Le Mans Test Thursday Notebook

Photo: Laurent Mercier

***The pits have been full of activity today, with the majority of teams having arrived and unloading their cars for Sunday’s Le Mans Test Day. All three Porsche 919 Hybrids arrived, each in their distinctive liveries, while Audi had two of its R18 e-tron quattros present for a photo shoot. Toyota Gazoo Racing was not seen today.

***Kamui Kobayashi is listed as a fourth driver in the No. 1 Toyota TS040 Hybrid alongside Anthony Davidson, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, who is expected to be cleared to take part in the test tomorrow. A final decision on whether Nakajima will take part in the race is expected to be made next week.

***Two of the three Nissan GT-R LM NISMOs completed shakedowns at the Le Mans airport, with Jann Mardenborough handling driving duties of both of the red-liveried LMP1 cars.

***The Nissan LMP1 team has been bolstered by the addition of mechanics from the RJN Motorsports GT3 squad, who have been assigned to the No. 21 car. Former Tequila Patron ESM crew member Tone Leith, meanwhile, will serve as No. 1 mechanic on the third entry.

***Nissan GT Academy winner Gaëtan Paletou has been added to the Greaves Motorsport Gibson 015S Nissan this weekend alongside Bjorn Wirdheim, Gary Hirsch and Jon Lancaster. Like Nick McMillen, who will drive Team LNT’s Ginetta-Juno LMP3 car, it will mark the Frenchman’s first laps of Le Mans.

***While there’s no Garage 56 entry for this year’s race, an experimental car is expected in 2016 from quad amputee Frédéric Sausset, who is poised to drive an Audi-powered Morgan LMP2 car equipped with special controls. Sausset, who is still searching for the necessary budget, will drive a Ligier JS53 CN car on the Le Mans circuit between the two qualifying sessions on Thursday June 11.

***It’s been a busy few weeks for Romain Dumas, who is coming off a test in Morocco with a SMG buggy, as well as being at the grand opening of the new Porsche Driving Center at Moscow Raceway, where the Frenchman had the opportunity to drive his 2013 Le Mans GTE-Pro class-winning Porsche 911 RSR, as well as a Porsche 911 GT1-98.

***Former Le Mans Race Director Daniel Poissenot has released his book entitled “My Life in 24 Hours,” which features forwards from both Jacky Ickx and Tom Kristensen. Poissenot, who stepped down from his post following last year’s race, will have a book signing on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Le Casque in the Technoparc.

***The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky. will host a viewing party for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It will be one of only three locations in the world for such an event, joining events in Berlin and Tokyo.

Laurent Mercier contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John