Le Mans 24 2013: Predictions and Race Preview

The 24 hours of Le Mans is one of the biggest races of the year, and when auto manufacturers around the world want to test new innovations against the best, they bring their vehicles to Circuit de la Sarthe and engage in the top endurance race of 2013.

Even if you are just a casual racing fan, the non-stop action on the historic track, the adversity that comes with running these cars this long and the nuances of a 24-hour race make this entire event one of the biggest global phenomenons in auto racing.

Here is all the information fans need to watch the race, a full class-by-class preview and predictions. Enjoy!

Where: Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France

When: June 22-23 (Starts at 9 a.m. ET June 22 and runs for 24 straight hours)

Watch: SPEED Channel

Live Stream: Le Mans TV

Top Contenders and Winners In Each Category

LMP1: No. 2, Audi Sport Team Joest (Audi R18 e-tron Quattro)

While the Audi Sport Team Joest is only running three cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year (after running four in 2012), the hope is that the focus on fewer teams will allow the improved Audi R18 e-tron Quattro cars to shine in the endurance race.

The No. 2 team is led by eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, Loic Duval and Allan McNish, and coupled with the team’s sheer dominance at the track thus far (the Audi team qualified in first, second and third), the focus will be on which of the three cars eventually takes home the LMP1 (Le Mans Prototype 1) class victory and the overall win.

The other two teams associated with Audi Sport Team Joest have the same cars and great drivers guiding the rides as well. The No. 1 car and Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer, and Andre Lotterer won in 2012. So while other teams try to figure the riddle of this dominant team, the three team cars will be looking to compete with each other for the win.

Prediction: Audi Sport Team Joest will finish in first, second and third (Team No. 2 will win).

LMP2: No. 24, OAK Racing (Morgan LMP2-Nissan)

There is no doubt that the first class of cars is far and away the fastest in the field, but with plenty of power in the LMP2 (Le Mans Prototype 2) class, look for a team like OAK Racing and their Morgan LMP2-Nissan to shine in France.

Add in the fact that the car is being driven by bona fide stars like Olivier Pla, Alex Brundle, David Heinemeier Hansson, and the expectations for a stellar performance and a possible LMP2 victory only continue to climb.

With an incredibly impressive 3:38.621 lap in the third stage of qualifying, the OAK Racing team captured the pole in its class and proved that the team is the best in this division. After losing to Starworks Motorsport last year (driven by Enzo Potolicchio, Ryan Dalziel and Tom Kimber-Smith), it’s time for the team and its Morgan LMP2-Nissan to prove the doubters wrong.

Prediction: OAK Racing’s No. 24 car will finish first in LMP2 class.

LMGTE Pro: No. 53, SRT Motorsports (SRT Viper GTS-R)

While much of the focus in the LMGTE Pro (Le Mans GT Endurance Professional) class is on the defending champions—AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 and drivers Giancarlo Fisichella, Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander—the fans in the United States will be watching the SRT Motorsports team (Dodge) and their SRT Viper GTS-R.

After not racing in 2012 and watching the foreign automakers dominate the field, the SRT team has brought their best car to the track this year and has proven thus far that it will be a force in the 24-hour endurance race.

The SRT Motorsports team has two strong entrants in the field—both the No. 53 and No. 93 cars—and while the qualifying session wasn’t ideal (starting 46th and 50th respectively), the fact that this team was still adjusting to the track was a serious factor.

Look for the United States-based team to shock the field and have great runs.

Prediction: Both SRT Motorsports Viper GTS-R cars will finish Top-5.

LMGTE Am: No. 95, Aston Martin Racing (Aston Martin Vantage GTE)

After an incredibly disappointing 2012 that saw Aston Martin Racing’s top LMGTE Am (Le Mans GT Endurance Amateur) class team fail to even finish the race, the trio of Christoffer Nygaard, Kristian Poulsen and Allan Simonsen are ready to return and show that last year was a fluke.

With an incredibly impressive 3:57.776 lap time in the third qualifying session, the team and their Aston Martin Vantage GTE qualified as the top LMGTE Am car in the field and will start all the way up in 38th.

The horrible end to the 2012 race will be motivation for the entire team—from the pit crew to each of the drivers—and it’s clear that everyone associated with Aston Martin Racing has invested an incredible amount into this race.

Let’s see if the preparation pays off.

Prediction: Aston Martin Racing Team finds redemption when No. 95 wins LMGTE Am class.

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