DREAMS of pitching Morgan's Aero 8 sports car against the best Porsche and Ferrari have to offer at Le Mans have been dashed by race administrators.

Managing director Charles Morgan had planned to pilot the car in the 24-hour event but the Malvern-based firm has been told it will not be allowed to race.

Sales and marketing director Matthew Parkin said staff were bitterly disappointed at the decision.

"We put such a lot of effort in," he said. "We were going flat out to get a car ready but we just haven't got an entry."

Mr Parkin said that the race's governing body, Automobile Club Ouest, had not given a reason for excluding the team and was not obliged to do so. There is no way to appeal against the decision.

Mr Morgan, who would have been competing in the race for the first time, had lined up as co-drivers British GT star Martin Short and Matt Griffin, a rising young Irish driver who has already made a name for himself in Formula Renault.

The arm of the company behind the Morgan race race team, Aero Racing, has not so far had its sponsorship affected by the Le Mans decision. Morgan Motor Company itself had no direct financial involvement.

Mr Parkin said many motor racing fans would be disappointed with the decision not to allow the Aero 8 to compete at Le Mans. This is partly because - unusually for cars at the event - around 80 per cent of the track car is the same as the road-going versions available from the Pickersleigh Road factory.

Morgan competed at La Mans last year with the Aero 8 for the first time since its class-winning performances with its Plus 8 and 4/4 sports cars in the 1960s.

The team is now considering entering other races, including another 24-hour event at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium.