We’ve written, and talked, a lot about comparative performance in recent months as the new 2017 LMP2 coupe’s performance levels become apparent.

We have a pair of pieces coming up this morning that add further spice to the mix.

First up, and with thanks to the ELMS, is a comparison between the trap speeds we have already seen here and those seen the last time contemporary LMP cars raced here, back in the Le Mans Series in 2008!

Fastest trap speed of the day yesterday was 311km/h (194.4 mph) in the first session from Richard Bradley in the #40 Graff Racing Oreca 07 Gibson.

That compares to the 2008 Le Mans Series field’s first free practice performance very favourably, only one 2008 car bettering the straight line performance of the 2017 Oreca, the #1 Audi Sport Team Joest R10 TDI (above) hitting 320 km/h (the official results oddly not timing the pair of Peugeots through the speed trap beam though one beat the Oreca’s speed in FP2, the other didn’t!)

The remainder of the field though didn’t match the 2017 Oreca’s speed.

That included no fewer than 10 LMP1 cars, including the second factory Audi.

The #10 Charouz Lola Aston Martin came closest at 310 km/h with the #20 Epsilon Euskadi and the 07’s grandmother, the #5 Courage Oreca Judd coming in at 309 km/h.

Amongst the LMP2 cars the fastest in 2008 was the #31 Team Essex Porsche RS Spyder which managed 298 km/h.

For further comparison the ELMS timing staff tell DSC that the fastest trap speed recorded in the 2016 series came at Spa in Free Practice 1 when the #32 SMP Racing BR01 in the hands of Stefano Coletti peaked at 276.9 km/h!