Expanded hypercar field and Valentino Rossi’s debut confirmed for Le Mans

The Le Mans 24 Hours organisers have announced an expanded hypercar for this year’s race and confirmed the participation of Moto GP champion Valentino Rossi.

Nine separate manufacturers will be represented in the top category of the race which will include LMH hypercars and LMDh cars. Defending race winners Ferrari will be joined by WEC champions Toyota along with Peugeot, Porsche, BMW, Cadillac, Alpine, Lamborghini and Isotta Fraschini. The latter three will all being new cars to the race.

Ferrari, Cadillac and Porsche Penske will run three cars each, while Toyota, Peugeot, BMW and Alpine named a pair of entries. Lamborghini, Proton Porsche, Isotta Fraschini and Jota Porsche will have a single car each in the event.

Although there is no LMP2 class in the World Endurance Championship this season, the category will be represented in Le Mans with 16 cars, many of which are competing in this year’s European Le Mans Series.

The GT class for the 2024 edition of the race has transitioned from GTE specification to GT3. There will be 23 entries in the renamed LMGT3 class for this year’s race, including seven-times Moto GP world champion Valentino Rossi making his debut in the race with WRT in a BMW M4.

Despite the universal acclaim for the special Garage 56 invitational entry from last year, which saw a modified NASCAR Cup Series Car compete in and finish last year’s centenary event, there will be no Garage 56 entry for the 2024 race.

Hailing the expanded hypercar entries for the 2024 edition, FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem said the entry list reflected well on the current state of endurance racing.

“The entry list looks incredibly strong, with 23 hypercars from nine different manufacturers headlining the 62-car field and 23 LMGT3s promising an ultra-competitive battle in the GT ranks,” he said.

“Endurance racing is in a healthy state today and this entry list proves that the right regulatory approach will result in strong interest and competition.”

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