Photo : Nicolas COUSSEAU - ACO/Nikon

LM P1: Peugeot and Oreca
With the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP throughout the 2010 season, Team Oreca Matmut had to be the favourites for the Le Mans Series, but victory was far from easy. Winners in the Algarve, Hugues de Chaunac's team were not spared a few problems (Le Castellet, Hungaroring) and racing incidents (Spa-Francorchamps). With double points awarded at the finish of the 8 Hours of Le Castellet, it could have allowed Audi the title, (who were winners of the opening round), having participated in only three of five races in 2010. But ultimately, Oreca and Peugeot won the manufacturer, team and driver's titles (with Stephane Sarrazin). The teamwork of the Peugeot lions completed this success with two victories at Spa and Silverstone.

Oreca won team honours ahead of Signature Plus with the Lola Aston Martin that was champion in 2009, and Rebellion Racing, whose performances (pole at Hungaroring) have often been thwarted by a random reliability problems. The reliability of the Anglo-Swiss team allowed Lola to split Peugeot and Aston Martin in the top three of the manufacturers ranking.

LM P2: Honda dominates
Spawned in the American Le Mans Series, the HPD prototype (Honda Performance Development) ARX-01c, entered by Strakka Racing, made an impression in LM P2 in the 8 Hours of Le Castellet at its European début, and especially with victory in the 1000 km of the Hungaroring. In the end it was the consistency of RML and their victory in Portugal, running the same engine mated to a Lola chassis, that finally earned them the title in the LM P2 category. Although no victory for the black and pink prototypes of OAK Racing, they did show great consistency that earned them the third and fourth places overall. Defending champion Quifel-ASM paid dearly for their technical problems at Le Castellet, and were unable to cash in on the double points awarded and finished sixth in the overall standings despite a win at Spa. The Portuguese team finished behind Team Bruichladdich, and the reliable Zytek 09S. It was only race incidents that allowed OAK Racing to beat the Zytek the to the class podium.

Audi, Peugeot (LM P1), OAK Racing MIK Corse (LM P2) are entered in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

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Jean-Philippe Doret - Translated by Dave Davies