The invitations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2022 have been handed out – In theory, only nine places left – but in practice, a few more
With the conclusion of the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series, the final invitations to the 2022 Le Mans 24 Hours have been distributed. Due to the record number of entrants in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), a particularly large number of places have already been filled this time.
Theoretically, there are actually only nine places left, but not every team will claim every one of its slots. So it is safe to assume that WRT will not enter with four cars. The Belgian team has received two invites through the WEC, one as 2021 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) champion and one as 2021 Le Mans winner in the LMP2 class.
Also coming in at four invites is Team Iron Lynx in GTE Am. Two slots run through WEC participation, there is another through the 2021 ELMS title and another for the 2021 Le Mans Cup title, the third division in the ACO pyramid.
It is hardly likely that all of these invitations will be accepted, as Iron Lynx will compete in WEC and ELMS with almost the same pairings. One of them is the team around Claudio Schiavoni and Matteo Cressoni, the other car is occupied by the “Iron Dames” Sarah Bovy, Michelle Gatting and Rahel Frey.
There are also doubts about Peugeot’s two WEC grid positions. The new Le Mans 9X8 hypercar, originally designed to start the season in September 2022, is currently in the testing phase. In order to participate in Le Mans, Peugeot would also have to take part in the 6 Hours of Spa at the beginning of May. By then, the 9X8 would have to be homologated – for five years. So far, it is not clear whether they will compete.
It is considered certain that United Autosports, as runner-up in the 2021 ELMS, will accept its third invitation in addition to the two WEC slots. Nielsen Racing, as champions of the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series, will also be there for its LMP2 debut at Le Mans.
LMP3 champion CD Sport, active in the Le Mans Cup since 2018, would have to get an LMP2 – decision unclear. The same applies to DKR Engineering as LMP3 runners-up in the 2021 ELMS. The team, which has been active in the FIA GT1 World Championship with Corvette among others, has been doing LMP3 since 2017 but has not owned any LMP2 cars so far.
On the Ferrari side, there is an invitation each for AF Corse to win GTE-Am at the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans, Spirit of Race (ELMS GTE runner-up in 2021) and Inception Racing, who took the GT3 title in the Asian LMS with Optimum Motorsport on McLaren.
It is most likely that Spirit of Race will take up the invitation with a second car for the ELMS crew. The three Inception drivers who competed with Ferrari in 2021 are already entered for the 2022 WEC on the 56 Project 1 Porsche and AF Corse already has two cars competing in GTE Am in the WEC under its own entry.
IMSA’s invitations to Le Mans remain. Both Riley Motorsports (named by IMSA) and Rob Ferriol as hardpoint team owner (Bob Akin Award) have already confirmed their entries to ‘Sportscar365’. Ben Keating is not expected to accept his invitation via the Jim Trueman Award because he is already racing full-time with TF Sport WEC and therefore has a place secured.
So while theoretically only nine places are still available, in reality at least 15 of the 62 grid places will still be allocated by the FIA and ACO selection committee. Current ELMS teams have the best chances.
The grid for the 90th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be announced on Monday 28 February. After two editions under Corona conditions, a return to normality is expected in 2022.
It was recently announced that the traditional technical scrutineering will once again take place at the Place de la Republique in Le Mans. Scrutineering will be on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 June. On Sunday, the test day will take place at the Circuit de la Sarthe.