24h Le Mans
A total of 23 cars figures on the entry list for the two test days of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the new moniker of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, which will take place at the Daytona circuit on November 17th and 18th.
Those who hoped to learn the identity of the Ford drivers involved in its big official return in endurance with Chip Ganassi Racing will not be appeased. During this transition period, the list of drivers entered for next year has done nothing but grow, the last recruit so far being Kuno Wittmer, GTLM champion in 2014, who signed a contract to compete at the three longest races (Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans) for Team RLL's BMW M6.
Upon reading the list, one name jumps out: Filipe Albuquerque. The official Audi driver, who finished seventh at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, will conduct the tests with Action Express Racing, instead of Sébastien Bourdais who won at Daytona in 2014 and at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2015 with the team. Rumours have swirled, knowing that in 2016, there will be no conflict between the dates of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the IndyCar Series, the championship in which the Le Mans native competes, unlike the previous year.
Just like Ford, Corvette Racing has yet to reveal the name of the two drivers who will support main drivers Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner, winners in the LM GTE Pro class at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Jan Magnussen and Antonio Garcia. Nonetheless, a third driver, whose name hasn't been released, figures in the mix of the session, whereas, as recently announced, Marc Goossens and Ryan Dalziel will make their debuts with VisitFlorida.com.
Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: Copyright - Richard DOLE / IMSA
