Tokyo-The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. today announced that it will support five teams in the Monza 1000 km, the first race in the 2004 Le Mans Endurance Series, to be held on Sunday, May 9 at the Monza Circuit in Italy.

The company will support ADVAN KONDO Racing in the LMP1 Class, and Choroq Racing, Seikel Motorsport (2 cars), and T2M Motorsport in the LM-GT Class. ADVAN KONDO Racing will use specially-developed racing tires, and the other three teams will be provided with tires based on the tires used in the Japan GT Championship, specially modified for the Le Mans Endurance Series to enhance wear resistance. T2M Motorsport's driver in the LM-GT Class is Vanina Ickx, daughter of Jackie (Jacques-Bernard Ickx), who holds the record for an unparalleled six victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Monza 1000 km is one of the races in the Le Mans Endurance Series held by the ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest), and is related to the American Le Mans Series and the FIA-GT Championship. From 2005, the 24 Hours of Le Mans will consist of 48 entries, 28 of which will be the class winners and second place winners in each of these series, and 20 will be selected by the ACO based on performance in four races (including the previous year's 24 Hours of Le Mans). This makes the Monza 1000 km a very important race for teams aiming for a place in the Le Mans 24 Hours. Entry categories are the same as those for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Prototype Class (LMP1/LMP2) for cars that are specially designed for racing, and the GT Class (LM-GTS/LM-GT) for production-based cars.

The Monza Circuit, which is also the home of the F1 Italian Grand Prix, is a 5.793 km high-speed course. It has a succession of long straits and fast corners that give it a reputation for being particularly hard on both drivers and their vehicles.

Yokohama Tire-Mounted Car List for Le Mans