2008 Le Mans Series
The 2008 Le Mans Series was the fifth season of ACO's Le Mans Series. It was a series for Le Mans Prototype and Grand Touring style cars broken into 4 classes: LMP1, LMP2, GT1, and GT2. It ran from 6 April to 14 September 2008 with five rounds taking place.
Schedule[edit]
The 2008 schedule remained largely unchanged from that of 2007, except for Circuit de Catalunya replacing Circuit de Valencia for the Spanish round. A large gap was built into the schedule between May and August to better allow teams to prepare for and recover from the 2008 24 Hours of Le Mans.[1]
An additional race was announced at a later date, with a 1000 km event in Shanghai. This event however would not replace the Mil Milhas Brasil round, but was instead to be a stand-alone event as a precursor to a new Asian Le Mans Series planned for 2009. Points for the Le Mans Series would not be awarded but class winners would gain automatic entry to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans.[2] The race was cancelled and was later rescheduled be held on 8 November 2009, because of conflicts with the 2008 Summer Olympics schedule.[3]
| Rnd | Race | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| - |  LMS Official Test
|
Paul Ricard HTTT | 2 March 3 March |
| 1 |  1000 km of Catalunya
|
Circuit de Catalunya | 6 April |
| 2 |  1000 km of Monza
|
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | 27 April |
| 3 |  1000 km of Spa
|
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | 11 May |
| 4 |  1000 km of Nürburgring
|
Nürburgring | 17 August |
| 5 |  1000 km of Silverstone
|
Silverstone Circuit | 14 September |
| Sources:[1][4] | |||
Season results[edit]
Overall winners in bold.
Teams Championships[edit]
Points were awarded to the top eight finishers in the order of 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. Unlike the American Le Mans Series, where teams with multiple entries scored the points of their highest finishing entry in each race, teams with multiple entries did not have their cars combined and each entry number was scored separately in the championship.[6] Cars which failed to complete 70% of the winner's distance were not awarded points.
The top two finishers in each team championship earned automatic entry to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans.
LMP1 Standings[edit]
| Pos | No | Team | Chassis | Engine | Rnd 1 | Rnd 2 | Rnd 3 | Rnd 4 | Rnd 5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #2 | Audi Sport Team Joest
|
Audi R10 TDI | Audi 5.5 L Turbo V12 (Diesel) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 35 |
| 2 | #7 | Team Peugeot Total
|
Peugeot 908 HDi FAP | Peugeot 5.5 L Turbo V12 (Diesel) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Ret | 32 |
| 3 | #1 | Audi Sport Team Joest
|
Audi R10 TDI | Audi 5.5 L Turbo V12 (Diesel) | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 27 |
| 4 | #8 | Team Peugeot Total
|
Peugeot 908 HDi FAP | Peugeot 5.5 L Turbo V12 (Diesel) | 8 | 1 | Ret | 1 | 11 | 21 |
| 5 | #10 |  Charouz Racing System
|
Lola B08/60 | Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 19 |
| 6 | #16 | Pescarolo Sport
|
Pescarolo 01 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | 4 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 3 | 15 |
| 7 | #15 | Creation AIM
|
Creation CA07 | AIM (Judd) YS5.5 5.5 L V10 | - | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 14 |
| 8 | #17 | Pescarolo Sport
|
Pescarolo 01 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | 6 | 3 | Ret | 8 | 6 | 13 |
| 9 | #6 | Team Oreca-Matmut
|
Courage-Oreca LC70 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | Ret | Ret | 3 | Ret | 10 | 6 |
| 10= | #5 | Team Oreca-Matmut
|
Courage-Oreca LC70 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | Ret | Ret | - | 6 | 7 | 5 |
| 10= | #18 | Rollcentre Racing
|
Pescarolo 01 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 |
| 12 | #20 | Epsilon Euskadi
|
Epsilon Euskadi ee1 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | 10 | Ret | 7 | 12 | Ret | 2 |
| 13 | #4 | Saulnier Racing
|
Pescarolo 01 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| - | #14 | Creation AIM
|
Creation CA07 | AIM (Judd) YS5.5 5.5 L V10 | 11 | DNS | - | 10 | Ret | 0 |
| - | #3 |  Scuderia Lavaggi
|
Lavaggi LS1 | AER P32C 4.0 L Turbo V8 | Ret | - | Ret | NC | - | 0 |
| - | #21 | Epsilon Euskadi
|
Epsilon Euskadi ee1 | Judd GV5.5 S2 5.5 L V10 | - | - | - | NC† | 12 | 0 |
| - | #19 | Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport
|
Lola B06/10 | AER P32C 4.0 L Turbo V8 | 9 | - | - | - | - | 0 |
LMP2 Standings[edit]
| Pos | No | Team | Chassis | Engine | Rnd 1 | Rnd 2 | Rnd 3 | Rnd 4 | Rnd 5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #34 |  Van Merksteijn Motorsport
|
Porsche RS Spyder Evo | Porsche MR6 3.4 L V8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 48 |
| 2 | #31 |  Team Essex
|
Porsche RS Spyder Evo | Porsche MR6 3.4 L V8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 32 |
| 3 | #27 |  Horag Racing
|
Porsche RS Spyder Evo | Porsche MR6 3.4 L V8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 25 |
| 4= | #35 | Saulnier Racing
|
Pescarolo 01 | Judd DB 3.4 L V8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 21 |
| 4= | #25 | Ray Mallock Ltd.
|
MG-Lola EX265 MG-Lola EX265C |
MG (AER) XP21 2.0 L Turbo I4 | 4 |
4 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
21 |
| 6 | #40 |  Quifel ASM Team
|
Lola B05/40 | AER P07 2.0 L Turbo I4 | 9 | 7 | Ret | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| 7 | #33 | Speedy Racing Team Sebah
|
Lola B08/80 | Judd DB 3.4 L V8 | 2 | 9 | NC† | 9 | Ret | 8 |
| 8 | #41 | Trading Performance
|
Zytek 07S/2 | Zytek ZG348 3.4 L V8 | 8 | Ret | 5 | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| 9 | #45 | Embassy Racing
|
Embassy WF01 | Zytek ZG348 3.4 L V8 | Ret | 8 | Ret | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| 10 | #46 | Embassy Racing
|
Embassy WF01 | Zytek ZG348 3.4 L V8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 4 | 11 | 5 |
| 11= | #44 | Kruse Schiller Motorsport
|
Lola B05/40 | Mazda MZR-R 2.0 L Turbo I4 | Ret | 6 | DNS | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| 11= | #26 | Team Bruichladdich Radical
|
Radical SR9 | AER P07 2.0 L Turbo I4 | 7 | Ret | 7 | 13 | 10 | 4 |
| 13 | #32 | Barazi-Epsilon
|
Zytek 07S/2 | Zytek ZG348 3.4 L V8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 8 | Ret | 1 |
| - | #37 | WR Salini
|
WR LMP2008 | Zytek ZG348 3.4 L V8 | 10 | Ret | DNQ | Ret | Ret | 0 |
| - | #30 | Racing Box
|
Lucchini LMP2008 | Judd XV675 3.4 L V8 | NC | Ret | - | - | - | 0 |
GT1 Standings[edit]
| Pos | No | Team | Chassis | Engine | Rnd 1 | Rnd 2 | Rnd 3 | Rnd 4 | Rnd 5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #72 | Luc Alphand Aventures
|
Chevrolet Corvette C6.R | Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0 L V8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 42 |
| 2 | #59 | Team Modena
|
Aston Martin DBR9 | Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 | Ret | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 36 |
| 3 | #55 |  IPB Spartak Racing
|
Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT | Lamborghini 6.0 L V12 | 3 | 4 | 2 | Ret | 2 | 27 |
| 4 | #61 | Strakka Racing
|
Aston Martin DBR9 | Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 | - | - | 4 | - | 4 | 10 |
| 5 | #50 | Larbre Compétition
|
Saleen S7-R | Ford 7.0 L V8 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 6 | #73 | Luc Alphand Aventures
|
Chevrolet Corvette C6.R | Chevrolet LS7-R 7.0 L V8 | Ret | 3 | Ret | Ret | - | 6 |
GT2 Standings[edit]
Drivers Championships[edit]
Points were awarded to the top 8 finishers in the order of 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1.[6] Drivers who did not drive for at least 45 minutes do not receive points.
LMP1 Standings[edit]
LMP2 Standings[edit]
GT1 Standings[edit]
| Pos | Driver | Team | Rnd 1 | Rnd 2 | Rnd 3 | Rnd 4 | Rnd 5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1= | Guillaume Moreau
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 42 |
| 1= | Patrice Goueslard
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 42 |
| 3= | Antonio García
|
Team Modena
|
Ret | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 36 |
| 3= | Tomáš Enge
|
Team Modena
|
Ret | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 36 |
| 5= | Peter Kox
|
IPB Spartak Racing
|
3 | 4 | 2 | Ret | 2 | 27 |
| 5= | Roman Rusinov
|
IPB Spartak Racing
|
3 | 4 | 2 | Ret | 2 | 27 |
| 7= | Olivier Beretta
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
2 | 1 | Ret | 18 | ||
| 7= | Luc Alphand
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
1 | 2 | 18 | |||
| 9= | Peter Hardman
|
Strakka Racing
|
4 | 4 | 10 | |||
| 9= | Nick Leventis
|
Strakka Racing
|
4 | 4 | 10 | |||
| 11= | Christophe Bouchut
|
Larbre Compétition
|
2 | 8 | ||||
| 11= | Frédéric Makowiecki
|
Larbre Compétition
|
2 | 8 | ||||
| 11= | Patrick Bornhauser
|
Larbre Compétition
|
2 | 8 | ||||
| 14= | Sébastien Dumez
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
Ret | 3 | Ret | 6 | ||
| 14= | Jean-Luc Blanchemain
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
Ret | 3 | Ret | 6 | ||
| 14= | Roland Bervillé
|
Luc Alphand Aventures
|
Ret | 3 | 6 | |||
| 17 | Darren Turner
|
Strakka Racing
|
4 | 5 |
GT2 Standings[edit]
Confirmed entries[edit]
LMP1[edit]
- Oreca purchased Courage Compétition on 14 September 2007.[7] Oreca ran two Oreca-Courage LC70s in 2008, with Judd engines replacing AER units. Olivier Panis was one of the team's drivers.[8]
- Audi announced their intentions to run in the LMS in 2008, pending a marketing agreement for the series which Audi finds favorable. The two-car team was run by Joest Racing.[9]
- Epsilon Euskadi planned to enter two EE1 coupes in the 2008 season.[10]
- Creation Autosportif was due to switch to new AIM-built engines in 2008, while also running two cars.[11]
- On 10 January 2008, Aston Martin announced that it would be moving into the LMP1 category. Using the same engine as the GT1-class DBR9, the prototype was a Lola B08/60 coupe. Charouz Racing System ran the car with assistance from Prodrive, with drivers Tomáš Enge, Jan Charouz, and Stefan Mücke.[12]
- Swiss Spirit, now under the control of Phoenix Racing, planned a return for their Audi-powered Lola.[13]
LMP2[edit]
- Caspar Elgaard and John Nielsen formed Team Essex, running a Porsche RS Spyder in 2008.[14]
- Van Merksteijn (VM) Motorsport entered an RS Spyder in the series,[15] driven by Dutchmen Jeroen Bleekemolen, Peter van Merksteijn Sr. and Jos Verstappen.[16]
- Swiss Horag Racing competed with an RS Spyder, with regular drivers Fredy Lienhard and Didier Theys.[17]
- Welter Racing returned to the series with an all-new prototype. The WR was powered by a Zytek V8 for the first time.[18]
- On 23 October 2007, Pescarolo Sport merged with Saulnier Sport to form Pescarolo Automobiles. Besides Pescarolo Sport's two-car LMP1 effort, Pescarolo Automobiles also had an LMP2 team run by Saulnier.[19]
- Embassy Racing constructed their own cars in 2008, known as the Embassy WF01.[20] The cars will be powered by Zytek engines,[21] and Warren Hughes, Jonny Kane and Joey Foster were to be drivers.[22]
- Speed Racing Team and Sebah Automotive planned a joint campaign with a new Lola B08/80 under the Speedy Racing Team Sebah banner.[23]
- Racing Box moved to LMP2 with the purchase of a Lucchini-Judd.[24]
GT1[edit]
- Larbre Compétition were no longer be a factory-backed Aston Martin squad, instead moving to a pair of Oreca-supported Saleen S7-Rs.[25]
GT2[edit]
- Spyker built new coupes (Laviolettes) for the GT2 class, both for their own team as well as replacements for the Speedy Racing Team.[26]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Les Le Mans Series dévoilent leur Calendrier 2008. Barcelona au programme" (in French). Endurance-Info.com. 8 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-22. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ "Officiel : Le Mans débarque en Chine !" (in French). Endurance-Info. 4 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2008-02-04.
- ^ "Official site of ACO: Shanghai put off until 2009". ACO. 29 May 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-12. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
- ^ "European Le Mans Series Calendar 2008". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "LeMans Series (LMS) - Season 2008: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ a b "LeMans Series (LMS) - 2008: Point standings". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "Oreca announces Courage takeover". Planetlemans.com. 2007-09-14. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Olivier Panis will drive for Team Oreca-Matmut". Planetlemans.com. 2007-12-16. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Audi announces 2008 plans: 3 cars at Le Mans, confirmed ALMS and strong LMS intentions". Planetlemans.com. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Deux Zytek pour Epsilon Sport, et deux Epsilon Euskadi en 2008 ?" (in French). Endurance-Info.com. 16 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-24. Retrieved 16 December 2007.
- ^ "Creation Aim for the future". Creation Autosportif. 4 December 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Une Lola B08/60 à moteur Aston Martin pour le Charouz Racing !". Endurance-Info. 10 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-02-12. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Le Swiss Spirit récupère sa Lola-Audi et s'allie au team Phoenix pour cette saison !" (in French). Endurance-Info. 9 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Team Essex present their RS Spyder". Planetlemans.com. 2007-12-15. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Van Merksteijn Motorsport: the latest news". Planetlemans.com. 2007-12-05. Archived from the original on December 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Verstappen stapt over op Le Mans Series" (in Dutch). GPUpdate.net. 2007-12-27. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
- ^ "A full circle for Theys, Lienhard". Motorsport.com. 10 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Welter Racing (WR) is back in 2008". Planetlemans.com. 2007-12-06. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Henri Pescarolo and Jacques Nicolet announce the creation of Pescarolo Automobiles". Planetlemans.com. 27 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Embassy will run in 2008...an Embassy!". Planetlemans.com. 2007-09-14. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Zytek engine on the new Embassy prototype". Planetlemans.com. 2007-09-16. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Embassy Racing confirms Kane and Foster for 2008". Planetlemans.com. 21 November 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-05. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Sebah et Speedy Racing s'associent pour engager une Lola B08/80" (in French). Endurance-Info.com. 14 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Une Lucchini-Judd pour Racing Box en 2008" (in French). Endurance-Info.com. 2 October 2007. Archived from the original on 2009-02-11. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Larbre to race Saleens in 2008". Planetlemans.com. 2008-12-27. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
- ^ "Spyker racet volgend jaar met C8 Laviolette" (in Dutch). FEM Business. 28 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2008 in Le Mans Series.
- Le Mans Series
- Mariantic - Le Mans Series 2008 News
- Endurance-Info (French)
- Planetlemans.com