Le Mans – SMP Racing moves the lines and hires Salo

For his first 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 14-15), SMP Racing will not be idle. Three cars will be entered, namely two Oreca 03s in LM P2 and one Ferrari 458 Italia in GTE Am. So far, nothing new. But the latest list of entrants for the Le Mans classic, published this morning by the ACO, revealed changes in the crews.

Si en WEC the Oreca 03 n°27 and n°37 are respectively entrusted to the trios Maurizio Mediani-Nicolas Minassian-Sergey Zlobin and Anton Ladygin-Kirill Ladygin-Viktor Shaitar, it will be different in Sarthe. The No. 27 will indeed see the Russians Anton Ladygin and Sergey Zlobin taking turns as well as the Finn Mika Salo. This will not be the first appearance of the ex-Ferrari driver in Sarthe at the wheel of a prototype, he who had shared the wheel of an Audi R8 with Franck Biela and Perry McCarthy in 2003. The No. 37, which will on paper be the team's top car, will be entrusted to the Frenchman Nicolas Minassian, the Italian Maurizio Mediani and the Russian Kirill Ladygin.

On the sidelines Viktor Shaitar? No, the Muscovite is now entered in the No. 458 Ferrari 71 Italia entered in GTE. He will be supported by his compatriot Alexey Basov and the Italian Andrea Bertolini.

Don’t miss our 24 Hours of Le Mans Guide, available here in digital version, and from tomorrow on all newsstands.