Riley Motorsports will make its return to Le Mans this year for the first time since 2013 when it fielded the a pair of Vipers as a factory effort in GTE-Pro. The team has been on standby since February with high hopes that they would be allowed to join the field, as they sat at the top spot of the reserve list. This week, after one of Team SARD-Morand’s Morgan LMP2 EVOs withdrew from the event, the Riley team was given the green light and granted entry into the endurance classic.

The Viper team has high hopes for the event, bolstered by a strong start to their year in the United SportsCar Championship where they took the top podium spot in the Rolex 24 in the GTD class, and came close to winning at Sebring before they were forced to pit.

Images: FCA

The team missed the FIA WEC season opener at Silverstone last weekend, which Sportscar365 reports as being due to “administrative and legal issues”, but the team is on board for next month’s Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, albeit with one entry.

Team drivers Jeroen Bleekemolen and Ben Keating will be joined by an as-yet unannounced third driver, and have just returned from last week’s shakedown testing of the car at Road Atlanta.

“We knew we had a chance, being the first reserve entry, but nothing is certain until you get the confirmation,” Bleekemolen said. “The team is working hard to prepare, we even tested the car already. Our third driver isn’t one that brings money, but simply the best available driver. Winning the race is our aim, but it won’t be easy to do that.”