The ACO profited from a press conference in Paris today (Wednesday) to release the list of the 56 cars that have been invited to contest the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours.

3 Audi vs 4 Peugeot 908 at 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours

The biggest delegations in La Sarthe this June will be fielded by Peugeot and OAK Racing who will be running four prototypes each! The French carmaker will be represented by three new 908s and a 908 HDI FAP tended by Team Oreca-Matmut, while Audi will have three R18s shared by the same nine drivers who monopolised the top three places at Le Mans in 2010.

The LMP1 entry also features two OAK-Pescarolo-Judds run by OAK Racing, two open-cockpit Aston Martin Racing prototypes and a brace of Rebellion Lola-Toyotas. Pescarolo Team will be back, as will Quifel-ASM Team (with a Zytek), Hope Racing (Oreca 03) and Highcroft whose LMP1 project with Honda (ARX01e) appears to be making good progress.

The LMP2 class promises to be just as exciting, with guaranteed entries for OAK Racing, Team Oreca-Matmut, Strakka Racing and two Oreca 03-Nissans for Signatech-Nissan. Extrem Limite, Kronos Racing, Boutsen Energy and Pegasus Racing appear on the list of reserves in the prototype category.

The newly-created LM GTE Pro class will see a clash between Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, BMW, Lotus and Aston Martin, who will be represented either by the factory teams or by their usual subcontractors (Proton-Felbermayr, AF Corse, Imsa, etc.). Luxury Racing (F458) and Lotus-Jetalliance (Lotus Evora) will both be contesting the French classic for the first time, while a further 10 GTE runners have been accepted in LM GTE Am. Some 40 percent of the 70 entries received by the organised were for the latter class.

Spectators will get their first opportunity to see all these cars in action at the pre-race test-day round the full Le Mans circuit on April 24.

2011, 24 Hours of Le Mans, entry list