The Le Mans 24–Hours test day has been a great success from a popular, sporting and technical point of view.

Without a doubt, the enthusiasts were looking forward to the revival of the test day on the Le Mans circuit as much as the teams. The attendance figure was 24 987 spectators who flocked to the Sarthe circuit to thrill to the sight and sound of the cars that they will see in seven weeks at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The test day provided a lot of interesting information from a sporting point of view. Tom Kristensen in the no. 3 Audi R18 set the quickest time, and the 8-time Le Mans 24-Hours winner lapped the unique circuit in 3m 27.687s, an average speed of 236,687 km/h, just under 8 seconds slower than last year’s pole (3m 19.711s). Mike Rockenfeller in the no. 1 Audi R18 was second quickest in 3m 27.815s proving that the German engineers have got their sums right. The three R18s monopolized the top of the time sheets for a good part of the session, but in the dying seconds of the afternoon, Stéphane Sarrazin put in a stunning lap in a time of 3m 27.876s to bag third place showing the potential of the new Peugeot 908. The first five cars, three Audis and two Peugeots, were covered by only 0.617 seconds! The highest top speed fell to Franck Montagny with 340,5 km/h.

However, the two major contenders for victory in the coming Le Mnas 24 Hours did not only go for a time, they also did a great deal of work on the setups the aerodynamic configurations and the use of tyres. The three Audis covered 3257 km and the three works Peugeots, 3407 km.

The first of the petrol-engined cars was the no 16 Pescarolo-Judd driven by Emmanuel Collard who got round in 3m 36.583s. The performance of the Aston Martin AMR-ONES was a bit disappointing. The two cars covered a total of just twelve laps! The English manufacturer still has a long way to go as it seems to be faced with chronic engine problems.

In LM P2, the battle raged between three cars with Nissan power, the nos 26 and 48 Orecas and the no. 41 Zytek. Franck Mailleux at the wheel of the no. 26 Signatech Nissan finally came out on top with a lap in 3 42.992s.

The GTE Pro category was again the theatre of a mind-boggling scrap . Quickest was the Hankook-Farnbacher Ferrari F458 Italia driven by Allan Simonsen who got round in 3m 59.966s, the only driver to dip below the 4-minute barrier. The gap to the BMWs and Porsches is tiny. Only the Lotuses which were there to learn, were not on the same pace due to their comparative lack of experience.

Larbre Competition’s two cars dominated in GTE Am with the best time going to the no. 50 Corvette with Tom Milner at the wheel with a lap in 4m 04.222s closely followed by Jean-Philippe Belloc’s Porsche in 4m 05285s.

The Le Mans 24-Hour entrants still have seven weeks to analyze their performances today and prepare for the race on 11th-12th June. 2011. Beforehand, however, the teams entered in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will do battle on 7th May in the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 kms. This time, though, after the performances in the practice, the verdict will be handed down in the race.

Info: Lemans.org/Acreditated and autorized media press.

Photo : Arnaud CORNILLEAU - ACO/Nikon

Le Mans 24 hours: 55 cars for the test day

After a 2-year break, the Le Mans 24-Hours test day is back on the calendar and will take place on Sunday 24th April 2011. Fifty-five entries have been sent in to the ACO for this free practice session.

For economic reasons, the free practice session was not held in 2009 and 2010. Between 2005 and 2008, it usually took place shortly before the Le Mans 24 Hours. One has to go back to 2004 to find a date in April similar to that of 2011, and its return to the calendar has been motivated by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s on-going quest to improve safety. The introduction of a new set of regulations has led to the construction of many new cars, so it is vitally important to allow them and their drivers to get to grips with the constraints imposed by a circuit unlike any other in the world. In addition, thanks to the fact of bringing the test forward (almost two months before the race on 11th-12th June 2011), teams will have enough time to carry out in-depth modifications to their cars if necessary.

Participation in the test day isn’t obligatory except for teams and drivers who have never raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours, or in the case of the latter if they have not started the race in the last three years.

The test day is open to 76 cars maximum and the club has received fifty-five requests. Nonetheless, the organizers reserve themselves the right to accept further entries should the case arise. Opening up the test day to all cars complying with the regulations will enable the reserves (in case of withdrawal of those selected for the Le Mans 24 Hours), and other teams that have not entered to discover this exceptional circuit that is generally used only once a year. The Italian team, Mik Corse – which is not competing in the 24 Hours – is coming specially to test a hybrid-engined Zytek. American squad, Level 5 Motorsports, will bring along two cars although only one has been accepted for the race, and TDS racing will also use this exceptional opportunity to shakedown its LM P2 Oreca-Nissan, etc.

Peugeot will take advantage of the test day to give its eagerly-awaited 908 Hybrid 4 its debut, although it will not race in the 24 Hours (on the list of entries attached, it replaces one of the three works 908s). It will be very interesting to compare its performance with those of the other 908s (including the Oreca-entered 2010 908 HDi FAP), and with the brand-new Audi R18s, which will make their official debut as will the innovative Aston Martin AMR-ONEs.

Finally, three Formula Le Mans, the prototypes that enable teams and drivers to get a foothold in long-distance racing during specific meetings, will also take to this mythic circuit on 24th April, proof of the ACO’s attachment to this promotional formula for endurance that is unique in the world.

Vincent Beaumesnil, ACO Sports Manager: “We’re delighted that fifty-five cars will be taking part in the test day that’s back on the calendar in a new format. It’s a very encouraging number, which shows the undeniable need to organize this extraordinary free practice session before the Le Mans 24 Hours”

Practical information
Le Mans 24-Hours test day

Scrutineering will take place on Saturday 23rd April: 09h00-13h00 and 14h00-18h00 at the Le Mans 24-Hours circuit.
Two test sessions are scheduled on Sunday 24th April: 09h00-13h00 and 14h00-18h00 on the big Le Mans circuit.
The test day is open to the public.

Ticket price: 10 euros for the test day itself
(Only for sale on the circuit)

Official Info: Aco.