2012 24 Hours of Le Mans
Encyclopedia
The 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans 2012) will be the 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
auto race
. It will be held on 16–17 June 2012 at the Circuit de la Sarthe
, Le Mans
, France
, and organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest
(ACO). A pre-race test session will be held at the circuit two weeks prior to the race on 3 June. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will also be the third round of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship season
.
Audi
and Joest Racing
are the defending race winners, having achieved their tenth and twelfth victories respectively.
, Le Mans Series
, and the Petit Le Mans
. Some second place finishers are also granted automatic entries in certain series and events. Entries are also granted for the winners of the Michelin
Energy Endurance Challenge in both the American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series. A final entry is granted to the champion in the Formula Le Mans category of the Le Mans Series, with the winner receiving their invitation in LMP2.
As automatic entries are granted to teams, the teams are allowed to change their cars from the previous year to the next, but are not allowed to change their category. However, automatic invitations in the two GTE categories are able to be swapped between the two based on the driver line-ups chosen by these teams. As the American Le Mans Series does not separate between the Pro and Am categories, only a single GTE invitation will be granted for their class champion.
concept originally proposed for the American IndyCar Series
. The extremely lightweight car features a unique layout that is far removed from the style of Le Mans Prototype
s. The project is backed by Highcroft Racing
, All American Racers, and the Panoz Group
. The other two entries have been granted reserve status if the DeltaWing team withdraws: The Swiss-developed GreenGT LMP-H2 utilizes a hydrogen
fuel cell
to run electric motor
s within a Le Mans Prototype style body, while the French Courage
0.12 will use stored energy
to drive electric motors.
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
auto race
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
. It will be held on 16–17 June 2012 at the Circuit de la Sarthe
Circuit de la Sarthe
The Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year...
, Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest
Automobile Club de l'Ouest
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest , sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race...
(ACO). A pre-race test session will be held at the circuit two weeks prior to the race on 3 June. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will also be the third round of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship season
2012 FIA World Endurance Championship season
The 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship season will be the inaugural running of the World Endurance Championship . The series replaces the former Intercontinental Le Mans Cup...
.
Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
and Joest Racing
Joest Racing
Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest...
are the defending race winners, having achieved their tenth and twelfth victories respectively.
Entries
For the second year, the ACO will be granting 56 invitations to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Entries will be divided between the LMP1, LMP2, LMGTE Pro, and LMGTE Am categories, while a final 56th entry will be granted for a car that does not necessarily conform to the four categories.Automatic entries
Automatic entries are earned by teams which won the previous running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, or have won Le mans-based series and events such as the American Le Mans SeriesAmerican Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
The Le Mans Series is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season...
, and the Petit Le Mans
Petit Le Mans
The Petit Le Mans is a sports car endurance race held annually at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, USA. It uses the rules established for the 24 hours of Le Mans by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , which are slightly modified if necessary, mainly to allow additional cars to compete.The race was...
. Some second place finishers are also granted automatic entries in certain series and events. Entries are also granted for the winners of the Michelin
Michelin
Michelin is a tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France. It is one of the two largest tyre manufacturers in the world along with Bridgestone. In addition to the Michelin brand, it also owns the BFGoodrich, Kleber, Riken, Kormoran and Uniroyal tyre brands...
Energy Endurance Challenge in both the American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series. A final entry is granted to the champion in the Formula Le Mans category of the Le Mans Series, with the winner receiving their invitation in LMP2.
As automatic entries are granted to teams, the teams are allowed to change their cars from the previous year to the next, but are not allowed to change their category. However, automatic invitations in the two GTE categories are able to be swapped between the two based on the driver line-ups chosen by these teams. As the American Le Mans Series does not separate between the Pro and Am categories, only a single GTE invitation will be granted for their class champion.
| Reason Entered | LMP1 | LMP2 | LMGTE Pro | LMGTE Am |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans The 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 79th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 11–12 June 2011 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest... |
 Audi Sport Team JoestJoest Racing Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest... |
 Greaves Motorsport |
 Corvette Racing |
 Larbre CompétitionLarbre Compétition Larbre Compétition is a French auto racing team founded in 1988 by Jack Leconte. Based at the Circuit du Val de Vienne in La Vigeant, Larbre has had considerable success in the Porsche Carrera Cup, French GT Championship, and international FIA GT Championship... |
| 1st in the Le Mans Series 2011 Le Mans Series season The 2011 Le Mans Series season was the eighth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Le Mans Series. The series began on 3 April with the 6 Hours of Castellet and ended after five rounds on 25 September. It is a series for Le Mans Prototype and Grand Touring style cars broken into 4 classes... |
 Rebellion Racing |
Greaves Motorsport |
 AF CorseAF Corse AF Corse is an Italian auto racing team founded by former racing driver Amato Ferrari in 2002 in Piacenza. Strongly linked to the Maserati and Ferrari brands, AF Corse currently competes in the Le Mans Series and International GT Open, and are currently four-time champions of the GT2 class of the... |
IMSA Performance Matmut |
| 2nd in the Le Mans Series 2011 Le Mans Series season The 2011 Le Mans Series season was the eighth season of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Le Mans Series. The series began on 3 April with the 6 Hours of Castellet and ended after five rounds on 25 September. It is a series for Le Mans Prototype and Grand Touring style cars broken into 4 classes... |
Pescarolo Team |
Strakka Racing Strakka Racing Strakka Racing is a British auto racing team founded by Nick Leventis. The team is based at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire. They currently operate a HPD ARX-01C sports car in the Le Mans Series. The team made history at the 2010 1000 km of Hungaroring when they became the first team in... |
JMW Motorsport |
AF Corse AF Corse AF Corse is an Italian auto racing team founded by former racing driver Amato Ferrari in 2002 in Piacenza. Strongly linked to the Maserati and Ferrari brands, AF Corse currently competes in the Le Mans Series and International GT Open, and are currently four-time champions of the GT2 class of the... |
| 1st in the American Le Mans Series 2011 American Le Mans Series season The 2011 American Le Mans Series season is a multi-event motor racing series for sports racing cars which conform to the technical regulations laid out by the International Motor Sports Association for the American Le Mans Series... |
Dyson Racing Team |
Not Awarded | BMW BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands... Team RLL |
|
| 2nd in the American Le Mans Series 2011 American Le Mans Series season The 2011 American Le Mans Series season is a multi-event motor racing series for sports racing cars which conform to the technical regulations laid out by the International Motor Sports Association for the American Le Mans Series... |
Muscle Milk Muscle Milk Motorsports Muscle Milk Motorsports is a American auto racing team founded by Greg Pickett. The team is based in Benicia, California... Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Racing is an auto racing team established in 2004 as a partnership between automobile manufacturer Aston Martin and engineering group Prodrive. The partnership was initially created for the purpose of returning Aston Martin to sports car racing with the DBR9, a heavily modified... |
Not Awarded | Corvette Racing |
|
| 1st in the Petit Le Mans 2011 Petit Le Mans The 2011 Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda was held at Road Atlanta on October 1, 2011. It was the ninth and final round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series season and the sixth round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.-Qualifying Result:... |
Peugeot Sport Peugeot Sport Peugeot Sport is the department of French carmaker Peugeot responsible for motorsport activities.-Beginnings in rallying:Peugeot Sport was formed in 1981 under the name of Peugeot Talbot Sport, after Jean Todt, a World Rally Championship co-driver for Talbot driver Guy Fréquelin, was asked by... Total Total S.A. Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and... |
Level 5 Motorsports Level 5 Motorsports Level 5 Motorsports is an American auto racing team founded by racing driver and entrepreneur Scott Tucker in 2006. Level 5 Motorsports currently competes in the Rolex Sports Car Series, American Le Mans Series and Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.-History:... |
AF Corse AF Corse AF Corse is an Italian auto racing team founded by former racing driver Amato Ferrari in 2002 in Piacenza. Strongly linked to the Maserati and Ferrari brands, AF Corse currently competes in the Le Mans Series and International GT Open, and are currently four-time champions of the GT2 class of the... |
Krohn Racing Krohn Racing Krohn Racing is a professional sports car racing team based out of Braselton, Georgia at the Road Atlanta complex. The team competes in the American Le Mans Series GT2 class as a partner with Risi Competizione and races full-time in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype... |
| 1st in Le Mans Series Energy Endurance Challenge | Pescarolo Team |
AF Corse AF Corse AF Corse is an Italian auto racing team founded by former racing driver Amato Ferrari in 2002 in Piacenza. Strongly linked to the Maserati and Ferrari brands, AF Corse currently competes in the Le Mans Series and International GT Open, and are currently four-time champions of the GT2 class of the... |
||
| 1st in American Le Mans Series Energy Endurance Challenge | Dyson Racing Team |
BMW BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands... Team RLL |
||
| 1st in Le Mans Series FLM category | Pegasus Racing |
|||
56th entry
For the 56th and final entry for the 2012 running of Le Mans, the ACO has turned to promoting cars which feature advancements in technology, either for performance or ecological improvement. Three projects were submitted to the ACO, with the automatic entry being granted to an American group by the name of Project 56 who are developing the DeltaWingDeltaWing
The DeltaWing is a racing car designed by Ben Bowlby scheduled to debut at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans. The entry will run under the Project 56 name, composed of Ben Bowlby's DeltaWing Racing Cars , Dan Gurney's All American Racers , Duncan Dayton's Highcroft Racing and International Motor Sports...
concept originally proposed for the American IndyCar Series
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
. The extremely lightweight car features a unique layout that is far removed from the style of Le Mans Prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
s. The project is backed by Highcroft Racing
Highcroft Racing
Highcroft Racing is an American auto racing team based out of Danbury, Connecticut and founded by driver Duncan Dayton in 1989. Initially founded for Dayton's involvement in historic motorsport, specifically the restoration and preparation of classic automobiles, the team was expanded for Dayton's...
, All American Racers, and the Panoz Group
Panoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
. The other two entries have been granted reserve status if the DeltaWing team withdraws: The Swiss-developed GreenGT LMP-H2 utilizes a hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
to run electric motor
Electric motor
An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
s within a Le Mans Prototype style body, while the French Courage
Courage Compétition
Courage Compétition was a racing team and chassis constructor company now owned by Oreca, based in Le Mans, France near the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was founded by Yves Courage, a French race driver who ran hillclimbs before founding the company...
0.12 will use stored energy
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
to drive electric motors.