The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2017 Rookies (updated)

To call some of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans competitors ‘rookies’ is something of a misnomer as they include a former winner of the endurance classic (Jan Lammers, 1988), a former F1 star with over 320 Grand Prix starts (Rubens Barrichello) and a 3-time World Touring Car Champion (José María López)!

What is a Rookie?

Broadly speaking the term “Rookie”, when applied to Le Mans, means all those drivers who have not driven there before or those who do not appear on the official list of experienced drivers (Appendix 10, 24 Hours of Le Mans Specific Regulations). 

Photo:  ACO.  Nico Hulkenberg after completing his simulator session in 2015

What do they have to do before the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

These drivers must take part in the 2017 Test day and must complete a minimum of 5 full timed laps (10 laps in total including pit out and pit in loops).  They must also take part in a training session in an ACO-approved simulator before 1^st June – this being a whole day’s training for Bronze-rated drivers.

Since 2014, all rookies are required by the ACO to attend an intensive simulator session where they are put through their paces in a variety of situations they will face during the race.  This invitation is also extended to drivers who have not contested the race for over five years, to refresh their memories on the positioning of marshal posts, safety procedures and night driving. The course is geared more towards race simulation than improving driving technique, ensuring that it has relevance for drivers of all experience levels.

An exception to this rule concerns Platinum-rated drivers not appearing on the approved list who can, upon special request to the Sporting Committee, receive permission to miss the Test Day if they are competing in another major car race elsewhere (for example, any Indycar or IMSA drivers competing in Detroit the same weekend). These drivers must complete a minimum of 5 full timed laps during the free practice sessions on Wednesday 14^th June.

Photo:  WEC/Adrenal Media Jose Maria Lopez of Toyota Gazoo Racing and Jean Eric Vergne of CEFC Manor TRS Team China

Who are this year’s Rookies?

There are three ‘Rookies’ in LMP1 including Toyota’s Jose Maria Lopez, 32 in LMP2 including Jean-Eric Vergne and young Thomas Laurent – a staggering 42% of the class, 3 in LMGTE Pro (Miguel Molina in the No.71 Ferrari 488, Dirk Werner in the No.92 Porsche 911 RSR and the recently announced Tony Kanaan substituting for the injured Sebastien Bourdais in the No.68 Ford GT ) and 16 of the 48 drivers from the LMGTE Am. 

Driving into the night…

Thomas Laurent of Jackie Chan DC Racing: “I’m not worried about Le Mans at all. I'm not the type to get stressed out and I think a driver such as Oliver Jarvis (six participations) will help me a great deal at Le Mans because he knows the track by heart. Apart from me, the driver line-up has plenty of experience (Ho-Pin Tung has competed four times), so I'm in good hands. I've never driven at night so I don't know what it's like, but I know it will be intense. I can't wait to experience the night and atmosphere at Le Mans: Scrutineering, the Drivers' Parade, the crowd..."

Jean-Eric Vergne of CEFC Manor TRS Team China:  "I've already driven at night in Formula 1, although I think the circuits at Singapore and Abu Dhabi are somewhat better lit than at Le Mans. I can't wait to see what it's like. I drove at night during a Toyota test at Motorland Aragon a couple of years ago; all alone during a night stint for two hours is a bit rough, but I think it'll be ok at Le Mans (he laughs).  I think this year will be very, very tough with 25 cars in the LMP2 class at the start. The level is quite high, it puts pressure on the team. I think the battle will be extraordinary."

Quotes courtesy of ACO/lemans.org