2023-06-08 10:33:02
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is just around the corner and the legendary endurance race will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2023. With a huge grid of 62 cars in all three classes, this weekend at Circuit de Sarthe will once more feature many drivers who have previously graced the F1 grid.
Eighteen drivers who have competed in a Formula 1 Grand Prix will take to the French circuit this weekend. Here are the drivers to watch and where they will be competing. ■Sébastien Bourdais, a three-time runner-up in the Hypercar Sébastien Bourdais Mann, won the GTE Pro in 2016 and will be entering the top class for the first time since 2012, aiming for an outright victory. Bourdais’ success in F1 for a season and a half with Toro Rosso in 2008 and 2009 has come in various other categories, including four Champ Car titles, the 24 Hours of Daytona and an IndyCar win. He will drive the #3 Cadillac alongside Renger van der Zande and six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon. André Lotterer Lotterer’s F1 career ended with just one start in the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix, where he qualified ahead of regular driver Marcus Ericsson in qualifying, but raced on the first lap following Caterham’s electrical failure. has ended. The race was a one-time appearance for the German, who has won Le Mans three times in the past and has enjoyed incredible success at the Sarthe circuit. He will race in the #6 Porsche Penske for the first time since 2019 alongside Kevin Estle and Lawrence Vanthoor. Kamui Kobayashi Former Sauber and Caterham, popular since his F1 days for his brave overtaking, has recently taken on the dual role of driver and team principal for Toyota’s WEC team. The jubilant Japanese driver, who scored his only F1 podium at his home Grand Prix at Suzuka in 2012, is set to return to Le Mans in 2021 following finishing on the podium four times in his last five attempts at the endurance jewel. finally won the victory. He will once once more partner with his longtime teammates Mike Conway and José María López in the No. 7 Toyota car this weekend. Sebastien Buemi Sébastien Buemi spent three seasons in F1 with Toro Rosso, but ultimately the Swiss driver was denied a senior seat at Red Bull and moved on to other challenges at the end of 2011. However, his success since has been impressive, winning four Endurance World Championships, a Formula E title and four Le Mans crowns. He will partner Ryo Hirakawa and Brendon Hartley in the #8 Toyota. Brendon Hartley Brendon Hartley embarked on his path to Formula 1 in a very unheard-of way, and following a long stint as a reserve driver, he had a fantastic endurance racing career until he got the chance to drive for Toro Rosso for the first time at the end of 2017. have made a career. After spending full time with Toro Rosso in 2018, he returned to endurance racing and has already enjoyed great success with four World Endurance Championship titles and three outright victories at Le Mans. Will Stephens Former Manor driver Will Stephens probably never got the chance to show his full potential in Formula 1 following a lone start at Caterham and a sluggish 2015. Two-time class winner in the GTE Am and LMP2, Stevens stepped up to the premier class of the Sarthe circuit for the first time this year as part of the #38 Jota line-up alongside Antonio Felix da Costa and Yifei Yeh. do. Antonio Giovinazzi After three seasons with Alfa Romeo and a best-place finish of 5th at Interlagos in 2019, Giovinazzi left the F1 grid with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen at the end of 2021, but will remain Ferrari’s reserve driver. He will remain as a driver and drive for Ferrari in his return to Le Mans this year. The Ferrari 499P has shown clear pace in testing at the Sarto circuit, driving the #51 car alongside Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado. Felipe Nasse Former Sauber driver Felipe Nasr turned to sports car racing following two seasons in F1 in the mid-2010s, scoring 29 points. After leaving F1, he won two IMSA titles and this will be his fourth attempt at Le Mans, but following three LMP2 runs, it will be his first time in the top class and the hypercar Porsche Penn. Teamed up with Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy in ski #75. Paul di Resta 2After driving for Force India from 2011 to 2013, Paul di Resta transitioned from driver to Sky Sports pundit following completing his full-time driving career in Formula 1. He has a full race schedule, including the Le Mans series. Di Resta, who currently drives a Peugeot hypercar, won the LMP2 class at Le Mans in 2020 and will aim even higher this weekend with Mikkel Jensen in car #93 and another familiar face. become. Jean-Eric Vergne Vergne, one of the former Formula 1 drivers who spent several years with Toro Rosso, scored 51 points in three seasons with the Red Bull junior team. After leaving the team at the end of 2014, he won two Formula E titles, combined with an endurance racing schedule, and several campaigns in LMP2 before stepping up to hypercars with Peugeot last year. Jack Aitken Reserve driver Jack Aitken was called up to Williams just once when regular driver George Russell was pulled into the Mercedes garage as a stand-in for Covid-infected Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Sahil GP. rice field. It was Aitken’s only F1 start so far, and it was a difficult night to rush around the outer circuit of Bahrain. He has participated in various race schedules so far this year, including starts in the DTM, IMSA and now Le Mans. This weekend he will drive the #311 Action Express Racing Cadillac alongside Luis Felipe Delani and Alexander Sims. Esteban Gu…
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