Full Le Mans entry list revealed.

Somewhat earlier than expected, the ACO has revealed the full list of competitors for the 2007 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, which will feature 55 cars going for glory in the round the clock classic at La Sarthe.

Work carried out to the pitlane complex at the French circuit means an extra five cars will take part in this years events, with the 55 successful entrants having been chosen from 76 entry forms to make up the biggest entry for the race since the 1980's.

"The choice is never easy and this year all the entry forms we received were perfect," ACO sporting director Daniel Poissenot said. "This allowed the committee to concentrate on the main criteria laid down in the regulations concerning choice: in particular, the entry of the teams for the 2007 Le Mans Series and of course the quality of their results during the previous season in the different Le Mans Series."

In LMP1, five diesel powered cars are due to take part, with three Audi R10s joined on the grid by the two new Peugeot 908s, which will be making their maiden appearance in the event. The petrol-powered cars are led by none other than three Pescarolo Judds, two running for Henri Pescarolo's eponymous outfit and one for Rollcentre Racing on their return to the LMP1 category. Courage Competition field two cars, with lone entries from Swiss Spirit, Creation Autosportif, Arena, Racing for Holland, Charouz Racing and Chamberlain Synergy making up the numbers in the premier class.

In LMP2, Barazi Epsilon are the only team to run more than car having been given two entries but they face stiff competition from a stellar LMP2 field - even with the Penske Porsches having elected not to take up their automatic entry. Courage, Lola, Radical, Pilbeam and Dome are also represented amongst the twelve cars taking part in the class.

GT1 is also set to be a hotly contested affair, with nearly all of the 14 contenders holding a realistic chance of victory when the race gets underway. No fewer than six Aston Martin DBR9s will take part, two each for Aston Martin Racing and two for Larbre and one apiece for BMS Scuderia Italia and Team Modena. Corvette Racing will bring its two C6.Rs over from America, where they will be joined by the similar car of Luc Alphand Aventures and the older C5-R of the French team. Team Oreca will enter two Saleen S7Rs, while single car entries in the form of the JLoc Lamborghini and the Convers MenX Ferrari make up the class numbers.

The GT2 class features 13 entries and, like GT1, the cars selected promise to provide an exciting race as they fight for victory in the biggest race of them all. Team LNT returns with a brace of Panoz Esperantes to try and defend its title, while British GT rivals Scuderia Ecosse field a single Ferrari 430 in the event. AF Corse, White Lightning Racing and Risi Competizione with two cars will also run the Italian machines. Porsche will have four representatives with single car entries for IMSA Performance MATMUT, Flying Lizard, Seikel and Autorlando Sport while Spyker Squadron will run two of its C8 Spyders.

Eight other teams retain a hope of competing in the race after being named on the reserve list, with one GT1 team and seven GT2 cars ready and waiting should problems hit any of the 55 entries already selected. PSI Experience with the Corvette C6-R are the lone GT1 entry, while GPC Sport, Ice Pol Racing, Felbermayr-Proton, Thierry Perrier, JMB Racing, Chad Peninsula Panoz and IMSA Performance MATMUT make up the seven GT2 hopefuls.

The Le Mans 24 Hours entry list:

LMP1:

Audi Sport North America Audi R10 Audi Sport North America Audi R10 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R10 Swiss SpiritLola B07/10-AudiTeam Peugeot TotalPeugeot 908 TDiTeam Peugeot TotalPeugeot 908 TDiCreation Autosportif Creation CA07-JuddArena InternationalZytek 07SCourage CompetitionCourage LC70-AERCourage CompetitionCourage LC70-AERRacing For HollandDome S101-JuddCharouz Racing SystemLola B07/17-JuddPescarolo SportPescarolo C60-Judd Pescarolo Sport Pescarolo C60-JuddRollcentre Racing Pescarolo C60-JuddChamberlain SynergyLola B06/10-AER

LMP2:

Pierre BruneauPilbeam MP93-JuddRollcentre RacingRadical SR9-JuddBinnie MotorsportsLola B05/42-ZytekRML Lola B05/40-AER Team Bruichladdich RadicalRadical SR9-AERT2M MotorsportDome S101/5-MaderNoel Del BelloCourage LC75-AERBarazi Epsilon Zytek 07S/2 Barazi Epsilon Zytek 07S/2 Saulnier RacingCourage LC75-AERQuifel-ASM TeamLola B05/40-AER Kruse MotorsportPescarolo-Judd

GT1:

Aston Martin Racing Larbre Aston Martin DBR9 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin DBR9 Aston Martin Racing Larbre Aston Martin DBR9 Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin DBR9 JLoc Isao NoritakeLamborghini MurcielagoTeam OrecaSaleen S7RTeam OrecaSaleen S7RTeam Modena Aston Martin DBR9 Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R Corvette Racing Corvette C6.R Convers Team MenX Ferrari 550 Maranello Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C6.R Luc Alphand Aventures Corvette C5-R Aston Martin Racing BMS Aston Martin DBR9

GT2:

IMSA Performance MATMUT Porsche 911 GT3-RSR AF Corse Ferrari 430 GT Flying Lizard Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3-RSR Team LNT Panoz Esperante Team LNT Panoz Esperante Seikel Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3-RSR Spyker SquadronSpyker C8 SpyderSpyker SquadronSpyker C8 SpyderScuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 GT White Lightning Racing Ferrari 430 GT Autorlando Sport Porsche 911 GT3-RSR Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT Risi Competizione Ferrari 430 GT

Reserves:

PSI ExperienceCorvette C6-RGPC SportFerrari 430 GTIce Pol Racing TeamFerrari 430 GTTeam Felbermayr-ProtonPorsche 911 GT3-RSRThierry PerrierPorsche 911 GT3-RSRJMB RacingFerrari 430 GTChad Peninsula PanozPanoz EsperanteIMSA Performance MATMUTPorsche 911 GT3-RSR