The entries for this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans are out (PDF here) and one of the big surprises is that a Lotus prototype will be contending the top LMP1 category, albeit the LMP1-L category for independent teams with non-hybrid cars. This is allowed because the Lotus prototype being fielded is from German racing team Kodewa rather than Lotus the automaker, although the two have close links.

Kodewa competed in the LMP2 category of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the full World Endurance Championship last year using a pair of T128 prototypes racing under the Lotus banner. For its LMP1 entry this year, Kodewa will field just one car, a heavily updated version of the T128 known as the T129.  

The engine powering the T129 will be from AER and former F1 man Christijan Albers has been designated the lead driver. The other drivers will likely be named soon.

The only other team competing in the LMP1-L category is Switzerland’s Rebellion Racing, which will be fielding two cars. In the top-level LMP1-H category will be seven cars this year, three from Audi and two each from Porsche and Toyota.

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