4. WEC vs IMSA
GTE Pro represents the top of the shop in GTE (GTLM in IMSA) racing around the world. In the FIA WEC, where Porsche, Ford, Ferrari and Aston Martin – next year joined by BMW – compete, and over in IMSA, with Ferrari, BMW (though not racing at Le Mans in 2016), Porsche, Corvette and Ford fighting for GTLM honors.
The Le Mans 24 Hours represents the one time each year where we can see the best that both series have to offer going head to head. This year's entry includes a good balance between the two series too, with five of the 13 runners travelling over to France from the States, and the remaining eight coming from the World Championship.
The past two years, IMSA teams have the honors, with Corvette winning in 2015, and last year a USA Ganassi Ford winning the class after fending off a challenge from the Risi Ferrari. But the WEC runners are unlikely to have as disappointing a run this time around.
Porsche and Aston Martin (ABOVE) in particular will be keen to right the wrongs of 2016, and challenge for their first win in a number of years. AMR's last win came back in 2008, with a DBR9 in the GT1 class, while Porsche's most recent triumph was back in 2013 with an older 911 RSR. Bragging rights among the best ACO-rules GT racing has to offer are very much at stake here.