The ACO today (February 4) released the list of the 55 entrants who have been invited to take part in the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours. In addition to organising the Michelin Green X Challenge once again, Michelin will be looking to profit from this year’s endurance showpiece to notch up its 13th consecutive win.

An initial list of 29 automatically-invited entrants was published last year along with the names of the winners of the 2009 endurance season’s different categories. Their ranks included the winner of last year’s Michelin Green X Challenge, namely the Speedy Racing Sebah-run Lola B08/80 (LMP2). It is interesting to note that of these 29 cars, 22 secured a guaranteed participation in association with Michelin in 2009!

This week’s announcement consequently concerned the other 26 entrants who have been invited by the ACO to contest the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours (June 12-13). Of the 21 prototypes that feature on the final list, Michelin’s partners include the four Peugeot 908 HDI FAPs, the three Audi R15 TDIs and the three Aston Martins. Other LMP1 teams running on Michelin tyres will be Kolles (Audi R10 TDI), Drayson Racing (Lola-Judd), Rebellion Racing (two Lola B10/60s) and the two Pescarolo-Judd.

In LMP2, the chief attraction in the absence of the Porsche RS Spyders will be the Acura ARX-01s run by Michelin’s partners Strakka Racing and Highcroft, while five different makes will be gunning for LMGT1 honours (Corvette, Ford, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and Saleen) – four on Michelin rubber.

Michelin’s partners also promise to play leading roles in the battle for the top prize in the LMGT2 category, too, for which 17 entries representing seven different carmakers have been accepted. Michelin will supply the Flying Lizard, Ferlbermayr-Proton and Imsa Porsche GT3 RSRs, the factory Corvette ZR1s and the AF Corse and Risi Competizione Ferrari F430 GTs.

Michelin will be targeting its 13th consecutive Le Mans win – and its 19th in total – at this year’s race. Meanwhile, Michelin’s chemists, engineers, developers and technicians have already been working for some months on the firm’s endurance range for 2010, and notably on a range of aromatic oil-free tyres that are more respectful of the environment.

“These new tyres are currently undergoing validation tests,” explains Serge Grisin, the manager of Michelin Competition’s four-wheel programmes. “At the same time, we are already looking ahead to 2011 when the technical regulations will undergo some significant changes.”

24 Hours of Le Mans, Michelin