The 79th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours will take place on June 11-12, 2011. Tomorrow, in other words! Machines like the Peugeot 908 HY, the Audi R18, the electric Courage M0-11, the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Porsche GT-R Hybrid and a number of ‘low cost’ LMP2s are all expected to take part in 2011′s visit to La Sarthe.

Next year is likely to see the introduction of a raft of changes to the endurance racing scene following new technical regulations (and consequently new cars) and classes, not to mention the growth of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

When the Peugeot 908 HY was unveiled in September 2008, the then Peugeot Sport boss Michel Barge suggested it could be raced as early as 2009…

That wasn’t to be, and the French diesel/electric hybrid prototype is finally expected to make its competition debut in 2011, in compliance with the new ‘hybrid’ regulations that have finally been published by the ACO (brake energy recovery and release acting on two wheels [front or rear]; maximum quantity of energy released to be 500kJ; energy to be stored electrically or mechanically, etc.). Two years ago, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director Bruno Famin estimated it was possible to recover five per cent of the energy generated under braking and reduce fuel consumption by three per cent in order to save one pit-stop in the course of the race.

In the Audi camp, Dr Ullrich has released the name of the R15 TDI’s replacement (Audi R18), although technical details have yet to be provided. The specialist publication Racing Engineering Magazine has raised the possibility of it being powered by a bi-turbo V6 diesel engine coupled with KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System). Over the years, Audi has accustomed us to innovations at Le Mans with technologies such as TFSI, TDI and, this year, VTG (Variable Turbine Geometry), which optimizes the turbocharger’s performance. Dr Ullrich has also hinted that the Audi R18 could well be a closed-cockpit prototype.

We have previously mentioned the all-electric M0-11 prototype which has been developed by Courage Technology in association with the Matis Group (engineering consultants) and Phénix International, a French company which specialises in electric motors and coils. The M0-11 could well be allocated the 56th pit garage at Le Mans which has been earmarked for innovative projects.

What about tyres, you may ask? “The new regulations will naturally have a knock-on effect with regard to tyres,” says Serge Grisin, the manager of Michelin Competition’s four-wheel racing programmes. “The use of energy recovery systems for the front or rear wheels and the exact front/rear weight distribution of the different prototypes will have an impact on the development of our endurance racing tyres for 2011.”

2011, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi, Michelin, Peugeot