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from https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/109133/le-mans-24-hours-f1-jenson-button-daniil-kvyat-sebastien-buemi-kamui-kobayashi/

An ex-World champion and failed Red Bull prodigies - The former F1
drivers to watch at Le Mans

Joe Ellis
Wednesday 7 June 2023 22:57
There may be no Formula 1 action this weekend (10-11 June) but that
doesn't mean you can have a week away from the TV.

The greatest endurance race in the world, and one-third of the 'Triple
Crown', will mark its centenary in the 91st edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Only World War Two (1940-1948) and worker strikes (1936) have prevented
this event from taking place at some stage or another and it has become
the place for some forgotten F1 drivers to make their mark on the
motorsport landscape.

Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg have both gone and won this race
before returning to F1 which might not be out of the question for some
on the grid in 2023.

GPFans takes a look at the former F1 drivers taking part this year.

READ MORE: Tom Brady has a new team as NFL GOAT gets in on Le Mans action


Sebastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley are aiming to claim another Le Mans
win with Toyota
Who's who Hypercar
The fastest cars on the World Endurance Championship grid are the new
Hypercars and there is a sea of famous names in both drivers and teams.

Toyota has dominated the season so far with the likes of Sebastien Buemi
and Brendon Hartley in the number eight car and Kamui Kobayashi in the
number seven.

Ferrari has two entries of their own with Antonio Giovinazzi one of
three drivers in the number 51 while Cadillac bring a new entry with
Sebastien Bourdais, formerly of Toro Rosso, behind the wheel.

READ MORE: Giovinazzi earns surprise Ferrari reprieve

Jack Aitken, who briefly filled in for Williams during 2020, will also
drive a customer Cadillac while Felipe Nasr, Will Stevens and Andre
Lotterer are both driving Porsche's Hypercar, albeit in different teams.

Finally, at Peugeot, Paul Di Resta leads the way for the number 93 where
he will be joined by Jean-Eric Vergne.

LMP2
Just below the Hypercar class is LMP2, which is set to be dropped
entirely when the Hypercar grid gets big enough, and there are more
familiar F1 faces here.


Daniil Kvyat will be among the favourites to win the LMP2 class with
PREMA Racing
Daniil Kvyat is one who will move to Hypercar in 2024 with Lamborghini
but for now, he races for PREMA alongside Mirko Bortolotti and French
female racer Doriane Pin.

Rober Kubica also appears in LMP2 for Team WRT while Pietro Fittipaldi,
who also filled in for Haas during 2020, races for JOTA.

READ MORE: Button on NASCAR debut: 40 per cent of it 'felt SILLY'

NASCAR Innovation
The only 'Innovative' entry to the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours is the Garage
56 NASCAR, which has been adapted to improve cornering ability.

Behind the wheel in a star-studded lineup will be 2009 F1 world champion
Jenson Button, who also raced in NASCAR at the Circuit of the Americas
earlier this year.

Joining Button in the entry are seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion
Jimmie Johnson and German touring car ace Mike Rockenfeller.

READ MORE: Nico Rosberg: Sky F1 pundit and former world champion

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