24.04.2004 Scruitineering has kicked off at Le Mans ahead of Sunday's pre-qualifying sessions & the Pagani Zonda sportscar has appeared for the first time this year

Le Mans preliminary practice and pre-qualifying got underway yesterday with the first scruitineering session. The full track action will take place on Sunday, held over two four hour sessions, after a second day of scrutineering checks is undertaken today.

Yesterday revealed the Pagani Zonda GR sportscar for the first time this year, the Italian GTS class supercar now running in the hands of Phillipe Alliot's experienced Force One Racing outfit. Former French Renault F1 driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille has been drafted in to assist running the Le Mans program.

The no 60 Zonda, which has appeared in an unsponsored dark blue colour scheme will be driven tomorrow by French racers David Hallyday and Bruno Besson, and Dutchman Anthony Kumpen.

Hallyday, also a popular French singer, experienced his first Le Mans 24 Hours last year at the wheel of an Alliot-run Courage, while Anthony Kumpen, who will be making his four Le Mans start, has been closely involved with the Carsports Zonda development program and last year drove the Zonda during its very brief race appearance in the 24 Hour classic.

Also new in GTS is the Labre Competition-run Prodrive-built Ferrari 550 Maranello. The established sportscar team have drafted in two highly experienced French pilots, Christophe Bouchet and Partric Goueslard.

Bouchet, will be starting his twelfth Le Mans this year, and has previously driven with Gouselard on three occasions. Gouselard, with two Le Mans starts less than Bouchet, last year contested the French FFSA Sportscar series and has been a regular in the Daytona 24 Hours over the years.

Prodrive will be taking part on Sunday with their highly talented line-up. Established sportscar stars Peter Kox, Alain Menu, Darren Turner, Rickard Rydell and Tomas Enge, will be joined by former World Rally Champion Colin McRae who will be receive his Le Mans baptism.

Completing the GTS class are a pair of Ferrari 575 GTC racers from Barron Connor, who also boast a strong line-up.

In the smaller GT class Cirtek Motorsport will run their Ferrari 360 Modena for Dave Mountain and Rob Wilson.

While Dave Mountain is a very inexperienced racer, New Zealander Rob Wilson has had a long career mainly in US sportscar racing, although he has only ever made one appearance at Le Mans, exactly ten years ago at the wheel of the British Harrier-Ford. Ferrari stalwarts

French team XL Racing have now elected to withdraw their GT class Ferrari 550 Maranello, leaving JMB Racing to complete the Ferrari running class entries with their 360 Modena.