Britain has had a long and successful involvement in endurance racing stretching back many decades, but this year’s opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Silverstone on Sunday 17th April, might be one for the history books.
No fewer than 23 British drivers will line up on the grid (see full entry list here) plus a very famous Australian who has made his home in the UK, Mark Webber, as have several other drivers up and down the grid. That equates to a quarter of the entire grid.
2015 World Champion Webber spearheads a field of 33 cars which includes manufacturer entries from Audi, Porsche (LMP1 and GTE), Toyota, Aston Martin, Ferrari and Ford. Thirteen countries are represented by some of the most successful and storied names in motorsport, including newcomers to the WEC Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK (LMGTE Pro), Manor (LMP2) and Gulf Racing (LMGTE Am). With more entries, more high profile names, more global interest, the WEC has truly come of age.
LMP1: A battle for the ages
Revealed at last week’s official pre-season test, The Prologue, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s all new TS050 HYBRID looks more than capable of returning the Japanese team to its 2014 Endurance Championship-winning form. Anthony Davidson and Mike Conway are both cautiously optimistic about performance and await the Silverstone free practice sessions with interest. In a similar vein, Audi Sport’s Oliver Jarvis will be at the wheel of the extensively revised Audi R18, while Mark Webber lines up for the first time in the No.1 Porsche 919 Hybrid which has also undergone technical upgrades during the winter. Indications from pre-season testing are that the battle in LMP1 is going to be intense, exciting and edge-of-the-seat.
The contribution of LMP1 Privateers Rebellion Racing and ByKolles Racing Team to the WEC grid cannot be underestimated, and this year the Austrian ByKolles team has two British drivers in its line-up, Oliver Webb and James Rossiter, for the much-developed CLM P1/01 AER. All LMP1 Privateers will be running on Dunlop tyres for the first time.
LMP2: Youth and diversity
The 11 entries will be competing in five different chassis: ORECA 05, BR01, Ligier JS P2, Alpine A460 and Gibson 015S. All are Nissan-powered and all are on Dunlop rubber.
Of the 13 nationalities of drivers within LMP2, the greatest number (9) comes from Britain and this is largely due to WEC debutant Manor who have four British nationals including former F1 driver Will Stevens, James Jakes, Matt Rao, Richard Bradley, plus British-based and licensed Thai Tor Graves. Silverstone-based Strakka Racing also has a 100% British line up of Nick Leventis, former British F3 Champion Jonny Kane and Danny Watts – one of the most experienced LMP2 line ups on the grid.
Florida-based Ryan Dalziel hasn’t forgotten his roots and is a proud Scot; he will be flying the flag for Britain in the American Extreme Speed Motorsport team.
A recent rush of international signings to LMP2 teams has seen drivers coming to the WEC from Formula 1, GP2, World Series by Renault and Indycar, and the average age of these is below 26 – youth and diversity indeed.
LMGTE: History in the making
Much focus this year will be on the Ford GT programme, especially in the run up to the Le Mans 24 Hours when the British-based Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK squad will join with its American cousins to reprise the famous Ford v Ferrari battle of 1966.
There is strong British interest in three of the four LMGTE Pro factory teams: Aston Martin Racing, Ferrari and Ford. Aston Martin Racing’s Darren Turner and Jonny Adam will be at the wheel of the revised-for-2016 Aston Martin Vantage, while Britons James Calado and Sam Bird line up alongside Italian team mates for the famous Prancing Horse marque at AF Corse in the all-new Ferrari 488 GTE.
Fifty percent of the Ford entry comes from Britain, with former touring car World Champion Andy Priaulx teamed with Marino Franchitti and 2014 LMP2 Le Mans winner Harry Tincknell in one car.
In the LMGTE Am category for cars which are one year old or more, the iconic blue and orange livery of Gulf Racing will be seen on the Porsche 911 RSR of Michael Wainwright, Adam Carroll and Ben Barker.
Home Advantage
All these British drivers, and the many other international drivers who have driven on Silverstone’s Grand Prix Circuit over the years, will be hoping to press home any advantage they can for the opening round of the 2016 WEC season, the 6 Hours of Silverstone. Families, friends and fans will be able to follow the action from Friday 15th April, with the main event beginning at 12 noon on Sunday 17th April.
