Le Mans (AFP)

Toyota will try to grab a third consecutive victory on its 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend against sparse opposition and empty stands due to coronavirus.

For the first time since 1968, the famous endurance test will be held in September after seeing its usual date of mid-June postponed in the face of the pandemic.

If the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), which organizes the event, at one point considered welcoming spectators in limited numbers, the health measures put in place finally dissuaded it.

The length of the circuit of more than 13 kilometers would have made it difficult to control the movement of spectators between the various "villages" that the ACO had at one time envisaged.

The race will therefore take place in an atmosphere reminiscent of the famous comic strip "Le fantôme des 24 heures" featuring Michel Vaillant, with the immense deserted stands.

The start will be given on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. instead of the usual 4:00 p.m. - to take into account the shorter days in September - by Carlos Tavares, CEO of the PSA automotive group.

Among the 59 entered, divided into the four categories LMP1, LMP2, LM GTE PRO and LM GTE AM (with at least one amateur driver), Toyota will find itself in force to win the general classification.

The Japanese manufacturer, winner in 2018 and 2019, will field two TS-050 hybrids, one entrusted to the crew formed by Michael Conway, Kamui Koyabashi and Jose Maria Lopez and the other to Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley.

The latter, a New Zealander who already won in the Sarthe with Porsche in 2017 and who also raced in F1, replaces Fernando Alonso in the winning team last year.

The two-time Spanish F1 world champion is not returning to Sarthe this year after his two victories in 2018 and 2019 and is preparing his return to F1 with Renault next year.

- "The biggest challenge" -

For now, the Lopez / Kobayashi / Conway crew are leading the WEC World Endurance Championship with two rounds to go, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Eight Hours of Bahrain on November 14. .

He is 12 points ahead of Buemi / Nakajima / Hartley.

"The 24 Hours of Le Mans is our biggest challenge of the year and our main goal," said Toyota team boss Hisatake Murata.

There will only be four other LMP1s at the start against Toyota, including two Rebellions, with the Swiss team making their last appearance at Le Mans this year.

The field is completed by an Enso from the ByKolles team, while the Ginetta from the LNT team withdrew.

If Toyotas have a power advantage, they may need to refuel more often than their competitors.

The Rebellions could then take advantage of this with high-level crews made up of Bruno Senna, the nephew of the legendary Brazilian champion, Norman Nato and Gustavo Menezes, and Romain Dumas, Nathanaël Berthon and Louis Delétraz.

- Two female crews -

In LMP2, the fight will be more open with 24 entered.

Last year's winning team, Signatech Alpine, will be present with a trio of slightly modified drivers, including Frenchman Thomas Laurent and Brazilian André Negrao.

Alpine also announced this week its return to LMP1 next year with an Oreca from the Rebelion team "rebadged" named after the famous French sports car manufacturer that Renault now wants to promote as its sports brand.

In LM GTE PRO, the withdrawal of Ford, BMW and Chevrolet Corvette leaves Ferraris, Porsches and Aston-Martins in the running, this trio of European brands finding themselves in LM GTE AM.

Note the participation of two 100% female crews.

One lines up in LMP2 with the Colombian Tatiana Calderon, the German Sophia Flörsch and the Dutch Beitske Visser.

The other in LM GTE AM with a Ferrari 488 entrusted to the Italian Manuela Gostner, the Danish Michelle Gatting and the Swiss Rahel Frey.

A very strict health protocol will be put in place for the participants and the media invited to cover the event in order to prevent any case of coronavirus at the site of the event.

As for the weather, still decisive at Le Mans, thunderstorms are expected for the weekend which could redistribute the cards.

© 2020 AFP