72nd Le Mans 24 Hours – GTS Preview
Last year saw a more
reasonable ten entries in GTS: two Veloqx Prodrive 550s, two Corvettes,
a Luc Alphand 550, two S7-Rs (Konrad and GNM), two GTS-Rs (Larbre
and Scorp) and the Pagani.
This year we have just
seven, but realistically, will it be any less of a fight with 30%
less cars? The Vipers last year were really only makeweights, although
the Larbre car did plug away throughout the 24 hours. No Saleens
was one of the surprises of the 2004 entry list, Franz Konrad being
offered a reserve place in the end, but choosing not to take it
up
The seven we do have
are going to put on one of the greatest contests ever seen in this
class. We had it all wrong last year: we didn’t anticipate
the Prodrive 550s being such effective Le Mans tools, and picked
the Corvettes to win again. How wrong can you be? This year is going
to be very different, the pace of the Gavin and Papis driven C5-Rs
at the Test Day taking almost everyone by surprise. The top five
are all on Michelins, the Barron-Connor 575s on Pirellis.
This is going to be a
sensational race. Bring on Maserati and Aston Martin.
 #61
Barron Connor Racing
Bosch / Sullivan / Biagi
#62 Barron Connor Racing
Hezemans / Barde / Deletraz
While the Corvettes were flirting with 3:50 at the Test Day, the
Dutch 575s were settling at four minutes. Monza indicated that development
is bearing fruit and the likes of Biagi and Hezemans should dip
under 4:00 in qualifying. They’ll find it tough to keep in
touch with the other five, but will be well placed to take advantage
of any mishaps with the C5-Rs and 550s. Monza also indicated that
this team should be one of the most spectacular in the paddock.
Fine additions to Le Mans.
 #63
Corvette Racing
Fellows / O’Connell / Papis
#64 Corvette Racing
Gavin / Beretta / Magnussen
Is this the perfect endurance line-up of drivers? Fellows and O’Connell
are content for Papis to take the limelight, as he did on April
25, while the drivers in #64 would do justice to any car in the
field. The switch to Michelins has accounted for some of the massive
speed increase since last year, the rest accounted for by transmission
and other mechanical changes. Having the two cars either side of
3:50 at the Test Day was the most spectacular stuff, just 97 thousandths
separating the two cars over eight plus miles. A four second advantage
over the 550s is likely to be less in qualifying and less on race
pace, but from this view it is advantage Corvette: but has Prodrive
been whittling away at the cars during the last six weeks, to find
some more speed?
 #65
Prodrive Racing
Rydell / Turner / McRae
#66 Prodrive Racing
Enge / Kox / Menu
The drivers in #66 are also frighteningly strong, while Colin McRae
will doubtless become an endurance master very quickly. One problem
last year (a big one) among the two (Veloqx / Prodrive) cars was
all that stood in the way of a 1-2 in GTS, but Corvette watched,
learned and now return very much stronger. The C5-R and the 550
have become classics in their own time, and so far no one has stepped
up to challenge them, over two and three quarter hours, three hours,
ten, twelve or 24 (except the Saleen and Lister – but not
consistently). Corvette and Ferrari – the best in GTS, but
which is going to turn out to be the best of the best? Fantastic
racing in store.
 #69
Larbre Competition
Bouchut / Goueslard / Dupard
Christophe Bouchut is a giant among GT drivers, while Patrice Gouslard
is a match for almost anyone. Jack Leconte’s team has recovered
from last year’s troubles and finally moved up to a modern
GTS car, after years of success with Vipers. Spa success (twice)
proves that this team knows how to win, so don’t write off
a privateer win in GTS. Bouchut was the fastest 550 driver at the
Test Day, and the likes of he and Enge are going to be spectacular
on Wednesday and / or Thursday evenings.
If you (mistakenly) thought
Le Mans this year lacked something because of the absence of factory
projects in LMP1, sit back for a moment and contemplate the war
that is going to be the GTS race.
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