Almost 50 cars will be on the track to win the first race of the season and to outstand in front of the French spectators keen to discover the 2010 cars. The first Audi/Peugeot duel of the year, high level battles in each category, exceptional drivers with former Formula 1 stars such as Jean Alesi, Giancarlo Fisichella, Olivier Panis or Nigel Mansell! 

Therefore, on April 10th and 11th, track will never be free! Public won't get bored as the entertainment will be great!  No less than 3 support races will take place: The Ford Formula, The F3 Euro Series and the Classic Endurance Racing!

All drivers invite you to join us on this same circuit, on next April 10 &11, at the occasion of the 8 Heures du Castellet. Don't disappoint them!

On the occasion of the Ladies day, it's more appropriate than never to announce that Le Mans Series will welcome a 100%-lady drivers line up!

This is the big news of this second and last test day: Matech Competition will enter one of its Ford GTs in the 1000Km of Spa (May 7/8/9) with three handsome Swiss girls -Cindy Alemann, Natacha Gachnang and Raël Frey. As for Belgian Vanina Ickx, she announces that she will be one of the Signature Plus Lola Aston Martin's drivers for both the 1000 Km of Spa and the 24 Hours of Le Mans!

And don't forget: we are back on the track tomorrow at 9am!

But the day is not over yet: 14 cars are now running for the night testing till midnight. The cars will be back on track tomorrow at 9 am.

The car will run tomorrow and on Monday, driven by Olivier Panis, Nicolas Lapierre and Loïc Duval, alongside the 40 prototypes and GTs which are on the entry list for this special test session. The 2009 “24 Hours of Le Mans” winning car is back on track! 

The launch of the 2010 Le Mans Series season will officially begin on Sunday with the Test Days where you will see, among others, Jean Alesi, Giancarlo Fisichella, Nigel Mansell and Olivier Panis in action!

Giancarlo Fisichella won three Grand Prix (Brazil 2003, Australia 2005 and Malaysia 2006). He is 37 years old and has a fantastic career history: 18 times on the podium in Formula 1 (194 GP) & raced in 7 different teams (Minardi, Jordan, Benetton, Sauber, Renault, Force India and Ferrari) between 1996 and 2009.

Giancarlo will make his debut in Endurance racing in a few weeks and accepted to answer our questions.

Jean Alesi was kind enough to answer our questions.

For an exceptional race, an exceptional format! The opening of the season will not be done with the usual 1000 Km schema (or 6 hours), but will last 8 hours with a late morning start and finishing at sunset around 7pm.

Note that this round will award the same number of points as a 6 hour race, only races 50% longer than the usual 1000Km distance count double.

Read the press release and discover the goals announced by OAK Racing's President - Jacques Nicolet - and Mazda France's President - Thierry Guillemot- regarding the already very awaited 2010 season. 

In 2008, the team had engaged the first Lola B08/80 B08/80 in LMP2 then set the tone in 2009 by engaging two prototypes - a Lola Coupé B08/60 B08/60 Aston Martin in LMP1 and a Lola Coupé B08/80 B08/80 Judd in LMP2.

For an exceptional race, an exceptional format! The opening of the season will not be done with the usual 1000 Km schema (or 6 hours), but will last 8 hours with a late morning start and finishing at sunset around 7pm.

Note that this round will award the same number of points as a 6 hour race, only races 50% longer than the usual 1000Km distance count double.

In the final year of the current LM P1 regulations, the ORECA-Matmut team will run the 2010 version of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP in the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Le Mans Series races. 

First of all, the opening race of the season will be held on the Castellet circuit and will last 8 hours. Two nocturnal races: in Algarve and in Hungary. The 1000 Km of Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone, firmly rooted in the Le Mans Series tradition, conserve their format and date.

  7-8 March                        Official Tests – Circuit Paul Ricard

  9-10-11 April                    8H of the Castellet – Circuit Paul  Ricard

  7-8-9 May                         1000 Km ofSpa-Francorchamps

  15-16-17 July                   1000 Km of Algarve (Night race)

  21-22 August                   1000 Km of the Hungaroring (Night race)

  10-11-12 September      Autosport 1000  Km of Silverstone

OAK Racing has just taken over the Pescarolo Sport 'manufacturer' division and will be managing the development and manufacturing of the chassis, bodywork and spare parts, as well as the marketing of the LMP1 & LMP2 prototypes.

Team managers, drivers, circuit managers, important motor sport names…all those who accept to play the game will be welcome.

Today, Pierre Delettre, Spa-Francorchamps 1000 Km co-organiser (among others), kindly answers our questions.

Team managers, drivers, circuit managers, important motor sport names…all those who accept to play the game will be welcome.

Today, Gérard Neveu, Paul Ricard HTTT circuit's Director, kindly answers our questions.

This year, as usual, new chapters have been written, others modified. To help you understand the upcoming season, listed hereafter are the principle changes.

From the next racing season on, FORMULA LE MANS owners (ORECA FLM monotype prototype / 420 BHP GM engine) will have the grand opportunity to take part in LE MANS SERIES 1000 km races in Europe. The FLM are also announced in Northern America within the “ALMS” starting in 2010.

In association with French television, France 2, the driver and team owner, who is a Le Mans Series regular (Team Luc Alphand Aventures won the LMGT1 title again this season) and well known for his kindness and generosity, did some track laps on a Corvette Z06 with Thomas Pincemin. The 15 year old youngster is a big motor sport fan and has been seriously ill since he was 6 years old.

The competitors have all arrived safely and are getting ready to battle on the 3,703 kilometres of the circuit.

Yesterday, the 23 entered cars participated in the qualifying test sessions with both sunshine and a mild temperature (22°C). In the queen category, the surprise came … from a Minister! Indeed, Drayson Racing Team's Lola Coupe Judd is in the lead thanks to the performance of young Jonny Cocker, Minister Paul Drayson's co-driver. The Sora Racing Pescarolo Judd will start in second position, driven by Christophe Tinseau and Shinji Nakano.

▪ 9, 10 and 11 April on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit

▪ 7, 8 and 9 May on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit

▪10, 11 and 12 September on the Silverstone circuit

Two additional races will be announced shortly (see the end of the release).

To relive these moments of anthology, which will remain carved forever in the history of Endurance racing, discover the book dedicated to the sixth Le Mans Series season.

A complete review of the season's five races, anecdotes on the teams and drivers, all the results, fabulous pictures taken by renowned sports photographers and an exclusive 32 page portfolio.

Finally the British Aston Martin Team wins the 2009 title, exactly 50 years after the victory of the manufacturer in the Sports Car World Championship! A well deserved tribute to the history of the British brand.

In LMP2, the Portuguese team Quifel ASM, in spite of a shortened race, wins the title in its category concluding a very successful season for Olivier Pla and Miguel Amaral.

In LMGT1, the Luc Alphand Team, after a difficult season, had two happy experiences during the weekend: the return of their leader Luc Alphand in grand shape and winning the season with their Corvette C6.R n°72.

In LMP2, just the once won't hurt: the battle raged until the last minute! The Felbermayr Proton Germans win this season by one small point in front of their opponents JMW Motorsport! In other words it was shoulder to shoulder and the smallest point had its importance including the one given during the qualifications to the team in pole position!

Last but not least we congratulate the team combining performance and energy saving: the Speedy Racing team Sebbah was awarded the Michelin Green X Challenge trophy.

If we are already looking towards the next season, we would like to take the time to thank all the teams who have fought for their colours during the season and at the same time for those of Endurance racing.

Team ORECA-Matmut-AIM took the checkered flag in first place in the LMP1 class, whereas Speedy Racing Team Sebah won for the first time of the season in the LMP2 class. Gigawave Motorsport took the victory in the GT1 class and JMW Motorsport ruled the GT2 class.

The French driver, who started from the back of the grid because he went off yesterday during the qualifying session, is catching up in such an amazing way that race-fans should remember for a while.

After a very tough fight with Nicolas Lapierre and his #10 Oreca Matmut AIM, who started on pole, Jean-Christophe, whose chances for the 2009 title are still alive, is now leading the field. The 2006 winner is really teaching a racing lesson!

As the teams and drivers titles are within reach, the fans are getting very excited, partly because Aston Martin and Aston Martin Racing's headquarters are less than 30 miles away from the Silverstone circuit.

We have to keep in mind that 2009 is the 50th anniversary of the DBR1's victory in the World Sportscar Championship. This car, which is forever engraved on the memory, should run one lap on Sunday before its descendants start the race in their Gulf Oil livery.

The second Kolles R10 will be raced by Narain Karthikeyan, Charles Zwolsman and Andy Meyrick.

Phone interview, this morning, with the French champion.

A major event to be followed in less than two weeks time; when for the first time in motor sport history, a World Champion will race with two of his children at the highest international competition level.

The 56 year old British driver will share the wheel of LNT Team's LMP1 Ginetta-Zytek with Lawrence Tomlinson and his son, Greg.

Leo Mansell, Nigel's other son, as since the beginning of the season, will also be on the track in another category with Modena Team's Ferrari F430 (GT2).

Nigel gave an interview two weeks ago at the 1000 Km of Nürburgring where he was supporting and advising Leo.

“Silverstone is one of the most fantastic circuits in the world, even with all the changes, and it is the home of motor-racing. If you drive between 95 and 98% of your abilities, you set the pole and if you are able to drive at 100%, you take the pole by one second. 1992 was the last time I have been on pole at Silverstone in Formula 1 for almost two seconds.

In the LMP2 category, Olivier Pla kept his pole position, when Laurent Groppi in GT1, for his first race in Le Mans Series, had the honor to take the start…and did it well! In GT2, Pierre Kaffer is not leading anymore, as Gianmaria Bruni at the wheel of the JMW Motorsport's Ferrari  is just behind him, but the race is only beginning…

The team is up against the wall and will only target the victory as explained polesitter Stefan Mücke: “I chose to spend half of the session in the pits and waited for a clear lap. The car is good and the time could have been better without the yellow flag. It is great to have two Aston Martin Racing cars on the front row. We will try to do our best tomorrow, but it is true that we are in a good position for the race and that we score one point for the pole.”

As the time went by, the weather conditions got much better, and so did the times... The 007 Lola Aston Martin was then the best (1.43.514) during the second session run on a dry track. Actually, local favourite, Stefan Mücke, was at the wheel during this lap.

Mansell, who remains the most successful British Formula One driver ever (he competed his last Grand Prix in 1995), will be joined for the first time by son Greg and former Le Mans winner, Ginetta Chairman Lawrence Tomlinson to compete in the world famous endurance race ‘1000km of Silverstone'.

With his son Leo driving the team Modena's Ferrari F430 GT in LMGT2, we can say that the 1000 Km of Silverstone will be a family affair for Nigel Mansell!

“The Grand Prix track of the Nürburgring is a modern racing circuit with a lot of variation of slow and medium speed corners.

After the Start-Finish line you enter turn 1 into the “Mercedes Arena”. It is a very tight right hand hairpin in 1st gear and a critical part at the start. The cars come from top speed down to 55km/h. The following two left corners are also quite slow in 2nd gear with another slow 90-degree right hander exiting the “Mercedes Arena”. The Arena is a tricky place and very technical. It is not my favourite part of the circuit though.

After accelerating to fifth gear...

The ADAC 1000 Km of the Nürburgring are one of the most awaited rounds of the season, and the fourth one, just after the wonderful night race which took place two weeks ago in Portugal. And for the first time, three prototypes of the British manufacturer will be present on the starting grid!

Regarding the drivers line up, the internationality is of bet: two Czechs, two Britishs, one Portuguese, one Swiss…and a German driver of course: Stefan Mücke!

10 LMP1s will therefore fight for the victory during this last but one race, before the final round at Silverstone in September.

The inaugural 1000Km of Algarve, the first Le Mans Series night race, was a huge success and produced one of the most fascinating races of the season.

Pescarolo Sport took up the challenge of this brand-new track and claimed first place overall, Quifel ASM Team took their first victory of the season in the LMP2 class. Luc Alphand Aventures won again in the GT1 class and JMW Motorsport overshadowed the GT2 class.

Impregnate you with the unique atmosphere of this race, on and off of the track…(and even in the swimming pool!)

But Aston Martin Racing is right behind and should put its life on the line tomorrow. After a victory at Barcelona and a third place at Spa, Aston Martin Racing demonstrated again that it is a great pretender to the title at the end of the season and fought hard but failed for the pole.

This is the reason why The Fingertips will play live tomorrow from 10 pm. This band of four genious musicians and one singer is one of the most famous ones in Portugal, thanks to its Coldplay's style pop-music.

The spectators will so have the opportunity to combine their passion for sport and their love of music, in a warm-hearted atmosphere and a georgeous background: the Algarve.

Pescarolo took the second place, just ahead the Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre's Oreca n°11, and the team Kolles'Audi. To be underlined: seven of LMP1s have finished the session in the same second! The qualifying sessions are promising to be very hot tonight…

More than the results, the most important was to learn to drive efficiently by night on this brand new track.

Everybody's saying that the image of all these lights in the meanders of the circuit was really fantastic and will stay for a long time in all the motorsport's lovers mind. And this is just a beginning, as the race will start on Saturday at 7.15 pm (local time) and so will mostly be played by night.

They all know how much the fans rely on them to make a Portuguesa fill the air on Saturday night, and they all will do their best in their respective class to make the fans happy.

It is not necessary to introduce Bruno and Tiago, who will co-drive the Oreca 01-AIM Nr.10, which is currently fourth of the teams' classification in the LMP1 class. The two young stars can therefore be full of hope.

Let's remind that this first practice session was above all the occasion for almost all the drivers to discover the design of the brand new Algarve track.

The next session will allow the teams to tune properly the car and the drivers to drive during the night. A fantastic general repetition before the race on Saturday in some words!

“The track is really original, different and difficult! It is a great challenge because it winds up and down and includes blind corners. Drivers should find the track difficult, but very interesting. It is a mix of several tracks such as Spa or Laguna Seca. The race should be sunny but may be windy! The circuit is a success on the whole. [...]

Bruce who finished 8th in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in Pescarolo Judd n°16 will bring all his endurance experience to the LMP2 team, today 10th in the classification of its category after the first two races of the season.

Whilst their leader is resting and building up his strength, the whole team continues working to reach the goal fixed by the ex-ski champion at the beginning of the season. Thus, Philippe Poincloux announced: “We are going to concentrate all our energy on the 1000 km of Portimao where our aim in this discipline is to win the GT1 title for the second consecutive year. This meeting, which will be held at night for the second time in the history of the Le Mans Series Championship, should offer a wonderful show”.

Under Portimao's sun, teams and drivers will meet for the first time since the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Further to a summer atmosphere, the third round of the season promises to be...very hot!

The 2010 Le Mans Series Calendar remains to be confirmed, but ACO President, Jean-Claude Plassart has announced, during the traditional Press Conference given at the Le Mans Circuit before the 24 hour race, that the seventh season will include the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. The agreement signed between the recently built circuit in the eponymous Emirate, promises an exceptional meeting of two six hour races over two consecutive days, Friday and Saturday (the equivalent of Saturday and Sunday in Europe). As of today, the date is not yet confirmed, but this meeting of a brand new type should be held during the second half of November 2010.

The classifications of the LMP1, LMP2 and LMGT1 categories are now available.

The GT2 classification is suspended until the decision of the Court on the appeal releaved by the competitor n°77 on the decision n°21 of the panel of the stewards.

You just have to click on "Read more" and savour!

Team Peugeot Total took up the challenge of this historic track and claimed first place overall, while Team Essex did the same in the LMP2 class. The Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette scored its first victory of the season in the GT1 class and Team Felbermayr-Proton ruled in the GT2 class.

Over 100 drivers and about 30,000 spectators could enjoy a fine, sunny race which was disrupted by five safety-car periods. Indeed, many cars went off or had contact, but, on the whole, professional and gentlemen drivers were able to share the track in good spirit.

In the other hand, Rémy Brouard (ACO's General Director) and Daniel Poissenot announced exclusively the Asian Le Mans Series entry list, with 31 cars at this day.

Changing weather conditions, combined with the usual set-up compromises required at Spa, left many teams with mixed thoughts before qualifying but, judging by the timesheets, everyone obviously made good choices.

To win, it is very easy...

“Spa is by far the greatest track in the world, and I have very good memories as last year we were on the podium for the first time in the Le Mans Series. I hope we can achieve at least such a good result this year and possibly even a better one!...

This year, this round will also allow the motorsport fans to observe for the very first time the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP on the track side by side with the Aston Martin LMP1s. Let's add  Pescarolo Sport's cars, the brand new Oreca, 17 LMP2 and almost 20 GT cars (GT1 & GT2), and the result is a dreaming grid of 51 cars! What for a success, in this crisis time!

Moreover, this 6-hour race which will start at 12:50, will be the queen of a very complete 3-day meeting made of a lot of top-quality support races such as the Classic Endurance Racing (with a grid of more than 55 cars), Radical European Masters, SRO GT3 & GT4 Series and, of course, the very expected Formula Le Mans!

If you cannot be on site next week-end, you can follow us live on thr RTBF and Eurosport!

If yesterday looked like a warm-up session, today the teams have moved on to real business on the Bugatti circuit for the second day of testing, where the spectators could admire the rehearsing cars in bright sunshine.

The teams took turns to top the timesheets, but Team Pescarolo Sport posted the best time of the four sessions. Barcelona provided a first glimpse of the classification, that both test days confirmed.

The test sessions and weather conditions gave the participants teams amble track access and the opportunity to be better prepared for the up-coming Le Mans Series races and the 24 Hours Le Mans.

The actor was quite nervous but very happy of this experience. He explains how its role of motorsport driver is important in his life. Read the interview.

Team Pescarolo Sport enjoyed running at their home track whereas Team Essex demonstrated very promising signs of reliability and high speed and Patrick Dempsey debuted in the very competitive GT2 class.

Although a bright sunshine, a few red flags due to track cleaning-off have slightly thwarted the teams' work schedules.

As of today, 12 cars are entered for this session which was scheduled a little bit too late. In spite of this, it is a perfect opportunity for teams such as Pescarolo Sport, Signature Plus, the Speedy Racing team Sebah or Luc Alphand Aventures to find their bearings before the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Some newcomers for this occasion: the team Seattle in GT2 with a Ferrari F430 GT, but also a Chinese team: the Endurance China team which will introduce its Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, driven by a Chinese driver, Darryl O'Young, and a Frenchman who is a regular of the series: Philippe Hesnault.

The winter intensive development work has obviously paid off for the bulk of the teams; that is why the race has been thrilling to the end. 23,000 spectators could meet the drivers during the autograph session and enjoy a very entertaining round, whose issue has been confused by three safety-cars. The sun has unexpectedly been shining all day to praise official Aston Martin Racing's come-back and...victory! 

You just have to click on "Read more" and savour!

In the LMP2 category, Racing Box is now the first one of its category but the battle is tough behind Matteo Bobbi. Regarding the GTs, the IPB Spartak Racing Lamborghini is now on the first place, despite a start from the back of the grid. Luc Alphand, despite a track exit, is still in the race. In LMGT2, two Ferraris and one Porsche share the podium so far. But the race is not finished, and all the teams have to stay concentrated during three hours, under the Catalan sun.

In LMP2, the Quifel ASM Team's still leading the category, while Yann Clairay, driving the Luc Alphand Aventures' Corvette keeps its first position in LMGT1. In LMGT2, Antonio Garcia wants to show to his public that he's the best one at the wheel of the Modena's Ferrari that he shares with Leo Mansell.

The best lap was made, at this time, by the Aston Martin n°007 in 1m34.098

At the beginning of the season, everyone hopes that their upgraded mechanical and aerodynamic packages will make them more competitive here, but there is only one pole-sitter: Danny Watts in the Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek.

Few venues offer such a variety of medium and high-speed corners as Circuit of Catalunya and it is widely acknowledged as the definitive aero circuit that provides a hard test of a race-car, so it is not easy for drivers to get used to all its twist, turns and technical intricacies.

The first round of the season welcomes no less than 27 "rookies" on the track!

27 new comers in the Series, among who some more or less young people, but also some VERY young drivers, such as Sean Edwards (22 years old), or Maximo Cortes who is  20 years old only!

The first race of the season is always a voyage into the unknown for everybody, because testing time-sheets are difficult to read – you never know for sure what set-up and spec the teams are running. The official Test Days at the Paul Ricard track gave indications about the strengths of the field but some teams could not make the tests and some are newcomers in the series.

On a track that Gaudi himself, the architect who loved curves so much, could have designed, the suspense reaches its heights. The new equivalence between diesel and petrol engines confuse the issue on one hand and last year's Montmelo easy winners are not on the entry list on the other hand.

After the free practice session, today, during which the red flag was unrolled two times (among them one time after the exit of the car n°26, fortunately without any consequence), the spirits become heated int the same time that the sun comes back in Catalunya!

Really delighted by his first experience on the French track, and seduced by Hugues de Chaunac's team, the young Brazilian from Sao Paulo will team up with very experienced Stéphane Ortelli on the Courage-Oreca LMP1 n°10, while Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre will share the wheel of n°11.

Meet this young talent at the Barcelona circuit, for the 1000 Km of Catalunya, on next April 3, 4 and 5.

Le Mans Series come on strong for their second visit to the Catalan track, with no less than 12 LMP1s, 16 LMP2s, 4 LMGT1s and 14 LMGT2s!

Aston Martin Racing, forgetting their misfortunes during the Tests, will take to heart to prove their reliability and efficiency faced with their renowned opponents: the Courage-Oreca of Hugues de Chaunac's Team and Signature Plus, the two Pescarolos of the same named team, two Ginettas Zytek and a Lola Coupe powered by Aston Martin. This, under close scrutiny by the Kolles Team experts, officially supported by the German manufacturer; whom we congratulate on their magnificent victory at Sebring last week-end.

In LMP2, 16 cars will fight for the first three places on the podium. To be underlined: the diversity of this category, nine different chassis are represented, 7 team nationalities and no less than 3 of the 5 manufacturers present during the season! One thing is sure, in LMP2, boredom will be impossible!

In its "green" campaign scope, Le Mans Series, re-launched two years ago the Index of Performance classification with the "Michelin Energy Endurance Challenge" now "Michelin Green X Challenge", in close partnership with the eponymous tyre manufacturer. The tyres are one of the cars main parts. As a result, their resistance is very carefully tested in race conditions. Le Mans Series took the first step with the ACO regulations development which penalises tyre changes in view of prompting manufacturers to reconcile endurance and performance... Another idea was needed for tyre pre-heating, necessary for the driver's safety, but definitely a big energy eater. GreenGT has, with its Sunny Green Box, found it …

Motorsport has a function, an aim: that of making technological progress and applying the evolutions to everyday cars. Endurance is based on an essential rule:

DRIVING FURTHER, CONSUMING LESS 

The idea of saving energy while trying to respect environment is thus one of the foundations of this centennial discipline of motor racing.

This is why, for the creators of Endurance and all those who wish to perpetuate tradition today, there is no point in piling up "green washing" operations to try to make up for all the massive ecologic mistakes made in the past. Motor racing as we apply it must necessarily behave in a responsible manner and treat the ecology problem from the root, by simply finding solutions for preserving automobile without polluting. It is what we call "Green Caring".