The FIA and Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) have jointly confirmed the entry lists for this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
As expected, the launch conference revealed a slimmed-down WEC field for 2017, with the headline omission being Audi following its decision to end its LMP1 program at the end of last year.
Toyota confirmed late last night that it would be fielding three cars with the rounds at Spa and Le Mans, with Jose Maria Lopez replacing Stephane Sarrazin in a full-time seat. Sarrazin will race in the third car at Spa and Le Mans.
Defending manufacturers’ champion Porsche confirmed its line-up last December, with Andre Lotterer, Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber all getting LMP1 seats. Despite many hoping it would revive its third car entry from 2015, Porsche will only race with two cars at Le Mans once again.
Following Rebellion Racing’s move down to LMP2 means that ByKolles is the only non-factory team racing in the LMP1 class this year, entering one car. Ex-Formula 1 racer Robert Kubica will make his Le Mans debut with the privateer team, being listed as its driver for Le Mans.
The LMP2 grid will feature 10 cars through the WEC season, with a bumper grid of 25 slated for Le Mans. As expected, all the full-season entries will run ORECA chassis.
A total of 15 LMP entries for 2017 #WEC 👉5 LMP1 (4 Hybrid cars, 1 LMP1-Privateer) and 10 LMP2 cars. #Endurance2017 pic.twitter.com/hmvSspgWxP
— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) February 2, 2017
In GTE Pro, 13 cars were confirmed to be racing at Le Mans, including a full complement of four Ford GTs that combines both the US and European squads, as seen at Daytona last weekend. The biggest talking point here is the signing of rising endurance star Pipo Derani for the first three races, the Brazilian joining Andy Priaulx and Harry Tincknell in the No. 67 Ford GT.
In GTE Am, five cars will take part in the full WEC season, with a grid of 16 set for Le Mans.
A total of 13 LMGTE entries for 2017 #WEC 👉8 GTE-Pro and 5 GTE-Am#Endurance2017 pic.twitter.com/HLLlsqZJhH
— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) February 2, 2017
The full list for Le Mans, and by extension the FIA WEC, is linked here.