An updated entry list for the 6 Hours of Mexico presented by AT&T is revealed today as the anticipation grows for the first ever FIA World Endurance Championship event in the country.
There are just under two weeks to go until the big event at the newly updated Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez facility located in the heart of one of the world’s most culturally rich and popular capital cities.
LMP1 will see battle recommence after a spectacular Nürburgring race last month which saw Audi and Porsche fight over every kilometre. The No1.Porsche 919 Hybrid of Mark Webber/Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley won but only after intense battles throughout the spectacular event.
Audi will be pushing for revenge in Mexico as they endeavour to reduce the points’ gap to the No.2 Porsche 919 Hybrid squad of Romain Dumas/Marc Lieb and Neel Jani. Lucas Di Grassi/Loïc Duval and Oliver Jarvis in the No.8 Audi R18 all have experience of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and will be looking to assert their authority over Porsche.
At the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez the pair of battling German manufacturers will be joined by Toyota Gazoo Racing. The pair of TS 050 HYBRID LMP1 cars should be in the mix at the front of the field as they aim to capitalise on the long straight and high altitude which will suit its new turbocharged engine.
LMP2 entry flavoured with Mexican flair
The FIA WEC welcomes another Mexican driver to the entry list as Alfonso Diaz Guerra, better known by his ‘racing name’ of Alfonso ‘Picho’ Toledano Jnr, joins Matt Rao and Richard Bradley in the No.44 Manor entered ORECA 05-Nissan.
A former Mexico A1GP test driver, Toledano Jnr is the son of Alfonso Toledano Snr who made a name for himself racing against the great Ayrton Senna as his teammate in the early 1980s. Sadly, Toledano Snr passed away last month but his son will race in his father’s memory on home soil.
The second Manor entry sits out the Mexican round but is scheduled to return at the 6 Hours of COTA later next month after several strong performances so far in the team’s debut WEC season.
The strong Mexican flavour continues in LMP2 as brothers Ricardo and Roberto Gonzalez go up against each other in an intriguing sibling rivalry. Ricardo, who is the instigator and promoter of the 6 Hours of Mexico presented by AT&T, will aim to consolidate second place in the LMP2 title chase with teammates Bruno Senna and Filipe Albuquerque in the RGR Sports Ligier JS P2-Nissan.
Ricardo’s elder brother, Roberto Gonzalez, will line up in the Greaves Motorsport Gibson 015S-Nissan which is a single event entry in Mexico City. Fellow Mexican Luis Diaz, and experienced endurance driver Bruno Junqueira complete the line-up in the all-Latin LMP2 entry which along with the RGR Sports and Manor cars is sure to add extra fervour for the Mexican fans.
Signatech-Alpine will be chasing a fourth consecutive win in Mexico but will face stiff competition from the strong eleven car LMP2 entry.
LMGTE classes too close to call
The Mexican fans can anticipate another sensational battle for supremacy in the LMGTE classes as a rich variety of manufacturers clash once again in the ultra-close Pro and Am categories.
The quest for the FIA World Endurance Cup for GT Manufacturers sees Ferrari lead Aston Martin by just eight points. With Ford likely to maximise its turbocharged engine in the rarefied Mexican atmosphere, a likely three-way battle for the title silverware is set to rage.
With Ferrari scoring its second 1-2 of the season in Germany last time out with the new for 2016 combination of Gianmaria Bruni and James Calado, the Prancing Horse will be aiming to extend its title leads in Mexico. However, the No.77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche and the No.95 and No.97 Aston Martin entries will also be keen to hunt down their first LMGTE Pro class victories of the season.
In LMGTE Am the Aston Martin Racing trio of Paul Dalla Lana/Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda take their Nurburgring class victory momentum across the Atlantic as they continue their quest to catch the No.83 AF Corse squad of Emmanuel Collard, Rui Aguas and François Perrodo.
The scene is almost set and the drivers and teams that make up the 32 entries are ready for a new WEC adventure in Mexico. The ‘Spirit of Le Mans’ will enter a new frontier and showcase the world’s fastest and most exciting endurance racing to some of the most passionate and dedicated motorsport fans in the world.
The action will begin on Thursday 1st September with an additional collective test to allow the competitors to acclimatise themselves to the new 2.674-mile circuit. The race is scheduled to begin at 13.30 local time on Saturday 3rd September.
The AT&T 6 Hours of Mexico will take place over 1/2/3 September.
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