With the absence of Audi after so many years, out of interest, I thought I would look back at 2005 and compare it with 2017. Before you ask, 2005 was the first year I took my Aston, and the first year the wife came with me, I'd been with friends half a dozen times on and off before then, but it's been non-stop since 2005. I still have both by the way.
Anyway there was a 49 car grid in 2005 made up of 38 teams.
This year there is a 60 car grid made up of 39 teams (or 38 if you count the two Ford teams as one). So a few more multicar teams now.
Teams are based on name, as I know that AF Corse run most of the Ferraris under a different names, so don't get all pedantic on me!
But, only four teams made it all the way from 2005 to 2017! Three from GT, AMR, Corvette, Larbre, and just the one prototype team, Jota.
It was a bit of an eye opener as I wouldn't have said that 34 teams from 2005 had either folded or changed disciplines, but there you go.