In terms of factory participation and cutthroat competition, the Grand Touring Pro (GTE-PRO) class figures to be perhaps the most interesting and fascinating at this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. Unlike GTE-AM, where amateur/sportsman drivers are allowed, the ranks of GTE-PRO are filled with the world’s best professionals, driving factory-backed efforts in some of the most beautiful racing cars ever.
Here is my look, car-by-car, at GTE-PRO:
#51 AF Ferrari 458 Italia – AF Corse: All three drivers, Gianmaria Bruni, Toni Vilander and Giancarlo Fisichella – have scored class victories at Le Mans, and the combination also won the last World Endurance Championship round at Spa-Francorchamps. This car should not be taken lightly. The Ferrari’s reliability combined with one of the best driver combinations in any class nudges them right into the upper echelon of GTE-PRO.
#52 AF Ferrari 458 Italia – RAM Racing: A British team featuring Matt Griffin, Alvaro Parente and Federico Leo, running an Italian car, RAM Racing won the 2013 European Le Mans Championship and now have their sights set on the World Endurance Championship. Steady if unspectacular at Silverstone and Spa, and third-quickest on test day. A relatively inexperienced line-up, the #52 would need a lot of attrition to have a shot at a podium.
#71 AF Ferrari 458 Italia – AF Corse: Two rookies, Davide Rigon, Pierre Kaffer (a late replacement for James Calado, who crashed in qualifying) and the impressive Olivier Beretta, formerly a Chevrolet Corvette factory driver, who is just one year shy of twenty years of Le Mans experience. AF Corse can certainly prepare a race car, and although they’re recognised as the “other” car out of that stable, they may surprise.
#73 Chevrolet Corvette C7 – Corvette Racing: The big guns from across the Atlantic bring their beautiful yellow C7 charger to Le Mans, the first completely-new Corvette to race in France since 2005. Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, twice winners in the Tudor Sports Car Series in America in the C7, are joined by and rising American Jordan Taylor, himself a winner in Tudor Series prototype competition. Definitely a force to be reckoned with, especially if their low drag configuration works the way they want it to. You can never count out the ‘Vette squad.
#74 Chevrolet Corvette C7 – Corvette Racing: Oliver Gavin, Richard Westbrook and American Tommy Milner will steer the second Corvette C7, and don’t figure to be any less strong than the #73. Milner won in 2011 with Garcia and Olivier Beretta, and Gavin has won four times in twelve starts with Corvette. Speed and Le Mans experience makes a lethal combination, and these guys should be strong.
#91 Porsche 911 RSR – Porsche Team Manthey: The first of the real GTE-PRO powerhouse so far in 2014 (and last year at Le Mans), features an all-star line-up of Jorg Bergmeister, Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet. Three of the best GT drivers in the Porsche stable. These guys, combined with expected bulletproof reliability spells trouble for the rest of the field. Probably the team to beat.
#92 Porsche 911 RSR – Porsche Team Manthey: The sister car is probably the other team to beat. Team Manthey went one-two in their first attempt at Le Mans last year, and the driving combination of Marco Holzer, Richard Lietz and Frederic Makowiecki, over from Aston Martin Racing, and the fastest in class during the recent Le Mans test day. Holzer gets his first – very well deserved – run in a Porsche factory car. It might be another memorable day for the #91 and #92. Tough to decide which team is better.
#97 Aston Martin Vantage V8 – Aston Martin Racing: Well behind the Porsches at the Test Day (more than two seconds back, in fact) prompted some changes to the balance of the AMR Vantage V8. Turner, Mucke and Senna are a solid line-up, and this is the car that scored a surprise podium last year. With elevated competition this year, a lot of other crazy things would have to happen for a repeat effort.
#99 Aston Martin Vantage V8 – Aston Martin Racing: The #99, to be driven by Fernando Rees, Alex MacDowall and Darryl O’Young has been withdrawn from the race, due to crash damage, when Rees went off track at the Porsche Curves. The chassis was damaged too badly for a rebuild.
Join me at The Roar for live coverage of the opening and closing stages of the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, beginning with pre-race activities from 10.30pm AEST Saturday night.
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