24h Le Mans
The 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans on 21-22 August will mark the introduction of Hypercars. Find out who will battle it out in this new top class.
Before taking a look at the Hypercar competitors destined for the 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans, it is important to recall the philosophy of this new top class. The Hypercars will debut in competition on 4 April at the 8 Hours of Portimão, the first round of six in the 2021 FIA World Endurance Championship. These sleek cars will usher in a new era in endurance racing and the accompanying regulations are based on several founding hallmarks: competition between various competitors, constructors and private teams, controlled budget and spectacular cars designed to reflect the marques they represent. Learn more about the Hypercar class in the video below:
The 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans provisional entry list published on 9 March includes three teams expected in the Hypercar class: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, Glickenhaus Racing and Alpine Elf Matmut Team.
Toyota is the defending 24 Hours of Le Mans winner with three consecutive victories. On 15 January, the Japanese constructor unveiled the GR010 Hybrid, its new weapon at the legendary race and in the FIA WEC. This Hypercar has been developed over the last 20 months in partnership with engineers based in Cologne, Germany and the hybrid electric powertrain experts at the Higashi-Fuji Technical Center in Japan.
The GR010 Hybrid is equipped with a powerful four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain with a 3.5-liter V6 biturbo engine delivering 680 horsepower to the rear wheels combined with a 272 horsepower generator on the front axle.
The look of the car is similar to the Hypercar GR Super Sport presented at the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans.
In its choice of drivers, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is betting on reliability and experience. The outfit will kick off FIA WEC Season 9 with the same driver line-ups as last year: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in the #7, and Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley in the #8. Dutch driver Nyck de Vries will remain as a test and reserve driver.
Technical director Pascal Vasselon shares the Japanese marque's goals for the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans:
Glickenhaus is a hyper-specialized American marque created by businessman Jim Glickenhaus, a film producer in the 1980s and 1990s. The team first cut its teeth in the SPX class at the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus owner Jim Glickenhaus: "We decided to participate in the FIA WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans to prove that a hyper-specialized constructor can deliver a product at the highest technological level." This is how the 007 LMH was born, a non-hybrid Hypercar equipped with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V8 engine designed by French tuner Pipo Moteurs.
To cover all of its bases, Glickenhaus has enlisted the services of Joest Racing, a veteran team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and endurance racing with 16 overall wins at the race. Joest Racing will provide human resources, logistical support and the necessary equipment to back Glickenhaus at the highest level of endurance.
The 007 LMH has been assembled these last few months at Podium Advanced Engineering, a Glickenhaus partner in the car's development. The Hypercar recently executed its first tests at the Vallelunga and Monza circuits and the sessions went off without any major technical glitches.
Glickenhaus has recruited experienced and talented drivers: Ryan Briscoe (age 38, five participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans), Pipo Derani (age 27, five participations), Romain Dumas (age 43, 20 participations with two overall wins), Franck Mailleux (age 35, three participations), Gustavo Menezes (age 26, five participations), Olivier Pla (age 39, 13 participations) and Richard Westbrook (age 45, 10 participations).
The French constructor has decided to take the ultimate step in 2021 by committing to the Hypercar class. The Alpine A480 will boast its lucky number 36 with which the team has won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in the last five years. Alpine will field an LMP1 NH technically modified to be eligible for the top class this year.
The marque will count on the talent of its development team and three experienced drivers, namely Nicolas Lapierre (age 36, 13 participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans), André Negrão (age 28, four participations) – both having shared several wins with Alpine – and Matthieu Vaxivière (age 26, four participations). Team manager Philippe Sinault: "Our choice fell on drivers who complement each other in terms of experience, and whose personality guarantees a spirit of cohesion in all circumstances."
Alpine won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978 with an A442B driven by Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi. The French marque also won the FIA Endurance LMP2 Teams Trophy in 2016 and 2019.
Click for the 89th 24 Hours of Le Mans provisional entry list.
