The FIA WEC’s annual press conference not only announced a bumper grid for the 2018/19 Super Season, another sixty-car line-up for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours was also revealed. With all full-season WEC efforts guaranteed a spot on the grid, competition for the remaining spaces on the starting line for the endurance classic in mid-June were highly valued.
The first of the entries to be granted for the famous race are the automatic entries for past performance, such as class winners at the previous race and the champions of the ACO’s various regional series such as the European Le Mans Series and the Asian Le Mans Series. Last year’s class winners in LMP2 and P2 and P3 champions in the Asian Le Mans Series, Jackie Chan DC Racing, have taken up four of their five automatic entries (including the two from the two full-season WEC entries) – with two of the cars likely to be run by an as-yet unknown partner.
European Le Mans Series champions G-Drive Racing, are also back for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as are GTE champions and last year’s GTE Am class winners JMW Motorsport. The 2017 European Le Mans Series LMP3 champions, United Autosports, have been granted two entries to Le Mans, while second-placed GTE team TF Sport are also back with their Aston Martin Vantage V8 in GTE Am. Notably absent are Asian Le Mans Series’ stalwarts and reigning GTE champions, Team AAI.
As expected, the LMP1 ranks will not be swelled in Le Mans, with Toyota having ruled out a third car some time ago and no other privateers submitting entries for the top category. In LMP2, however, the customary injection of LMP2 talent will see the car count increase from seven full-season WEC entries to twenty for Le Mans. ELMS provides most of the added talent, with recent competitors Panis-Barthez Competition, Algarve Pro Racing, SMP Racing, Graff Racing, IDEC Sport and Cetilar Villorba Corse once again joining the fray.
Arguably the most exciting additions to the WEC grid come in GTE Pro: Corvette Racing will be making their annual pilgrimage over to La Sarthe, while Ford’s two US-entered cars have been granted entries once again. Porsche’s North American GT programme will also be competing at Le Mans with two 911 RSRs. The only minor surprise is the addition of a third AF Corse machine piloted by Toni Vilander. Four works Fords against two factory Corvettes, three all-but-factory Ferraris, a pair of works BMWs, a quartet of works Porsche 911 RSRs and a factory Aston Martin squad looking to retain its Le Mans title with a pair of brand-new Vantages will make for one hell of a battle come June.
The GTE Am category will see the addition of four cars alongside the regular WEC entries, including Michelin Le Mans Cup champions Ebimotors and Proton Competition with a pair of Porsche 911 RSRs and the aforementioned JMW Motorsports and Keating Motorsports with Ferrari 488 GTEs.
Should any of the Le Mans participants pull out before the race week, a list of reserve entries has also been announced, who take the place of outgoing entries in the order in which they are listed. These reserves most notably include last year’s second-place GTE Am finishers Spirit of Race and 2016 GTE Am Le Mans winners, who took third position in 2017, Scuderia Corsa.
Official entry list
| # | TEAM | CAR | ENGINE | TYRE | DRIVER 1 | DRIVER 2 | DRIVER 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMP1 | ||||||||
 |
1 | REBELLION RACING | REBELLION R13 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | ANDRÉ LOTTERER | NEEL JANI | BRUNO SENNA |
|
3 | REBELLION RACING | REBELLION R13 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | THOMAS LAURENT | MATHIAS BECHE | GUSTAVO MENEZES |
 |
4 | BY KOLLES RACING TEAM | ENSO CLM P1/01 | NISSAN | MICHELIN | OLIVER WEBB | *TBA | *TBA |
 |
5 | CEFC TRSM RACING | GINETTA G60-LT-P1 | MECACHROME | MICHELIN | CHARLIE ROBERTSON | *TBA | *TBA |
|
6 | CEFC TRSM RACING | GINETTA G60-LT-P1 | MECACHROME | MICHELIN | OLIVER ROWLAND | *TBA | *TBA |
 |
7 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | TOYOTA TS050 – HYBRID | TOYOTA | MICHELIN | MIKE CONWAY | KAMUI KOBAYASHI | JOSÉ MARÍA LÓPEZ |
|
8 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | TOYOTA TS050 – HYBRID | TOYOTA | MICHELIN | SÉBASTIEN BUEMI | KAZUKI NAKAJIMA | FERNANDO ALONSO |
 |
10 | DRAGONSPEED | BR ENGINEERING BR1 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | HENRIK HEDMAN | BEN HANLEY | RENGER VAN DER ZANDE |
 |
11 | SMP RACING | BR ENGINEERING BR1 | AER | MICHELIN | MIKHAIL ALESHIN | *TBA | *TBA |
|
17 | SMP RACING | BR ENGINEERING BR1 | AER | MICHELIN | VITALY PETROV | *TBA | *TBA |
| LMP2 | ||||||||
|
22 | UNITED AUTOSPORTS | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | PHIL HANSON | *TBA | *TBA |
 |
23 | PANIS BARTHEZ COMPETITION | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | TIMOTHÉ BURET | *TBA | *TBA |
 |
25 | ALGARVE PRO RACING | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | MARK PATTERSON | *TBA | *TBA |
|
26 | G-DRIVE RACING | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | ROMAN RUSINOV | *TBA | *TBA |
|
28 | TDS RACING | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | FRANCOIS PERRODO | MATTHIEU VAXIVIERE | LOIC DUVAL |
 |
29 | RACING TEAM NEDERLAND | DALLARA P217 | GIBSON | *TBA | FRITS VAN EERD | GIEDO VAN DER GARDE | JAN LAMMERS |
|
31 | DRAGONSPEED | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | *TBA | ROBERTO GONZALEZ | *TBA | *TBA |
|
32 | UNITED AUTOSPORTS | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | HUGO DE SADELEER | WILL OWEN | *TBA |
|
33 | JACKIE CHAN DC RACING | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | *TBA | DAVID CHENG | *TBA | *TBA |
|
34 | JACKIE CHAN DC RACING | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | *TBA | JACQUES NICOLET | *TBA | *TBA |
|
35 | G-DRIVE RACING | DALLARA P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | VIKTOR SHAITAR | *TBA | *TBA |
|
36 | SIGNATECH ALPINE MATMUT | ALPINE A470 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | NICOLAS LAPIERRE | ANDRÉ NEGRAO | PIERRE THIRIET |
|
37 | JACKIE CHAN DC RACING | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | *TBA | JAZEMAN JAAFAR | *TBA | *TBA |
|
38 | JACKIE CHAN DC RACING | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | HO-PIN TUNG | *TBA | *TBA |
|
39 | GRAFF-SO24 | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | VINCENT CAPILLAIRE | *TBA | *TBA |
|
40 | G-DRIVE RACING | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | JAMES ALLEN | *TBA | *TBA |
 |
44 | EURASIA MOTORSPORT | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | MARKO ASMER | *TBA | *TBA |
 |
47 | CETILAR VILLORBA CORSE | DALLARA P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | ROBERTO LACORTE | *TBA | *TBA |
|
48 | IDEC SPORT | LIGIER JSP217 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | PAUL LAFARGUE | PAUL-LOUP CHATIN | *TBA |
|
50 | LARBRE COMPETITION | LIGIER JSP217 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | ERWIN CREED | ROMANO RICCI | FERNANDO REES |
| LMGTE-Pro | ||||||||
|
51 | AF CORSE | FERRARI 488 GTE EVO | FERRARI | MICHELIN | ALESSANDRO PIER GUIDI | JAMES CALADO | *TBA |
|
52 | AF CORSE | FERRARI 488 GTE EVO | FERRARI | MICHELIN | TONI VILANDER | *TBA | *TBA |
|
63 | CORVETTE RACING – GM | CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R | CHEVROLET | MICHELIN | JAN MAGNUSSEN | *TBA | *TBA |
|
64 | CORVETTE RACING – GM | CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R | CHEVROLET | MICHELIN | OLIVER GAVIN | *TBA | *TBA |
|
66 | FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM UK | FORD GT | FORD | MICHELIN | STEFAN MÜCKE | OLIVIER PLA | *TBA |
|
67 | FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM UK | FORD GT | FORD | MICHELIN | ANDY PRIAULX | HARRY TINCKNELL | *TBA |
|
67 | FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM USA | FORD GT | FORD | MICHELIN | JOEY HAND | *TBA | *TBA |
|
67 | FORD CHIP GANASSI TEAM USA | FORD GT | FORD | MICHELIN | RYAN BRISCOE | *TBA | *TBA |
|
71 | AF CORSE | FERRARI 488 GTE EVO | FERRARI | MICHELIN | DAVIDE RIGON | SAM BIRD | *TBA |
 |
81 | BMW TEAM MTEK | BMW M8 GTE | BMW | MICHELIN | MARTIN TOMCZYK | NICKY CATSBURG | PHILIPP ENG |
|
82 | BMW TEAM MTEK | BMW M8 GTE | BMW | MICHELIN | AUGUSTO FARFUS | ANTONIO FELIX DA COSTA | ALEXANDER SIMS |
|
91 | PORSCHE GT TEAM | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | RICHARD LIETZ | GIANMARIA BRUNI | FRÉDÉRIC MAKOWIECKI |
|
92 | PORSCHE GT TEAM | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN | KÉVIN ESTRE | LAURENS VANTHOOR |
|
93 | PORSCHE GT TEAM | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | PATRICK PILET | NICK TANDY | EARL BAMBER |
|
94 | PORSCHE GT TEAM | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | ROMAIN DUMAS | TIMO BERNHARD | SVEN MÜLLER |
 |
95 | ASTON MARTIN RACING | ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE AMR | ASTON MARTIN | MICHELIN | MARCO SØRENSEN | NICKI THIIM | DARREN TURNER |
|
97 | ASTON MARTIN RACING | ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE AMR | ASTON MARTIN | MICHELIN | ALEXANDER LYNN | MAXIME MARTIN | JOHNATHAN ADAM |
| LMGTE-Am | ||||||||
|
54 | SPIRIT OF RACE | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | THOMAS FLOHR | FRANCESCO CASTELLACCI | GIANCARLO FISICHELLA |
|
56 | PROJECT 1 MOTORSPORT | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | JÖRG BERGMEISTER | PATRICK LINDSEY | EGIDIO PERFETTI |
 |
61 | CLEARWATER RACING | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | WENG SUN MOK | KEITA SAWA | MATTHEW GRIFFIN |
|
70 | MR RACING | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | ISHIKAWA MOTOAKI | OLIVIER BERETTA | EDWARD CHEEVER |
|
77 | DEMPSEY-PROTON RACING | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | *TBA | MATTEO CAIROLI | *TBA | *TBA |
|
80 | EBIMOTORS | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | *TBA | FABIO BABINI | *TBA | *TBA |
|
84 | JMW MOTORSPORT | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | LIAM GRIFFIN | *TBA | *TBA |
|
85 | KEATING MOTORSPORTS | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | JEROEN BLEEKEMOLEN | BEN KEATING | LUCA STOLZ |
|
86 | GULF RACING | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | MICHAEL WAINWRIGHT | *TBA | *TBA |
|
88 | DEMPSEY-PROTON RACING | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | *TBA | MATT CAMPBELL | *TBA | *TBA |
|
90 | TF SPORT | ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE | ASTON MARTIN | MICHELIN | SALIH YOLUC | EUAN ALERS-HANKEY | CHARLES EASTWOOD |
|
98 | ASTON MARTIN RACING | ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE | ASTON MARTIN | MICHELIN | PAUL DALLA LANA | PEDRO LAMY | MATHIAS LAUDA |
|
99 | PROTON COMPETITION | PORSCHE 911 RSR | PORSCHE | MICHELIN | PATRICK LONG | *TBA | *TBA |
| *TBA | = | to be announced | ||||||
| – | = | no third driver | ||||||
Reserve list
| # | TEAM | CAR | ENGINE | TYRE | NOMINATED DRIVER | CLASS | ORDER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
41 | APM MONACO TEAM KCMG | DALLARA P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | LOUIS PRETTE | LMP2 | 1 |
|
55 | SPIRIT OF RACE | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | DUNCAN CAMERON | LMGTE AM | 2 |
 |
49 | HIGH CLASS RACING | DALLARA P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | ANDERS FJORDBACH | LMP2 | 3 |
 |
24 | REPSOL RACING ENGINEERING | ORECA 07 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | NORMAN NATO | LMP2 | 4 |
|
62 | SCUDERIA CORSA | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | COOPER MACNEIL | LMGTE AM | 5 |
|
83 | KROHN RACING | FERRARI 488 GTE | FERRARI | MICHELIN | TRACY KROHN | LMGTE AM | 6 |
|
27 | IDEC SPORT | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | MICHELIN | PATRICE LAFARGUE | LMP2 | 7 |
 |
43 | ARC BRATISLAVA | LIGIER JS P217 | GIBSON | DUNLOP | MIROSLAV KONOPKA | LMP2 | 8 |
|
42 | BRIAN ALDER | RILEY MK. 30 | GIBSON | *TBA | MARK KVAMME | LMP2 | 9 |