We won't know how much the LMP1 Hybrid fuel change will impact qualifying and race speeds until track activity gets under way, but it was interesting to see how the fuel reduction altered top speeds during the test. LMP1 Hybrid drivers use the end of the straights to lift and save fuel, and with that need increasing for 2016, the cars posting the best lap times were not the fastest on the Mulsanne.
The 2015 test day was rarely dry, which makes a direct comparison hard, but if we look at the top speed set during qualifying, Audi's R18 led all LMP1s with at 341.3 kph/212 mph. In the morning and afternoon sessions on Sunday, the two non-hybrid twin-turbo 2.4-liter V6 AER-powered Rebellion R-Ones went 1-2. The No. 12 Rebellion posted a best of 336 kph/208.7 mph, the sister No. 13 posted a 334.9 kph/208.0 mph, and the best of the big hybrids went to an Audi R18 with a 332.9 kph/206.8 mph.
Minus hybrid systems, the ACO makes sure those AER engines have plenty of power, and some of the P1 cars could have been carrying more downforce while searching for the best race setups, but it's still interesting to see the most advanced prototypes on the planet falling behind the second-tier LMP1s due to restrictive fuel regulations.
NEW CARS APLENTY
Audi has changed everything but its engine with the new 2016 R18. Toyota's TS050 is new from front to back. Ferrari's twin-turbo V8 488 and Ford's twin-turbo V6 GT are new to Le Mans. At a time where most sports cars undergo small year-to-year design evolutions, 18 percent of the grid will roll off on Sunday in models that weren't seen in 2015.
CURTAIN CALL
The LMP2 class is headed for its final race at Le Mans under the current technical regulations. The mix of open- and closed-top cars, multitude of engine types, and diversity in chassis constructors will give way to the ACO's new vision for 2017. Four chassis manufacturers (Dallara, Onroak, ORECA, and Riley/Multimatic), and a single V8 engine supplier (Gibson) will replace the impressive variety currently found in LMP2.
And provided a few American teams from IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship make the trip next year, some of IMSA's 2017 P2s, its "Daytona Prototype international" cars could add some spice.
Including the Garage 56 entry, 40 percent of the 2016 field is comprised of LMP2s. Will it be the same next year? We can only hope the ACO's new formula has the kind of response from team owners that the current formula inspired.
THE AMERICANS
Two dozen American drivers and 10 entries from the USA have brought a healthy dose of the Stars and Stripes to Le Mans.
France-loving teams like Corvette Racing, Krohn Racing, Risi Competizione, Scuderia Corsa and Tequila Patron ESM have become part of the Le Mans experience, and with first timers Michael Shank Racing and Ford Chip Ganassi Racing added to the roster, one out of every six cars in this year's race will bear the Stars and Stripes.
A SAFER WAY
A spate of nasty crashes at some of the fastest sections around Le Mans led the ACO to introduce SAFER Barrier technology for the first time. It's worth remembering the giant circuit is mostly comprised of public highways; only the interior Le Mans Bugatti circuit is active throughout the year.
Lining miles of public road with SAFER Barriers isn't feasible, which makes their newfound use at the Porsche Curves, where clashes between prototypes and GTs have become commonplace, one of the better uses of money and resources by the ACO.