With the conclusion of the 2017/ 2018 Asian Le Mans Series the full list of Automatic Entries for the 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours is now complete.

15 potential automatic entries were possible from a variety of Championship and race winning results.

Not all of the invitees are set to take up those entries though: Porsche Motorsport, an auto entry courtesy of their Le Mans win last year have, of course, stepped back from their LMP1 programme whilst Jackie Chan DC Racing look unlikely to be able to take up thee of their astounding 5 possible auto entries, earned via wins at Le Mans in LMP2, plus the LMP2 and LMP3 Asian Le Mans Series titles won yesterday at Sepang and an expected pair of LMP2 entries in the 2018/19 FIA WEC (all successful entrants receive an auto entry) via the rule that each license holding team is only permitted two entries.

The same may well apply to Aston Martin Racing who have a potential third entry over and above their two pre-announced FOA WEC entries after winning in GTE Pro at Le Mans last season.

There has been no comment from AMR about any plan to take up that third entry.

Assuming that those five ‘auto’ entries are not taken up that would leave 10 places on the entry, to be announced on 9 February, are already taken, plus an expected 34 cars from the full entry for the 2018/19 FIA WEC.

The remainder of the entry (c.16 cars) is likely to be composed of entrants via the full season entries from the European Le Mans Series, plus additional GTE Pro entrants via IMSA’s Weathertech Sportscar championship (a potential maximum seven cars, 2 x Corvette, 2 x Ford though some sources suggest that may not happen), a pair of Porsches and a second Risi Ferrari in Pro (joining perhaps the Keating/ Risi Am entry) to bolster the factory presence in the hotly contested class. If the full seven HGTLMs do apply and are accepted then the majority of the remaining 9 entries will be LMP2s from the ELMS and possibly Asian Le Mans Series.

The 60 successful applicants for an entry for the 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours, plus the full season entry list for the 2018/19 FIA WEC will be announced at a press conference on Friday 9 February at 15:00 CET. The 2018 European Le mans Series entry will be announced the previous day, 8 February on the Series’ digital media platforms, Facebook and Twitter.

The press conference, at Retromobile in Paris, will be broadcast live on both the Le Mans and FIA WEC websites, their respective YouTube and Dailymotion channels and on the FIA WEC App.

Le Mans 24 Hours Class Winners (likely between one and two cars for 2018)

LMP1 and Overall: Porsche (will not race in 2018)

LMP2: Jackie Chan DC Racing (Team set to enter two cars in 2018/19 FIA WEC and are allowed only 2 x Le Mans 24 Hours entries per license)

GTE Pro: Aston Martin Racing – (team’s intentions with this entry currently unknown)

GTE Am: JMW Motorsport

European Le Mans Series (likely four cars for 2018 Le Mans)

Overall Champions: G-Drive Racing – entry in LMP2

LMP3 Champions: United Autosports – entry in LMP2 GTE Champions: JMW Motorsport – entry in LM GTE Am or LM GTE Pro

GTE Runners up: TF Sport – entry in LM GTE Am or LM GTE Pro

Michelin Le Mans Cup (likely one car for 2018 Le Mans)

GT3 Champions: Ebimotors – Entry in LM GTE Am

(There is no auto entry for the LMP3 Champion)

IMSA ‘At Large’ Entries (two cars for 2018 Le Mans)

JDC-Miller Motorsports – LMP2 (Courtesy of Jim Trueman Award for Mikhail Goikberg)

Ben Keating – GTE-Am entry (confirmed to have been submitted with Risi Competizione in a Ferrari 488 GTE) (Courtesy of Bob Akin Award)

Asian Le Mans Series (2 cars for 2018 Le Mans likely)

Overall/ LMP2 Champions: Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota – Entry in LMP2 (See note above – capped at 2 x Le Mans 24 Hours entries per license) LMP3 Champions: Jackie Chan DC Racing x Jota – Entry in LMP2 (See note above – capped at 2 x Le Mans 24 Hours entries per license)

GT Champions: FIST Team AAI – Entry in LM GTE Pro or LM GTE Am

GT Runners Up: FIST Team AAI – Entry in LM GTE Pro or LM GTE Am

10-11 Auto entries likely.