And so, the end is nigh . .

Setting aside the often poorly attended "fly-away" races, in exotic locations like Interlagos (2007) or Istanbul (2005), this will be the third year that the Le Mans Series season has drawn to a close with an "end-of-term" event at Silverstone. In 2008 it was RML's turn to attract much of the media attention by turning up for the finalé with a new chassis. It seems hard to credit now that it was a mere twelvemonth ago that the svelte red, white and blue Lola Coupé made its debut.

On that occasion the RML AD Group entry was powered by the AER-designed MG XP-21 engine. It was the same unit that had enabled the team's open-topped EX265 chassis to remain in contention - almost - against the might of Porsche in LMP2. In its very first race, the aerodynamics of the new coupé bodystyle, combined with the meticulous preparation undertaken by Phil Barker and his equipe, enabled Mike and Tommy to record a highly creditable fourth place. Considering the negligible set-up time they'd had with the new car, that was a very encouraging start for the new car, and great things were anticipated.

That was the one and only appearance (to date, touch wood!) of the MG-powered Lola Coupé, and the car was designated the EX265C. A few weeks later, after months - years even - of lacklustre support and broken promises from the marque's new owners, the RML AD Group MG era came to an end. Instead, a brave new age dawned with the signing of a two-year engine deal with Mazda.

The MZR-R engine (left) was chosen because it represented a continuity of personnel, in as much as the unit was also designed by AER, and a greater potential for further development. Being in the later stages of its life, there was not a great deal that AER could do to prolong the competitiveness of the XP-21 without major investment and changes, yet the Mazda MZR-R was not only lighter (at just 74 kilograms), but was also fresh, new and already as powerful. It seemed an easy decision to make, especially as the swap involved the minimum of ancillary changes. In a matter of a few days after receipt of the first unit, the car was ready for testing.

As experience has now demonstrated, hopes may spring eternal, but the facts tell their own tale. The 2009 season has been an unrewarding one for Mike, Tommy and the hard working crew that prepares and maintains the team's Lola Mazda. From the very start of the season, when the team arrived at Paul Ricard for the first official test of the year, it was evident that there were going to be issues.

One of the most persistent problems of the 2008 season had been the incompatibility of the turbocharged engines with the regulation fuel supplied by the ACO. Teams had complained and assurances had been given that "something would be done", and in that light, everyone pressed on as best they could. Engines were de-tuned to give them a better chance of lasting six hours, and in the case of the XP-21, the unit's rugged construction and generous tolerance enabled the car to last better than most. Expecting the 2009 formulation to be more accommodating, the decision to go with another turbocharged engine seemed justified, but when samples first came through it was immediately evident that the E80 biofuel mix for 2009 was not an improvement. If anything it was worse, and once again, engines started to fail.

For the teams involved, it has been a frustrating and, at times, heartbreaking year. Heading up towards the final race at Silverstone, RML has experienced a total of eight engine failures over the course of a six-race season, including the Paul Ricard test. Other LMP2 teams, including Oak, Bruichladdich Radical, Kruse Schiller Motorsport and Pegasus Racing, have all suffered similar engine failures. This coming weekend will be the last chance for the turbo to shine in a Le Mans Series race this season. Let's hope it can.

The Lion Roars Again

As far as the media is concerned, the big story for Silverstone is the return to top-flight motorsport of "Il Leone", the Lion, "Our Nige". After several years supporting the careers of his two sons, Greg and Leo, Nigel himself is to step back into a serious cockpit and go racing. He and Greg will share the Team LNT Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S with Ginetta's owner and director, Lawrence Tomlinson.

The deal has been more than a year in the making. The two Mansells first tested the new LMP1 GZ chassis at Valencia in late 2008, sharing the car with Peter Hardman and Nick Leventis of Strakka Racing. The latter went on to buy one of the Ginetta-Zyteks, and have been campaigning the chassis all season, but there had been no further sign of interest from the former Grand Prix world champion and his 21-year-old son. Then, shortly before the last round at the Nürburgring, the official announcement was made, and the press has been in something of a spin ever since.

Revolution in France

Within the more confined circles of the motorsport industry, the excitement over Nigel Mansell's reappearance has been matched by the similar Phoenix-like return of what was once Embassy Racing. The sudden closure in September 2008 of what had been, for five or more years, one of the most high-profile and ebullient teams in GT and sportscar racing came as an unexpected shock. Team owner and founder Jonathan France was forced into taking the unpalatable step after one of the parent company's major creditors hit problems at the beginning of the "Credit Crunch". The entire outfit - cars, workshops, transporter, tools, the lot, went under the hammer.

Luckily, France was able to buy back the two unique Zytek-powered prototypes that the team had raced in 2008, and then start the process of rebuilding the team. It has taken nine steady months, but a fortnight ago the secret was finally out, and Team WFR strode confidently back onto the LMP2 stage. The name may have changed, and for now, just one car is entered in the season's last race at Silverstone, but Jonathan France is back. He also re-unites three of his top drivers from the last few seasons; Warren Hughes (who, with Mike and Tommy, won the LMP2 class at Le Mans with RML in 2005), Darren Manning and Jody Firth.

Le Mans in Japan

Elsewhere in the world of Le Mans and sportscar racing, a quick catch-up on news and events. The start of the Asian Le Mans Series is scheduled to get under way with two three-hour races at the Okayama circuit in Japan at the end of October, and 23 cars are now confirmed for the race. These constitute 11 prototypes (8 LMP1) and 12 GT cars (4 GT1) and include several entrants from the United States. However, the follow-up race originally scheduled for the following weekend in Shanghai has been cancelled.

New Regulations

The outline ACO's revised regulations for the 2010 season were revealed at a press conference staged during the Nürburgring weekend. Several elements of the proposed changes will have a bearing on RML AD Group's on-going LMP2 campaign, and a hard copy of the full paper in PDF format can be downloaded by visiting this link, but the main facts include:

Further clarification with regard to the aerodynamics and bodywork configurations of the front of LMP cars is expected soon.

F1's Loss is Sportscar's Gain

Looking further ahead, there are rumours that Toyota's disillusionment with Formula 1 may manifest itself in a return to prototype racing, probably as early as 2011, and possibly with a hybrid-powered car.

Audi's future in the top category is also in question, but only so much as there is now an expectation that the German marque may be considering a move towards a closed coupé. The R15 (left) has not been an instant winner (although it did prove victorious on its debut at Sebring) and troubles in the Le Mans 24 Hours, when the car was competently out-paced by the Peugeot 908, may have dampened Audi's enthusiasm for the open-topped variant.

On the Track - through the classes

LMP1: The end of year party looks to be going Aston's way this time. The challenge from Peugeot evaporated after the French manufacture struck gold at Le Mans, leaving the Le Mans Series crown open for Aston Martin to claim, and claim it they most assuredly will.

The manufacturer's title will almost certainly fall their way, while the 007 car's driver combination of Jan Charouz (CZ), Tomáš Enge (CZ) and Stefan Mücke (DE) will be hoping to secure enough points to win the driver's title. If they do, their success will come exactly fifty years after Aston Martin last dominated the world sportscar arena, after winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with the DBR1. The historic car is expected to be on show at Silverstone this weekend.

As at the Nürburgring, there will be three Aston Martin Lolas on the grid for the 1000 Kilometres, but they won't get everything their own way. Hot favourite for pole is Danny Watts in the Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek GZ09S. The team is based at the circuit, and both the team's drivers are local lads who know Silverstone better than any other track, and they'll be keen to deny Aston some of the glory on home turf.

A total of eleven LMP1 cars will be taking part. The two Kolles Audi R10s are back, and their performances improve race by race. Although lack of experience in endurance racing continues to add challenge to the driver line-up, the team is at last starting to find some of the pace that allowed the Audi factory to dominate so effectively in this same car for years. Oreca is back, having missed Germany, but with a single entry for Olivier Panis and Nicolas Lapierre - so no race for Bruno Senna.

LMP2: With the unexpected and last-minute withdrawal of the two Racing Box Lola Judds, the LMP2 field is down to a still-healthy twelve entrants, including the prodigal Team WFR.

The Yorkshire team has yet to reveal a new livery for the car, but has been out testing, and with some success, they claim. The car was becoming increasingly competitive in 2008, and as the season drew to a close had started to show considerable promise.

Beautifully constructed, the Peter Elleray designed WF-01 always looked the part, but reliability and a recurrent handling issue constantly dogged the team's race performances. In the months since the car last raced, that handling issue has been investigated and resolved, and the reliability of the Zytek engine package is now proven in the hands of ASM Quifel. It's unlikely to be a winner straight away, but with Warren Hughes at the wheel, a decent display can be expected.

It almost goes without saying now that ASM Quifel will take the title in LMP2 this season. The team's Ginetta-Zytek has been the class act in 2009, and with the absence of Racing Box - the only team with a chance of denying them that honour - the title is theirs.

RML, perhaps more than any other team in LMP2, will be looking to Silverstone as a venue to make up, in some small way, for a hugely disappointing season. The hint was there in the post-race comments after the Nürburgring race that something would have to change with regard to the engine package, but exactly how that might manifest itself remains to be seen. Whatever happens, Mike and Tommy will be hoping for a decent result, and hopefully, a representative podium. Anything less just won't do.

GT: The news last week that the Luc Alphand Adventures race transporter had been involved in a catastrophic fire, and one of the team's Corvettes had been burned beyond repair, threw a question mark over the French outfit's participation at Silverstone, but the top title contenders in GT1, Patrice Goueslard and Yann Clairay, remain on the entry list (left).

Taking the driver's title at the last event of the season would be some compensation for a dire two-month period which not only saw the fire destroy a historic Le Mans winning racecar, but Luc himself in hospital with a serious back injury.

Provided they race, it's unlikely that LAA's drivers can be denied the crown, but the class is up to three this weekend, with the addition of the Gigawave Aston Martin DBR9 and the return of the regular Larbre Competition Saleen.

A non-finish for title favourites Rob Bell and Gianmaria Bruni in the Nürburgring (right) has placed Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz on the front foot for the GT2 title. A win for the JMW Motorsport Ferrari guys, however, and a non-finish for the Team Felbermayr Proton Porsche crew, would reverse the fortunes once again, and see Bell retain the title he won with Virgo in 2008.

Lola Preview

On the Wednesday before the Silverstone 1000 Kilometres Lola Cars of Huntingdon staged a "preview" event in conjunction with Radio Le Mans. A full report on the day can be explored here, and a podcast of the discussion can be downloaded from the Radio Le Mans website.

The full LMP2 entry for Silverstone:

09:30 10:15 Formula Le Mans, Free Practice 1, 45'
10:30 11:30 Radical European Masters, Free Practice, 60'
12:30 13:00 CER, Free Practice, 30'
13:15 14:15 Le Mans Series, Free Practice 1, 60'
14:30 15:15 Formula Le Mans, Free Practice 2, 45'
15:30 16:00 Radical European Masters, Qualifying, 30'
16:15 16:45 CER, Qualifying 1, 30'
17:00 18:00 Le Mans Series, Free Practice 2, 60'

09:00 09:50 Formula Le Mans, Qualifying, 50'
10:00 11:00 Le Mans Series, Free practice 3, 60'
11:15 11:45 CER, Qualifying 2, 30'
11:45 12:30 Lunch Break, 30'
12:30 13:30 Formula Le Mans, Race 1, 60'
13:45 14:05 Le Mans Series, Qualifying "LM" GT1 & "LM" GT 2, 20'
14:10 14:30 Le Mans Series, Qualifying "LM" P1 & "LM" P 2, 20'
14:45 15:30 Radical European Masters, Race 1, 45'
15:45 16:45 CER, Race, 60'
17:00 18:00 Formula Le Mans, Race 2, 60'

09:00 09:15 Le Mans Series, Warm-Up, 15'
09:25 10:10 Radical European Masters, Race 2, 45'
09:45 10:15 Le Mans Series, Autograph Session
10:20 10:40 VIP track laps session, 20'
10:15 10:40 Le Mans Series, Pit walk (gate closed 10' before end), 25'
10:50 Le Mans Series, Pits open
10:50 Le Mans Series, Grid walk opening 30'
11:05 Le Mans Series, Pits closed
11:20 Le Mans Series, Grid walk closing
11:35 17:35 Le Mans Series, Race Start, 195 Laps + formation lap