24 Hours of Le Mans 2018 - LMP2

Early on Sunday morning at the Ford chicane and the winning LMP2 car leads one of the LMP1 Toyotas.   Note the chunks of tyre everywhere.

For the second year in succession, post-race disqualifications changed the LMP2 podium at Le Mans considerably. This year the winning G-Drive car that was ahead by two laps was disqualified for using a device that speeded up pit stops. Another LMP2 car from the TDS team was also disqualified for speeding up pit stops.  Thus the original and final podium looked quite different.  The eventual winner was the beautiful Signatech Alpine A470.

A number of ex-Grand Prix F1 drivers were in the class including Jean-Eric Vergne, Juan-Pablo Montoya and Pastor Maldonado. Former Le Mans 24 hours winners were also in the class including Loic Duval and Jan Lammers who was taking part in his 24th Le Mans.

LMP2 is the second fastest class at Le Mans.  It consists entirely of private teams and each driver line up must have a silver or bronze rated driver, thus you can't have a team full of ex-F1 drivers.  All of the cars have similar 600bhp 4 litre V8 Gibson engines and are all full enclosed bodies and have carbon fibre monocoque chassis.

All of the LMP2 cars below are in the order that they finished the 2018 24 hours of Le Mans:

Disqualified - 26 - G-Drive Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Rusinov/Pizzitola/Vergne

The No.26 car drivers stood on top of the LMP2 podium but were later disqualified.

The G Drive car led the class most of the 24 hours.  Here early evening at the Esses.

The G Drive car in the Dunlop chicane.

Oreca leads Porsche in the Esses on Saturday evening.

Leading the third place LMP1 car through the Esses on Saturday evening

Ex-F1 driver Jean-Eric Vergne was amongst the drivers.

5th overall - 1st in class - 36 - Signatech Alpine Matmut - Alpine A470 Gibson - Lapierre/Negrao/Thiriet.

The winning LMP2 car exiting the Esses during the warm-up.

On Saturday afternoon in Tertre Rouge.

On Saturday evening in the Esses.

Early Sunday  morning roun ding the first coiner with all the grandstrands and pits as a backdrop.

On Sunday morning in the Esses.

6th overall, 2nd in class - 39 - Graff SO24 - Oreca 07 Gibson - Capillaire/Hirschi/Gommendy

The runner-up in the LMP2 class on its way to Tertre Rouge during the warm-up.

Oreca in Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

The Graff LMP2 car in the Dunlop Chicane early on Sunday morning.

Disqualified - 28 - TDS Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Perrodo/Vaxiviere/Duval

This car was disqualified from fourth in class after the race.  One of its drivers was former winner Loic Duval.

Hustling its way through the chicane early on Sunday morning.

7th overall - 3rd in class - 32 - United Autosports - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - De Sadeleer/Owen/Montoya.

Juan-Pablo Montoya had an outside chance of the Triple Crown.  In the end he settled for a podium after the disqualifications of other cars.

The United Autosports Ligier in the Dunlop chicane.

8th overall - 4th in class - 37 - Jackie Chan DC Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Jaafar/Jeffri/Tan.

Jackie Chan Oreca during the warm up on the way down to Tertre Rouge.

Early in the race cutting the apex at Tertre Rouge

Leading a Ginetta and an LMP2 car through the Esses on Saturday evening.

Oreca leads Aston Martin through the Ford chicane on Sunday morning.

9th overall - 5th in class - 31 - DragonSpeed - Oreca 07 Gibson - Gonzalez/Maldonado/Berton.

Great to see ex-F1 driver Pastor Maldonado finish at Le Mans.  Here the 31 car is exiting the Esses during the warm-up.

Leading a group of the cars through the Esses.  Note the nose has been replaced.  Nathanael Berthon took fastest lap in this car.

10th overall - 6th in class - 38 - Jackie Chan DC Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Tung/Richelmi/Aubry.

The sixth placed LMP2 car cuts the apex in Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

The crowds on the inside of Tertre Rouge early on Saturday evening.

The Jackie Chan Oreca leads another car into the Dunlop Chicane on Sunday morning.

11th overall - 7th in class - 29 - Racing Team Nederland - Dallara P217 Gibson - Van Eerd/Van Der Garde/Lammers

Two Dutch ex-F1 drivers in this car.  For Jan Lammers it was his 24th Le Mans 24 hours!

The Jumbo car in Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

Tertre Rouge at night.

The Nederlands car heading on to the start finish straight on Sunday morning.

12th overall - 8th in class - 33 - Jackie Chan DC Racing - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - Cheng/Boulle/Nicolet.

Jackie Chan Ligier on its way down to Tertre Rouge in the warm up

Ligier in Tertre Rouge on Saturday sfternoon.

Marshalls waving the blue flag at Tertre Rouge at night.

Leading some cars out of the Esses.

13th overall - 9th in class - 23 - Panis Barthez Competition - Ligier JSP217 - Buret/Canal/Stevens.

A Ligier heading down to Tertre Rouge.  

The Panis Barthez Ligier in Tertre Rouge.

14th overall - 10th in class - 35 - SMP Racing - Dallara P217 Gibson - Shaitar/Newey/Nato.

Adrian Newey's son Harrison was in this car.

Heading down to Tertre Rouge at night.

In the Esses on Sunday morning.

Heading another LMP2 car as they exit the Esses.

19th overall - 11th in class - 47 - Cetilar Vollorba Corse - Dallara P217 Gibson - Lacorte/Sernagiotto/Nasr.

The Cetilar LMP2 car heading a big group out of the Esses during the warm-up.

On the way to Tertre Rouge during the warm up.

In Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

32nd overall - 12th in class - 50 - Larbre Competition - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - Creed/Ricci/Dagoneau.

Oreca in Tertre Rouge at night.

The Larbre Competition car in the Esses on Sunday morning

Not Classified - 44 - Eurasia Motorsport - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - Bertolini/Jonsson/Krohn.

Exiting the Esses ahead of a Porsche in the warm-up.

On the way to Tertre Rouge in the warm-up.

Leading another LMP2 car through the Esses

No.44 heading onto the start finish straight on Sunday morning.

Leading the class winner and a Toyota at the Ford chicane.

Retired - 48 - Idec Sport - Oreca 07 Gibson - Lafargue/Chatin/Rojas.

Idec Sport Oreca on the way to Tertre Rouge during the warm up.  It was the fastest LMP2 car in qualifying.

In Tertre Rouge during the race.

Leading a Ford GT through the Esses on Saturday evening.

Again leading a Ford Gt but at the Dunlop chicane on Sunday morning.

Retired - 22 - United Autosports - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - Hanson/Albuquerque/Di Resta.

United Autosports Ligier on its way down to Tertre Rouge.  A view from the bar.

In Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

The United Autosports car in Tertre Rouge at night.

Leading the GTE-Pro winning Porsche through the Esses.

Retired - 25 - Algarve Pro Racing - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - Patterson/De Jong/Kim

LMP2 cars head out of the Esses during the morning warm up.

The crowds look down onto the 25 car as it exits the Esses.

Lots of trye marnles evident as the Algarve Pro car negotiates the Ford chicane on Sundy morning.

View from where we sat at the start of the race, looking back at the start of the Esses and the Dunlop bridge.

Retired - 34 - Jackie Chan DC Racing - Ligier JSP217 Gibson - Taylor/Ledogar/Heinemeier-Hansson.

In Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

Ligier follows another couple of cars through the Esses.

Retired - 40 - G Drive Racing - Oreca 07 Gibson - Allen/Gutierrez/Guibbert.

G Drive Oreca in Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

Oreca in the Dunlop chicane early on Saturday evening.

G Drive leading a Toyota and other cars through the Esses on Saturday evening.  The car retired before 13 hours were up.

All of the photos were taken from the public areas at Le Mans with no benefit of any special pass or access.  A Canon EOS 7D Mkii was used for most shots with a 70-300mm F4.0-5.6 lens.  

For the LMP1 cars at Le Mans in 2018, click here.

For the LMP2 cars at Le Mans in 2017, click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Military band playing in the Village on Sunday morning.