The first ever Mexican FIA World Endurance Championship round, the 6 Hours of Mexico, which takes place at the Circuit Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City between 1-3 September, will see the famously passionate Mexican fans have plenty to cheer about as the provisional entry list is revealed today.
The welcome addition of two Mexican drivers in a specially-entered LMP2 car will see a bumper grid of 34 of the world’s most spectacular sportscars line up for the first World Championship endurance race on Mexican soil in a quarter of a century.
Gérard Neveu, CEO of the WEC, is confident that the fans will be very happy: “The whole WEC paddock is excited about this new addition to our calendar, and we should thank Promoter Ricardo Gonzalez and his team for his vision and determination in making the AT&T 6 Hours of Mexico a reality. We know the fans will embrace the atmosphere, action, entertainment and all that makes the WEC so popular in countries around the world, and we can’t wait to show our Mexican colleagues and fans what the Spirit of Le Mans is all about.”
After some well-earned summer holidays, all the FIA WEC teams and drivers are now preparing to offer a dazzling Mexican wave in just over a month’s time.
LMP1 title fight hots up in Mexico
The Mexican fans will be treated to seeing the world’s best endurance drivers in action for this fifth round of the WEC, as Audi Sport Team Joest, Porsche Team and Toyota Gazoo Racing start the second half of a hotly contested season.
Benoît Tréluyer will be back in action in the No.7 Audi R18 with teammates André Lotterer and Marcel Fässler, while 6 Hours of Nürburgring winners, reigning World Champions Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard of the Porsche Team, will be keen to add another victory to their points tally.
With none of the LMP1 drivers having had sportscar experience of the full Hermanos Rodriguez circuit the additional Collective Test on Thursday, 1 September and Free Practice sessions will be more crucial than ever.
Added Mexican spice in LMP2
In total a trio of Mexican racers will take the start of the AT&T 6 Hours of Mexico on the 2.674-mile circuit in the heart of Mexico City on 3 September.
FIA WEC regular and 2013 LMP2 champion Ricardo Gonzalez has played an instrumental part in founding and promoting the new-for-2016 event and, as usual, he will race with teammates Filipe Albuquerque and Bruno Senna in the RGR Sport Ligier-Nissan.
Roberto Gonzalez, elder brother of Ricardo, is one of two Mexican drivers entered in the Greaves Motorsport Gibson 015S-Nissan. Reprising aspects of Mexico’s great history in motorsport, the Gonzalez brothers will follow in the footsteps of Mexico’s most famous racing sons – the Rodriguez brothers, by sharing the same track on home ground.
Former Indycar driver Roberto will be joined in the Greaves car by well-known Mexican driver Luis Diaz, who has plenty of experience in LMP2 having won the 2009 ALMS LMP2 title. The third driver in the Greaves LMP2 entry is Bruno Junqueira; the experienced Brazilian will make his WEC debut on a circuit where he finished third in the 2002 Champ Car race.
Multiple GT brands go head to head
Aston Martin, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche will continue to showcase in Mexico City some of the world’s leading automotive brands in the LMGTE Pro class.
The turbo-powered Ford and Ferrari machines are sure to be utilising the thin Mexican air to their advantage, but Porsche and Aston Martin will be determined to offer a stern challenge. A first 2016 victory for Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado will surely give them an added incentive.
The mighty amphitheatre stadium seating area in the final part of the Hermanos Rodrigues circuit will reverberate to the potent LMGTE classes throughout the historic weekend.
Ricky Taylor joins Larbre Competition
Popular American driver Ricky Taylor will join Yutaka Yamagishi and Pierre Ragues in the Larbre Competition Chevrolet Corvette C7 in Mexico City. Taylor is well known to Larbre after competing with them in the 2013 and 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours scoring 5th and 9th positions in LMGTE Am respectively.
The AT&T 6 Hours of Mexico will take place over 1/2/3 September.
To view the full entry list for the AT&T 6 Hours of Mexico please CLICK HERE
