Prologue 2017: new season, new faces, new places
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Prologue 2017: new season, new faces, new places

 

The wait is nearly over, the start of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship is almost here, and the WEC is opening its doors to the season with the official pre-season test for all competitors, The Prologue.

Taking place for the first time at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy on Saturday 01 April and Sunday 02 April, this will be the first opportunity for competitors, media and fans to see the WEC’s 2017 teams on track all together. A full provisional entry list is available HERE.

No fewer than 27 of the full season entries will be present at the iconic Monza circuit for the five sessions of testing planned over two days, including a night session on Saturday 1st April. 

There is not only free entry to the track for both days (subject to payment of a modest parking fee), including access to the Paddock, but Italian fans will also be able to see their beloved Ferraris, the super-sophisticated LMP1 prototypes, the upgraded LMP2 challengers and much more.  They can get up close and meet the drivers at an autograph session on Sunday 02 April.

Four classes on track at the same time

At the head of the field will be four of the 1000 bhp, hybrid-powered LMP1 missiles from Porsche and Toyota, and both manufacturers will be launching their 2017 challengers just ahead of The Prologue.  World Champions Porsche will be re-introducing Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber to the WEC for the first time since 2015, and Le Mans winner André Lotterer will make his first public on-track appearance in Porsche colours.  Toyota, like Porsche, has carried out private testing in preparation for the season and the Japanese manufacturer will be keen to see how its revised TS050 HYBRID stacks up against the 2017 Porsche 919 Hybrid.

ByKolles Racing Team will be present with its LMP1 ENSO CLM P1/01-Nismo in the hands of former F1 driver and hero to so many Italians, Robert Kubica. The Pole, who had his first taste of the WEC and LMP1 prototypes in Bahrain at the end of last season, will join Oliver Webb at the wheel of the re-engineered ByKolles entry which is now NISMO-powered.

Strength in depth in LMP2

Nine LMP2 entries will grace the high-speed Monza track, with just CEFC Manor TRS Racing fielding one car instead of two.  The new ORECA 07 is the chassis of choice for Vaillante Rebellion, CEFC Manor TRS Racing, G-Drive Racing and TDS Racing and Jackie Chan DC Racing, with Signatech Alpine Matmut fielding two Alpine A470s. All LMP2 cars will be on Dunlop rubber and powered by Gibson engines.

Behind the wheel of the faster, upgraded LMP2 prototypes there will be plenty of names familiar to endurance fans and beyond, including former Audi star Oliver Jarvis, 2016 LMP2 Champion Nicolas Lapierre, and past class winners such as Bruno Senna, Roman Rusinov and Alex Brundle.  Also making their debut in LMP2 will be 2016 LMGTE Am champions François Perrodo and Emmanuel Collard.

Close competition in GTE for a World Championship

In LMGTE Pro all eight entries will be present, including the newly launched 2017 Porsche 911 RSR, Aston Martin Racing’s Vantage, the Ford GT and of course Ferrari’s 488 GTE which will be run as always by Piacenza-based AF Corse.  The Prologue will be of special significance for Italian Alessandro Pier Guidi, making his full season WEC debut for the legendary manufacturer in a Ferrari, in Italy!  The competition in this category is expected to be closer than ever, with the four marques being represented by top driver line ups all challenging for the newly-sanctioned FIA World Endurance Championship for GTE Drivers and Manufacturers. 

Joining the factory-led teams will be another five GTE entries from the equally competitive LMGTE Am class which includes Ferraris from the Swiss Spirit of Race team and full-season WEC debutant Clearwater Racing from Singapore and two Porsche 911 RSRs from Gulf Racing and Dempsey-Proton Racing.  The fifth car will be the Aston Martin Vantage of the only unchanged driver line up in the class compared to 2016, Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda.

Gérard Neveu, CEO of the WEC: “We are very happy to be starting our season with The Prologue in Monza, the temple of Italian motorsport. This official test has become a well-established part of the WEC calendar, and the high-speed nature of the circuit will be of particular benefit to the teams as part of their preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Many of our manufacturer partners take this opportunity to reveal their new cars to the ever-increasing number of international media present, and of course it is the first chance for all the competitors to see how they and their rivals perform.  We look forward to welcoming our Italian fans as they experience the warm and friendly ambiance of the WEC paddock, which is open to all, visit the autograph session with the drivers, and see some incredible cars on track.”

The Prologue – FREE ENTRY FOR THE PUBLIC

The Prologue will take place at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on 01/02 April 2017, and entry to the track and access to the grandstands is free to members of the public following payment of 10€ per car for parking (motorcycles 5€, free entrance to pedestrians or those on bicycles). In addition, the paddock will be open to fans on both days.

Fans who attend will have the opportunity to see the cars on track during five open test sessions, plus they will be invited to take part in Sunday’s autograph session with all the drivers present.  

More details on The Prologue, including ticket information, can be found on Autodromo Nazionale Monza’s website HERE

Provisional Timetable

Saturday 01 April

09:00 – 12:00    Session 1

14:00 - 17:00     Session 2

19:00 – 21:00    Session 3 (night testing)

Sunday 02 April

09:00 – 12:00    Session 4

13:15 – 13:45    Driver Autograph Session

14:00 – 17:00    Session 5