Photo: FIA WEC / Adrenal Media. Andrea Bertolini, 2015 LMGTE Am Champion.
-
British Olympian and ELMS champion Sir Chris Hoy will be making his debut at Le Mans with Algarve Pro Racing, part of a 23-strong entry to an LMP2 class which features no fewer than 10 former winners: Jeroen Bleekemolen in 2008, Nick Leventis, Danny Watts and Jonny Kane in 2010, Ryan Dalziel in 2012, Ricardo Gonzalez in 2013, Simon Dolan in 2014 and Matt Howson, Richard Bradley and Nicolas Lapierre in 2015.
-
Remarkably, Andrea Bertolini’s victory in the LMGTE Am class last year with SMP Racing was the first time the veteran Italian had ever finished on the podium at Le Mans. With the Russian outfit focusing its attentions on LMP2 for 2016, the Ferrari factory driver will team up with Sam Bird and Davide Rigon in the No.71 AF Corse 488 in GTE-Pro. Can Bertolini secure consecutive victories across two different classes?
Photo: FIA WEC / Adrenal Media. No.77 Dempsey Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR of Richard Lietz, Michael Christensen and Philipp Eng
-
World Endurance GT Champion Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen have a new team-mate at Proton-Dempsey Racing but, even if he is a Le Mans rookie, Philipp Eng is no stranger to a Porsche. As one of only three drivers ever to hold the Porsche Supercup and Carrera Cup Germany titles in the same year, 26-year-old Eng has a strong track record with the German manufacturer and tested with Porsche Team Manthey at Bahrain last year.
-
At the other end of the spectrum, Emmanuel Collard will become the equal-seventh most experienced racer in Le Mans history when the green flag drops on June 18th. The Frenchman’s 22nd appearance in the No.83 AF Corse LMGTE Am Ferrari will draw him level with Jan Lammers, Pierre Yver and Claude Haldi on the all-time list. Collard has two class wins to his name, in GT 2003 and LMP2 in 2009, and twice finished on the overall podium, with a second and a third for Pescarolo in 2005 and 2007.
