If the level of competition in LMP1 has increased in potency then the same can very much be said in the LMP2 class at Spa this weekend.
On top of the hugely competitive fight for supremacy in LMP2, the class will see an additional two high quality entries and a new team/chassis partnership.
The Tequila Patron ESM team arrives in the Ardennes fresh from shaking down its pair of brand new Ligier JS P2 cars. Completed in an incredible six weeks, the two LMP2 coupes will take to the track on Thursday with just a few miles on the clock after a shakedown test at Magny Cours. But the slickly-run US team is more than capable of pulling off an impressive debut result on its first visit to Spa this weekend.
Emerging as the early season pace setter at Silverstone was the G-Drive Racing squad and its pair of Ligier-Nissan LMP2 cars. Sam Bird, Roman Rusinov and Julien Canal headed home stablemates Pipo Derani, Gustavo Yacaman and Ricardo Gonzalez for a convincing 1-2 finish and the best possible start to 2015. The Russian entered team will again be strong at Spa and will draw upon a fine win here last season in a bid to extend an early season points advantage.
In hot pursuit of the G-Drive cars at Silverstone, until it lost time in the pits, was the KCMG Oreca 05-Nissan. Matt Howson and Richard Bradley are joined in Belgium this weekend by former Toyota LMP1 racer Nicolas Lapierre, who makes his first race start since COTA last autumn.
Making its usual cameo appearance at Spa is the popular JOTA Sport team with an updated Gibson 015S-Nissan. JOTA has an excellent record at Spa with a victory in 2012 followed by a third in ’13 and second last year.
Full season ELMS drivers Simon Dolan and Harry Tincknell are joined by current GP2 frontrunner Mitch Evans. The Kiwi racer will make his endurance racing debut this weekend to ensure that he will share the same track as his mentor, Mark Webber.
Making a welcome WEC debut will be the Team SARD Morand team from Switzerland. 2014 ELMS champion Oliver Webb is joined by another ELMS champion, Pierre Ragues. GP2 racer Zoel Amberg makes his WEC debut after getting valuable miles in the Morgan Evo-SARD at the Prologue test last month.
With Silverstone podium visitors Strakka Racing gaining speed lap by lap with its Dome S103, Signatech-Alpine keen to fight back after a tough Silverstone race and OAK Racing making it five Ligiers in the field, the LMP2 class has never been as competitive and as diverse.
Watch the battle for LMP2 supremacy via the official WEC App here
