Algarve Pro steps in to fill ex-russian Le Mans slots
The Anglo-portuguese Algarve Pro Racing squad will field two ORECA LMP2S at the Le Mans 24 Hours with multiple drivers earmarked to race for the G-drive squad’s aborted 2022 campaign. The Russian entrant was pulled out of international sportscar racing, and its technical partner has effectively taken over its LMP2 entries.
Two APR ORECA-GIBSON 07s were on a full 62-car entry list for the World Endurance Championship blue riband in June when it was belatedly published last Thursday. The reopening of entries for a 48-hour period at the start of last week can now be interpreted as a move by race organiser the Automobile Club de l’ouest to facilitate a new arrangement that also encompasses the WEC and the European Le Mans Series.
Rene Binder and James Allen, who were originally due to share with Daniil Kvyat in the WEC, will drive one car (right) with Steven Thomas, runner-up in LMP2 in the IMSA Sportscar Championship last year with WIN Autosport. They will also contest the full WEC together.
Sophia Florsch, who was due to drive with team principal Roman Rusinov in the ELMS, is listed in the second APR car at Le Mans along with John Falb, who is scheduled to race one of two APR cars in the ELMS. A third driver has yet to be nominated.
Glickenhaus has received a grid slot for an additional Pipo-engined 007 LMH to run alongside its full WEC entry and bring the Hypercar entry to five in Peugeot’s absence, but it was unable to put together plans to add a third car in just two days.
The GTE Pro field is bolstered by a Ferrari 488 GTE Evo run by Riley Motorsports, which gained an automatic entry by winning the IMSA Sportscar Championship LMP3 title last year. The car will be driven by Sam Bird, Shane van Gisbergen and Felipe Fraga.
Six reserves include two High Class Racing P2 ORECAS, one with father-and-son Jan and Kevin Magnussen listed against it. Magnussen’s availability, however, disappeared with his return to Formula 1 with Haas: Le Mans clashes with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.