[LM24] Le Mans test day

[champcarman]

Can anybody tell me if it is compulsory for a driver to run on the Le Mans test day (2 weeks before the race) in order to Qualify to drive in the race? I would heve thought some drivers may be committed to racing in other categories on the test weekend?

[Truckosaurus]

I believe it depends on the driver being on the pre-approved list of drivers that have raced at Le Mans in previous, recent, years. So someone like Seb Loeb had to make the effort to attend as he was a novice, but if he wanted to race again in 2006 he probably won't have to be at the test day.

[Dauer 962]

It´s only test, neither the cars nor the drivers have to qualif, except you are a rookie. The drivers have to qualify in official qualifying during the race week.

[Happy Snapper]

Originally Posted by champcarman

Can anybody tell me if it is compulsory for a driver to run on the Le Mans test day (2 weeks before the race) in order to Qualify to drive in the race? I would heve thought some drivers may be committed to racing in other categories on the test weekend?

No need to do the test day it’s a team test not a driver test and it’s a chance for the reserves to get some track time if they want it. For the race it’s a different story and depends which way the winds blowing when you ask. It has been known in the past for drivers not to complete their three night laps and still be ok, the official response was “the car has done three night laps” !

[Bentley03]

The ACO releases a list of drivers eligible to take part in the race each year. The listed drivers all have previous Le Mans experience.

The 2006 list is here.

The regulations for drivers not on the list are as follows:
6.1.5 – The list of the drivers automatically admitted to take part in the
test day and the qualifying practice sessions is published in the
appendix.
The drivers not included on this list are required to take part in the
test day, and cover on this occasion a minimum of 10 (ten) laps of
the racetrack, in order to be allowed to participate in the qualifying
practice sessions.

An allowance is made for listed drivers unable to attend the Test Day:
6.1.4 – At least two drivers of the final race team for the qualifying
sessions and the race must be part of the team registered for the
car on the occasion of the test day. If this is not the case, the team will
not be made with more than two drivers.

So only two driver nominations need to be made by the Test Day. The third driver must be registered by 13th June.

Hope that goes some way to answering your question.

[jbracing]

Does that mean a rookie that can not do the test day has no chance of getting an entry even if they have prior sportscar experience in both prototype and GT1 cars?

[Bentley03]

Originally Posted by jbracing

Does that mean a rookie that can not do the test day has no chance of getting an entry even if they have prior sportscar experience in both prototype and GT1 cars?

Correct.

[Kpy]

[QUOTE=Happy Snapper]No need to do the test day it’s a team test not a driver test and it’s a chance for the reserves to get some track time if they want it. QUOTE]
There will be no reserves at the test day. Cut-off day for an entry to be offered to one of the 8 reserve cars is 26 May. The offer will only be made if an accepted entry is withdrawn.