmed with Christian Fittipaldi, Jos Menten and Terry Borcheller taking on the driving duties in the world-famous French endurance event. Christian and Jos raced for the team at Le Mans in 2007, while Terry has extensive sportscar experience and has competed at Le Mans four times before. The pressure will be on for the drivers - Team Modena's Aston Martin DBR9 has never failed to finish in its two previous Le Mans outings, taking ninth overall in 2006.

• Monza: Recaps after the Race pt4:

  Monza: Recaps after the Race pt4
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz Aston Martin

• Monza: Recaps after the Race pt3:

  Monza: Recaps after the Race pt3
  Zytek
  RML
  Horag
  Van Merksteijn

• Monza: Recaps after the Race pt2:

  Monza: Recaps after the Race pt2
  Spyker
  Quifel-ASM
  Team Modena
  Michelin

• Monza: Recaps after the Race p1:

  Monza: Recaps after the Race p1
  Harold Primat
  Rob Bell
  Hideki Noda
  Pierre Ragues
  Duncan Tappy

• Monza: Peugeot Pips Audi in a Controversial and Dramatic Race + Results:

  The second race of the 2008 Le Mans Series was fought on the hallowed circuit of Monza and featured manufacturer teams battling for the overall lead, privateers fighting for their place on the podium, and two accidents, the second of which saw Stephane Ortelli amazingly emerge with only a broken ankle.

• Monza: Selected Team/Manufacturer Recaps after Qualifying pt1:

  Monza: Selected Team/Manufacturer Recaps after Qualifying pt1
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz Aston Martin

• Monza: Selected Team/Manufacturer Recaps after Qualifying pt2:

  Monza: Selected Team/Manufacturer Recaps after Qualifying
  Van Merksteijn Motorsport
  QUIFEL-ASM
  Spyker Squadron
  Michelin

• Monza: Qualifying Records Fall as Peugeot Locks Out Front Row + Grid:

  Two days of bright sunshine and warm weather has greeted the contenders for the 2008 Monza 1000kms in Italy and already the competition on the track has proven to be hotter than ever.

• Larbre Withdraw from the 2008 Le Mans Series, Concentrates on FIA GT, FFSA:

  Larbre Competition has taken the difficult decision to withdraw from the 2008 Le Mans Series due to an increasing workload in other championships.

• Monza: Fresh Challenge for Le Mans Series as Monza Beckons:

  The historic circuit of Monza, on the outskirts of Milan, prepares to welcome the Le Mans Series for the second race of the 2008 season. A fantastic opening round in Barcelona saw Peugeot, Porsche, Corvette and Ferrari win their respective classes but their rivals have had three weeks to form a response.

• Monza: Team Previews of the Race Weekend pt2:

  Monza: Team Previews of the Race Weekend pt2
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz Aston Martin
  Speedy/Sebah

• Monza: Team Previews of the Race Weekend pt1:

  Monza: Team Previews of the Race Weekend pt1
  Spyker
  Quifel ASM
  Harold Primat
  Michelin

• Duncan Tappy To Race Rollcentre Pescarolo:

  Versatility is proving to be Duncan’s forte and his latest opportunity is a drive in one of the leading Le Mans prototype cars. Duncan will drive the Rollcentre team’s Pescarolo – the car that finished fourth at Le Mans last year behind the Pescarolo and Peugeot factory teams. Duncan will drive the 630 bhp car in the 1000km/ 6 hour race with Martin Short, Rollcentre team owner, and Vanina Ickx.

• VIDEO: Early Race Action From Catalunya!:

  Catalunya was the first Le Mans Series race that saw the might of the Diesel factories competing against each other in a 1000km race.

• Tafel Racing Withdraws from Le Mans, Saulnier Racing Promoted:

  The Tafel Racing Ferrari F 430 GT is the first withdrawal among the 55 entries for the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours, and will not take part in the test day on 1st June.

• Catalunya: Peugeot Win the Manufacturer Battle in a Hard Fought Race + Results:

  Peugeot won the opening race of the 2008 Le Mans Series with Nicolas Minassian and local driver Marc Gene recording a popular victory in front of 28,000 spectators. Blue skies greeted the 47 competitors who took the start, and the sun shone brightly on the diesel-powered Peugeot 908 Hdi FAP, which took the chequered flag a clear lap ahead of the Audi R10 TDI driven by Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Premat.

• Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt4:

  Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt4
  Peugeot
  Audi
  Charouz Aston Martin
  Porsche

• Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt3:

  Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt3
  Horag
  Guillaume Moreau
  Rob Bell

• Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt2:

  Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt2
  Larbre
  Quifel ASM
  RML
  Michelin

• Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt1:

  Catalunya: Selected Team Recaps after Round 1 pt1
  Harold Primat
  Lola
  Zytek
  Spyker

• Catalunya: Peugeot Take the Upper Hand after Qualifying + Grid!:

  The 2008 Le Mans Series burst into life at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona at the weekend, with no fewer than 47 cars taking part in the opening qualifying session of the year ahead of tomorrow’s first of five 1000km races in Europe.

• Catalunya: More Reports after Qualifying:

  Catalunya: More Reports after Qualifying
  Peugeot
  Porsche
  Chraouz Aston Martin
  Zytek
  Michelin

• Catalunya: Selected Reports after Qualifying:

  Catalunya: Selected Reports after Qualifying
  Audi
  Spyker
  Larbre
  Sebah
  Quifel ASM

• The Winner of the Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge Gets Le Mans Bonus:

  At Barcelona (Spain) today, where teams have gathered for the first round of this year’s Le Mans Series, Michelin, the ACO and the LMS announced that the winner of the 2008 MEEC will automatically earn a place on the entry list for the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours. Within the framework of this year’s LMS, Michelin has decided to reward those teams which succeed in combining performance and energy efficiency at every one of the five races that make up the series. An Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) will be calculated after each race for all classified crews.

• Peugeot Announce Le Mans Lineups AND a Change for Belgium:

  Team Peugeot Total has profited from its traditional press conference prior to the start of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Barcelona to specify its driver line-up for the Le Mans 24 Hours. It also announced the recruitment of a third driver for each of the two 908 HDi FAPs that will contest next May’s LMS round at Spa-Francorchamps.

• Catalunya: Charouz Ready to Debut the Aston Martin Coupe:

  Charouz Racing System is ready to make the racing debut of its brand new, closed-cockpit LMP1 prototype powered by Aston Martin. On the 6th April, Jan Charouz and Stefan Mucke will race the car in the opening 1000 km race of the Le Mans Series at Barcelona to mark the beginning of a full season of endurance racing, which will include the legendary Le Mans 24 Hour race itself.

• Cataunya: Courage-Oreca Ready to Race as One:

  Olivier Panis, Nicolas Lapierre, Stephane Ortelli and Soheil Ayari were joined by two new team mates. Before revealing new Courage-Oreca, Hugues de Chaunac indeed presented the two others drivers which will defend the colors of the TEAM at the 24 Hours of Mans: Laurent Groppi and Loic Duval. The two "juniors", 25 years each one, were immediately impregnated with the "TEAM spirit" and environment is already excellent between the six musketeers.

• Catalunya: Van Merksteijn Ready for European Debut of RS Spyder:

  BARCELONA This weekend, Van Merksteijn Motorsport by Equipe Verschuur will be making its debut in the Le Mans Series. Ex-Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen and team owner Peter van Merksteijn will be racing the team's Porsche RS Spyder in the season opener at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. The 215 lap race will start on Sunday at 11.35 am and will be broadcast by Eurosport.

• Catalunya: Quifel-ASM to Fight for the Top:

  The QUIFEL-ASM team is this weekend due to compete in the 1,000 km Catalonia race, which is the first stage of the 2008 Le Mans Series Championship. The Portuguese team will include, along with Miguel Pais do Amaral, French driver Oliver Pla at the wheel of the Lola B05/40 AER, in the LMP2 class.

• Catalunya: Harold Primat's Fourth Le Mans Series Season to get Underway:

  A fourth season of the Le Mans Series beckons for Harold Primat this weekend as the Barcelona 1000kms marks the first race of the 2008 sportscar championship's season. The Geneva-based driver returns for his second year with illustrious French squad Pescarolo Sport, partnering Christophe Tinseau in the team's no 17 Pescarolo 01-Judd.

• Catalunya: Zytek Engine Now Most Popular in Its Class:

  No fewer than five of the LMP2 entries for this Sunday's 1,000km of Catalunya will be powered by the latest examples of Zytek's Le Mans winning engine, the ZG348. That is a full third of the class, making it easily the most popular power unit in its field.

• Catalunya: Spyker Prepares for Season with a New Car:

  This weekend, after completing earlier pre-season tests in Portugal and France, SNORAS Spyker Squadron is ready to kick-off it’s 2008 motor sport season. The team will compete this weekend in the first race of the five round Le Mans Series.

• Catalunya: Modena Looking for Strong Opening to Le Mans Series Season:

  The 2008 Le Mans Series season starts this coming weekend with a 1000km race at the Circuit de Catalunya near to Barcelona, and once more the Team Modena Aston Martin DBR9 will be a front-runner in the GT1 category. With the car now running to the latest factory specification and a strong driver line-up featuring Team Modena regular Antonio Garcia and the very experienced Tomas Enge, hopes are high that the team can start the season with an impressive performance.

• Catalunya: Michelin Increase Performance for 2008 Le Mans Series Opener:

  The 2008 Le Mans Series (LMS) gets underway on Sunday at the Catalunya Circuit. For Michelin this will be the first outing for the "2008" tyres under race conditions in Europe. The first leg of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) which took place on 15th and 16th March at Sebring, already gave some indication of what to expect from the 2008 tyres.

• Catalunya: Scuderia Lavaggi Returns to LMS Competition:

  The LAVAGGI LS1 - AER, built by the Monegasque team bearing the same name, will bring forward it's first appearance in the "Le Mans Series", participating in the first champion race, the "1000 KM of Catalunya" taking place the 4th, 5th and 6th of April.

• PHOTOS: First Pictures of the Aston Martin Vantage GT2!!!:

  Aston Martin Racing has revealed the first official pictures of the Vantage GT2, which will make its race debut with James Watts Automotive at the first round of the Le Mans Series at Barcelona on 5 April.

• Barcelona: Debut for RS Spyder in Europe:

  Stuttgart. At the season-opening round of the European Le Mans Series (LMS)
  on 6 April in Barcelona, three Porsche RS Spyders line up on the grid for
  the first time. The successful sports prototype from Weissach will be
  fielded by three teams in the LMS. Driving for the Van Merksteijn
  Motorsport (Netherlands) team are ex-Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen and
  team owner Peter van Merksteijn (both Netherlands). The RS Spyder run by
  the Danish Essex team is manned by 1990 Le Mans winner, John Nielson, and
  Casper Elgaard (both Denmark). Driving for Horag Racing from Switzerland
  are Fredy Lienhard (Switzerland), Didier Theys (Belgium) and Jan Lammers
  (Netherlands), whose racing CVs also include a Le Mans win and Formula 1
  experience.

March 2008, Volume 8, No. 3

March 2008

• Audi To Compete In Two Races On Same Weekend:

  Even in its third year of racing the Audi R10 TDI still experiences some débuts: on the first weekend in April, the diesel-powered sportscar will compete simultaneously for the first time in two races, in America and in Europe. In St Petersburg (U.S. state of Florida), on Saturday (5 April), the second round of the 2008 American Le Mans Series will be staged. One day later, the European Le Mans Series kicks off with the 1000-kilometre race at Barcelona (Spain).

• VIDEO: The Birth of the Porsche 911 GT1:

  Porsche are legends of the sportscar and GT racing world. They dominated through the Group C era and after the demise of that era, the German manufacturer could not settle for second.

• Peugeot Aims to Defend 2007 Title:

  The 2008 Le Mans Series features a calendar of five rounds, the first of which takes teams to the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona, Spain, on the weekend of April 4-6. Le Mans Series title holder Peugeot will contest the race with a brace of 908 HDi FAPs for the same crews as 2007, and the team will be looking to defend its crown while staying concentrated on its priority objective for 2008: the Le Mans 24 Hours.

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - Peugeot to Race a Diesel-Hybrid:

  Rumours have surfaced that link Peugeot with a diesel-hybrid engine.

• RML Renews Partnership With DuPont Refinish:

  RML Group will again enjoy high-level technical support from DuPont Refinish in 2008 following its highly successful year as an official supplier to the team last season. Both companies enjoyed triumph on and off track in 2007, sealing the decision to continue the link-up for a further 12 months.

• Aston Martin Racing Completes Successful Pre-Season Test:

  Aston Martin Racing has hosted a pre-season test for both the factory team and private outfits at the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France, following in the footsteps of the first such event that took place last year.

• HTTT: Heavy Workload For Pescarolo Sport And Primat At Paul Ricard:

  Harold Primat and his Pescarolo Sport team mates undertook an intensive programme of crucial development work at Paul Ricard last weekend as the French squad prepares for the 2008 Le Mans Series season.

• HTTT: Rob Bell Completes Le Mans Series Pre-Season Testing:

  The Le Mans Series test at Paul Ricard earlier this week was the final opportunity for Rob Bell and his team mate, Gianmaria Bruni, to prepare for the 2008 season with Virgo Motorsport. Although running with their current Ferrari 430 model, the duo were second quickest at the French circuit.

• Le Mans Series Broadcast on Eurosport:

  Le Mans Series is pleased to announce its new broadcasting agreement signed with Eurosport. This notification is the evidence of the expanding Le Mans Series media exposure. Discover the details of the new TV coverage planned on the international Eurosport interface.

• HTTT: More Photos from Day 1 of the Test:

  HTTT: More Photos from Day 1 of the Test

• HTTT: Postive Test for Lola's New Cars:

  Six Lola Le Mans Prototype sportscars were in action at the LMS Paul Ricard test in the South of France on Sunday and Monday of this week (2&3 March). All eyes were firmly fixed on Lola's all-new LMP1 and LMP2 Coupes, which included a track debut for the Speedy Racing Team Sebah Lola LMP2 entry. The Hugh Hayden led Speedy Sebah team enjoyed a good initial shakedown test in the South of France with Andrea Belicchi, Xavier Pompidou, Robbie Kerr and Steve Zacchia all driving the Judd powered Lola.

• HTTT: Charouz Aston Martin has Another Positive test:

  The brand new LMP1 prototype powered by Aston Martin completed two further days of successful running when the car took part in the official Le Mans Series test at the HTTT Paul Ricard track in Le Castellet, Southern France. The Aston Martin powered prototype experienced problem-free running over four separate sessions during the test in preparation for the opening race in Barcelona in April.

• HTTT: Quifel-ASM has Productive Test:

  The QUIFEL-ASM Team achieved the third best time in tests at the Paul Ricard circuit, in the MP2 class, held Sunday (2nd March) and yesterday. This test was preparation for the Le Mans Series 2008.

• HTTT: Alan van der Merwe to Test Aston Martin Vantage GT2.:

  Alan van der Merwe will get the opportunity to test the Aston Martin Vantage GT2 during the Aston Martin Racing exclusive test day at HTT Paul Ricard on 5th March 2008. This will be Alan's first run in modern GT machinery where his experience and success in a Formula 1 car will prove very competitive during the races and vital in the development of the car during testing. Alain had been looking at potential drives in the US for 2008 but when the opportunity to join JWA and the burgeoning Le Mans Series arrived he was quick to make himself available.

• RUMOUR: LMS - Pierre Bruneau to Race Pescarolos???:

  Pierre Bruneau and Marc Rostan tested the Rollcentre Pescarolo Judd at the preseason test at Paul Ricard HTTT.

• HTTT: Porsche Gets to Grips for 2008:

  Stuttgart. At the official test of the Le Mans Series (LMS) in Le Castellet
  (France), the Porsche RS Spyder celebrated its European premiere. Here, the
  two sports prototypes of the Team Essex (Denmark) and Van Merksteijn
  Motorsport (Netherlands) met their opponents in the fiercely-contested LMP2
  class for the first time. The Swiss Horag Racing team was not present for
  the test as it is already in Florida where it will contest the Sebring 12
  hour race on 15 March. The main purpose in southern France was for teams
  and drivers to familiarise themselves with the new sports prototype. For
  both race teams the RS Spyder represents new territory.

• HTTT: Audi R10 TDI Sets Best Time at Le Castellet:

  Ingolstadt/Le Castellet – Audi Sport Team Joest clearly set the pace at the official tests of the Le Mans Series (LMS) at Le Castellet (Southern France). At the end of the first test day both Audi R10 TDI cars had a commanding lead in the sportscar field. The fastest time was set by Allan McNish. The Scot was the only driver on Sunday to break the sound barrier of 1.40 minutes.

• HTTT: Testing Roundup from Day 2:

  HTTT: Testing Roundup from Day 2

• HTTT: Audi, Porsche and Saleen Set the Pace in Testing:

  The first day of the 2008 Le Mans series heralded perfect weather conditions for the contenders who took part in the now traditional pre- season test at the Paul Ricard High Tech Test facility in southern France. For many teams it was the first time that they ran their new cars against their season-long competitors, and for some, it was the first time that the cars ran at all.

• HTTT: Testing Roundup from Day 1:

  At the end of the first morning testing in Le Castellet, no problem for drivers who took the wheel. We can note three cars returned to their stands after accidents and the best time for the Audi n° 1 of Mc Nish.

February 2008, Volume 8, No. 2

February 2008

• Paul Frere - 1917 - 2008:

  Belgian Paul Frere has passed away, aged 91.

  Frere was a Le Mans legend having won the race in 1960. He competed in Le Mans eight times, recording six finishes. In addition to he competed in 11 F1 Grand Prix's.

• RUMOUR: FIA GT/LMS - Lamborghini Set for GT2???:

  Rumours are abound that Lamborghini are set to enter the GT2 classes of the major series.

• Corvette Announces ALMS Driver Lineup:

  DETROIT, Feb. 20, 2008 -- Corvette Racing's roster of championship-winning drivers will return in 2008 to race the Chevrolet factory team's twin Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars in the 12-race American Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Johnny O'Connell and Jan Magnussen will drive the No. 3 Corvette C6.R, joined by Ron Fellows for three endurance races (Sebring, Le Mans and Petit Le Mans). Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta will drive the No. 4 Compuware Corvette C6.R, teamed with Max Papis in long-distance events.

• Tafel Announces Le Mans Lineup:

  CUMMING, Ga., February 20, 2008 - Tafel Racing will contend for the LM GT2 class honors this June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Automobile Club De L'Ouest (ACO), official sanctioning body of the world's most famous sports car race, announced the Jim Tafel (Alpharetta, Ga.) owned team has been honored as one of only 13 cars invited to participate in the road-based LM GT2 class at the June 14-15 24 hour event. The second-year American Le Mans Series team will be making its first appearance at Le Mans. Team regulars Dominik Farnbacher (Ansbach, Germany) and 2007 FIA GT Series GT2 class Champion Dirk Muller (a native of Germany now living in Monaco) will share the Italian supercar with Sebring teammate and 2007 Australian GT Champion Allan Simonsen (Danish-born living in Melbourne, Australia). Tony Dowe (Cumming, Ga.) will oversee preparations for the No. 81 Tafel Racing Ferrari F430 GTC.

• Seven Lola Sportscars Entered For 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours:

  Seven Lola sportscars will make the annual pilgrimage to Le Mans this June for the world’s most famous endurance race – the 76th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. It will be the biggest Lola presence at Le Mans since 1979. Three LMP1 and four LMP2 Lola cars will battle it out in the 55 car field on 14/15 June. Lola’s all-new LMP1 and LMP2 Coupe designs will make their debut at La Sarthe, with the Lola LMP1 Charouz Racing System Team, powered by an Aston Martin engine and the Lola LMP2 Speedy Racing Team Sebah.

• 55 Le Mans 24 Hours Entrants Selected: A List to Inspire Dreams!:

  Endurance rhymes with excellence! The list of entrants invited to take part in the Test day on 1st June, the prelude to the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours, is the perfect illustration of this. Out of the 88 entries sent in to the ACO Selection Committee, 55 have been selected plus 8 reserves. On the list are the cream of endurance drivers and some of the best in Formula 1!

• Team Modena - Ready to Race for 2008:

  Team Modena will be competing at the highest levels in both national and international sportscar racing in 2008, with full seasons of racing for its GT1 and GT3 specification cars which will see the team take on the best the sportscar scene has to offer in what should be an exciting year for the team.

• Jacques Villeneuve Losses NASCAR Ride:

  Bill Davis Racing (BDR) announced yesterday that it will tap into its pool of veteran Cup Series drivers to pilot the No. 27 Toyota Camry during the next several NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. Truck Series standouts Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson are both expected to step behind the wheel of BDR’s No. 27 entry.

• PHOTOS: The 2008 Peugeot 908 Launch:

  Peugeot launched their 2008 challenger, and here are the first photos!

• Peugeot 2008 - A Year of Challenges:

  The 2007 season turned out to be one of the most rewarding ever for Peugeot Sport which launched four different new cars on the world motor sport scene, from the factory programme with the 908 HDi FAP to its package of promotional formulae with the 207 LW THP, 207 Super 2000 and Spider THP. The lessons learned by the team while finding its marks last year will be implemented in 2008 and all its energy will be devoted to building on that experience to achieve its objectives.

• Klien Joins Peugeot Sport For Le Mans 24 Hour Bid:

  BMW Sauber F1 Test & Reserve driver to make debut in French classic Paris, 15th February 2008; Christian Klien is set to drive for Peugeot Sport in this years Le Mans 24 Hours, the 25 year old Austrian driver joining an all star line-up as part of a three car assault in the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. The announcement was made today by Peugeot Sport and comes three days after Christian tested the car at the Paul Ricard Circuit in the South of France.

• Photos - Charouz Debut Lola Aston Martin!!!:

  The Charouz Racing Systems LMP1 car, powered by an Aston Martin V12 engine, ran successfully for the first time yesterday evening (9 February).

  The car was driven by Jan Charouz at Prodrive's proving ground in Warwickshire, England, as dusk fell over the track.

  The car will compete at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the Le Mans Series.

• The Entry List and Our Take On It:

  The Le Mans Series full season entry list has been revealed by the ACO with 50 cars being successful. Of those, 16 are LMP1, 15 are LMP2, 5 are LMGT1 and 14 are LMGT2.

• Guy Smith Secures Le Mans 24 Hour Drive:

  Smith, from Yorkshire, won the world's "blue riband" endurance sportscar race in 2003 with Bentley and then finished second overall on his last appearance in the French "classic" three years ago for Audi.

• RUMOUR - LMS: Simon Pagenaud AIMs for Creation???:

  With the rumours abound about the American Open Wheel scene and Pagenaud's apparant lack of US$$$, rumours are abound about his future in the sport.

• FeedMeSportsCars Catches Up with Robbie Kerr:

  Last weekend at the A1GP race in Sydney, Australia, FeedMeSportsCars was able to catch up with Robbie Kerr. After a successful 2007 season which saw the Brit finish second in class at Le Mans, we were able to see what he thought about his 2007 season, his A1GP and his plans for 2008.

• 'Perfect' First Test For New MG Lola EX265:

  RML AD Group’s new MG Lola EX265 completed a faultless first shakedown test at the Silverstone circuit yesterday, Friday 8th February. The morning run left Brazilian driver Thomas Erdos thrilled by the responsiveness of the new XP-21 engine, and looking forward to the prospects of defending the LMP2 title in this season’s Le Mans Series.

• ACO To Create Asian Le Mans Series:

  1st & 2nd November 2008 - Shanghai bound!

  After the United States and Europe the Automobile Club de l'Ouest breaks new ground with the organisation of its first race in China.

• ACO Breaks New Ground With Le Mans Race in China:

  After the United States and Europe the Automobile Club de l’Ouest breaks new ground with the organisation of its first race in China.

• JWA to Run Vantage GT2 in Le Mans Series:

  James Watt Automotive (JWA) has entered the 2008 Le Mans Series in the new Aston Martin Vantage GT2.

• 2008 Glory In RML's Sights:

  RML are targeting more glory in 2008 as they aim to add to their tally of 15 titles over the last ten years.

• A Flood of Le Mans 24 Entries! 88 for 55 Places:

  The 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours is already a huge success before the race has even begun! The closing date for entries was 23rd January and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest received no fewer than 88 forms, an increase of 16% in relation to 2007 when the number of cars allowed to start went up to fifty-five.

January 2008, Volume 8, No. 1

January 2008

• Audi To Take on Peugeot in Le Mans Series in 2008:

  Audi Sport Team Joest enters two Audi R10 TDI cars in LMS ALMS Champions Capello/McNish spearhead programme Double programme for DTM stars Prémat and Rockenfeller

• Racing for Thailand Announces Le Mans Intention:

  Following the disastrous fire prior to the Silverstone LMS race in 2007 in which the teams Pescarolo prototype was destroyed together with a substantial amount of equipment, International Motorsports Ltd has made substantial changes to the team.

• Two Versions of the Porsche RS Spyder To Compete in 2008:

  Stuttgart. The Porsche RS Spyder will be entering the 2008 motorsport
  season in two different versions: In the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) the
  sports prototypes in the LMP2-class must have a minimum weight of 800 kg.

• RUMOUR: Le Mans - More on Toyota's Return:

  More information has come regarding Toyota's return to ACO style sportscar racing

• Same Driver Lineup for RML's Le Mans Assult:

  RML, in association with AD Group, is delighted to confirm an unchanged driver line-up for the 2008 Le Mans Series. Mike Newton and Thomas Erdos, current LMP2 title-holders, will continue their unbroken partnership into a sixth successive year.

• Aston Martin Power LMP1 in 2008:

  Aston Martin Racing will provide engines for the Charouz Racing Systems LMP1 entry at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours and in the Le Mans Series (LMS).

• Lola LMP Coupe Plans Unveiled:

  New designs to take on the world at Le Mans Lola Cars International Ltd today announces the addition of the latest generation of LMP Coupe to its vast ancestry of world-beating sportscars. Lola also releases the first images of the all-new Lola B08/60 LMP1. The car will compete in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours and Le Mans Series in the hands of existing Lola sportscar customer Charouz Racing System, who will race the new design with an Aston Martin V12 engine and engineering support from Aston Martin Racing.

• RUMOUR - FIA GT, LMS......Simonsen to Race in 4 Series + Le Mans in 2008???:

  It has revealed that Australian based Dane, Allan Simonsen will be racing in four different race series in 2008.

• Aston Martin to Defend GT1 Title with Gulf:

  Aston Martin Racing will return to Le Mans in 2008 to defend its GT1 title in the distinctive blue and orange livery of Gulf Oil.

• It's Official - Aston Martin Joins LMP1:

  It has been announced that Aston Martin will join Charouz Racing Systems and Lola to race in LMP1 in the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2008.

• Barwell Motorsport to Run ALMS and LMS in GT2:

  Barwell Motorsport has announced extremely exciting plans for the 2008 season, which include competing on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in the GT2 classes of the American Le Mans Series and the (European) Le Mans Series. The Surrey-based outfit is currently evaluating the car options for its programme, and the most logical choice (as an existing Aston Martin team) would be the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage-based GT car (as seen in last week’s Autosport), which is currently being evaluated by Aston Martin Racing (Prodrive) as a potential new GT2 chassis.

• Peugeot Among Sebring Winter Test Entries for ALMS Season Opener:

  Peugeot is among the list of entries for the American Le Mans Series' annual Winter Test at Sebring, joining Series prototype regulars such as Audi Sport North America, Penske Racing and Dyson Racing from the Porsche camp, three Acura teams, Mazda's B-K Motorsports and Intersport Racing.

• Lola: Technology to Win Then and Now, 50 Years of Success:

  In 2008 Lola will have plenty to celebrate both on and off the track, when they reach a memorable 50 years in motorsport. During this period the Huntingdon based marque have manufactured almost 4000 competitive cars, recording more race and championship wins than any other racing car manufacturer in the world.