Le Mans LMP2: How Riley is taking on the world

Among the 25 LMP2 teams set to embark on the 85th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours are fleets of ORECAs, Ligiers, Dallaras and Alpines (although the latter are really just ORECAs in fancy dress).

And then there's Keating Motorsport. The team, run by American Ben Keating, is running the only U.S.-designed and -built Riley Mk.30 Gibson in the race as part of the record class field. It's going to be anything but simple for the No.43 car.

At the Le Mans Test Day, two weeks ahead of the race proper, 13 of the 14 ORECA 07s dominated in performance terms: the first of the non-ORECAS finished 14th in the overall classification. The 07 isn't the fastest in a straight line (the Dallara earns that badge), but over a lap, it has proved to be seconds quicker than the Dallaras, Ligiers and Riley. But the Keating squad stuck to its own game plan, and gained valuable track time ahead of what could be the most exciting LMP2 races in years.

Driving the car is Keating himself, along with versatile Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen and IMSA star Ricky Taylor. The trio has only driven the car during its limited testing cycle over the past six weeks and for 38 laps on the Test Day, en route to 23rd in the LMP2 standings.

At this point it is far too early to judge the Riley's performance, as its Le Mans aero package in particular is very new.

"The aero kit had to be homologated in December," Riley Technologies president Bill Riley told RACER. "It was developed after the primary car, but developed alongside it. Keating has done just three tests, all with the new package."

For Riley and Multimatic, who together designed and manufactured the Mk.30 chassis, this year's Le Mans 24 Hours is of upmost importance. It's the first trip to the French endurance classic for the new-for-2017 LMP2 chassis, and a good race result will likely translate into a global boost in chassis sales.

"Coming to Le Mans for Riley, is of great importance," Riley added. "It's just as important as Daytona, where we had a car finish third. We've got work to do, but it's critical to have a car here, and do well.

"They [ORECA] dominated [on Test Day]. But it'll be interesting to see if we can catch them. Not going to the Monza test has left us with the most work to do, I think.

"We had too much downforce on the Keating Mk.30 on Test Day, so when we come back we'll pull some more downforce off it."

Despite the car only turning 38 laps at Test Day, Keating's crew knows that there's still much to unlock in the car's package. At Le Mans the team will have support from Riley, as well as IMSA team Visit Florida Racing, which is air-freighting parts to Le Mans for race week.

"Last year I raced with Murphy Prototypes in an ORECA 03R, which was a six-year-old car," Keating told RACER. "This year I've come with a new chassis, and I chose Riley because I had a good experience racing with their GT Viper. I have a lot of faith in the cars that Bill Riley builds.

"The actual delivery (of his Mk.30) was six weeks ago. We kept on pushing it back, hoping to make small improvements here and there as the deadline came up for Riley to have the final homologation completed for the ACO.

"We were able to run several tests, had no issues that you'd expect with a brand-new car, and we've heard a bit from the Rileys running in IMSA, to help ensure that we've come here with the best car we can."

Keating, Bleekemolen and Taylor all took part in the tests prior to the trip to France, and the feedback was positive. They were unable to get to any races with it, but with the running they had, they learnt a lot about the car's inherent tendencies, strengths and weaknesses.

"We shook it down at Road Atlanta for a day, did two days for New Orleans and a day and a half for Watkins Glen, all with the Le Mans aero," Taylor told RACER.

"The feeling is good, but Le Mans is all about the things you don't feel, like top speed, drag. The car gives you good feedback, it's very responsive to set up changes, so from that perspective it's positive. But we'll see how the pace is on race week.

"It's nimble, it does everything you want it to do. Here at Le Mans the track is easy to drive, with long straights and plenty of time to rest. The hard part is the mental side."

Taylor, like Keating and Bleekemolen, understands that as well as battling the circuit and racing with a new car, they'll also be up against a world-class prototype field, packed with teams from the World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series.

There are fewer variables in LMP2 than ever before too, with two tire-suppliers, a spec Gibson engine, no manufacturer involvement and just four chassis to choose from. The category is stacked, and that's before you factor in the many world-class driver line-ups. If the Riley can emerge from all of that with a good result, it will be a real achievement.

Among the 75 drivers are experienced Le Mans veterans, single-seater hopefuls, and fast amateurs, all trying to make for the best combination possible within the parameters of the driver-grading system, which is designed to ensure that each entry features a mix of pro and am drivers.

"The class is unbelievable," Taylor said. "We were looking at the timing screens before we set our first lap, and we weren't even on the board! The list of cars is so long, it's awesome. It's the class to be in really."

It's going to be a tough French campaign for Keating Motorsports, but with the capable hands of Bleekemolen, Keating and Taylor – who was touted by Bleekemolen to RACER as being in the form of his life after winning every IMSA race so far this season – a surprise result is possible.

Besides, the three of them were warmed up from racing in the WeatherTech round at Detroit the day before the Test Day, which forced them to continent-hop overnight on the Saturday, and jump straight in the car at La Sarthe just hours after landing.

"I hope being the only Riley works to our advantage," Keating concluded. "I hope that in the we're at the sharp end of the field. But we won't know where we are until race week."