168 drivers to contest 24 Hours of LeMans, Lotus Out

UPDATE As we’re a little less than one month out from the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans, the full entry list for the race has been updated by the ACO to reflect team additions and withdrawals, and all 168 drivers for the 56 cars named. Tuesday’s addition and subtraction sees the Lotus team, with its yet untested T129 LMP1-L entry removed and Millennium Racing back in its place with an LMP2 ORECA 03 Nissan for John Martin, Fabien Giroix and Oliver Turvey, the No. 22.

05/20/14 168 drivers will start the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours on 14th June. Today the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has published the list of all the drivers entered for the 82nd event. The Lotus team had withdrawn and will be replaced by Millennium Racing.

On 14th May at the latest the teams entered for the Le Mans 24 Hours (14 and 15 June) had to send in the names of the drivers for the 56 cars. After the usual checking procedures this list is published today. 168 drivers with licenses from 26 different countries will be present in the Sarthe.

The highest number comes from France (39) followed by the British (29), Americans (17) and Italians (15). There is also a considerable Russian presence (8), and at least one Swiss driver in the teams entered in LM P1. Of the four categories the one with the biggest number of different licenses is GTE Am with 19 nationalities represented.

There is one change on the list of entries. Due to a lack of preparation the Lotus team is unable to honor its invitation for the Le Mans 24 Hours. The ACO has worked hand in hand with this team for it to be present and gives it its confidence for the future. This brand-new LM P1 should be at Le Mans during the 24-Hours week, and may take part in the final rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship starting with the Circuit of the Americas on 20th September 2014.

The no. 22 Oreca 03-Nissan entered by the Millennium Racing team driven by Giroix, Martin and Turvey will replace it.

Thus, the list of entries for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours consists of: 9 LM P1s, 19 LM P2s, 9 LM GTE Pros, 18 LM GTE Ams and the Nissan ZEOD entered in the context of the 56th garage – 29 prototypes and 27 GT.