Ferrari secured an eleventh victory on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the second in a row for the 499P after success in final yr’s Centenary race. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen within the #50 499P set the report. the French endurance classics alongside final yr’s winners Alessandro Piero Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi.
After a race closely affected by rain, Ferrari got here out on prime once more.
Let’s recall essentially the most attention-grabbing moments of this yr, during which 23 hypercars competed.
After storming to victory in final yr’s Centenary race, Ferrari had been clearly on the checklist of potential winners of the 92nd Le Mans 24 Hours. To nobody’s shock, the 499P was at all times properly positioned among the many entrance runners. Nevertheless, nobody anticipated that for essentially the most half the purple manufacturing unit vehicles performed second fiddle to the yellow automobile shared by Robert Kubica/Robert Shwartzman/Yifei Ye.
From the beginning, the #50 and #51 manufacturing unit vehicles set the tempo. Nicklas Nielsen in #50 took the lead from Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Laurens Vanthoor in #6 Porsche 963. Antonio Giovinazzi (#51 Ferrari 499P) adopted him and overtook the Belgian. A pair of manufacturing unit Ferrari 499Ps had been on prime after simply 13 minutes. A bit additional again, Robert Kubica (#83 Ferrari 499P) began the race simply as determinedly, shifting from twelfth to fifth place.
Nevertheless, the tifosi’s desires of complete supremacy of the prancing horse image had been dashed by the capricious climate.
When the primary drops of rain started to fall from the sky round 5:40 p.m., the groups needed to rapidly resolve on a method. A number of hypercars – such because the #51 Ferrari, #4 Porsche and #7 Toyota – switched to moist climate tires very early on. André Lotterer, who had already changed Laurens Vanthoor, made the identical alternative for the #6 Porsche 963. It turned out to be the unsuitable alternative. That is when Kubica got here into his personal. #83 499P was the one automobile to change to mushy slicks. When the monitor dried, Robert Shwartzman changed Kubica and took off. His lead stored rising lap after lap.
Last shootout
Seven hours earlier than the top, there have been nonetheless 11 vehicles within the lead-up lap that might nonetheless hope for victory. The rain stopped, the battle on this main group was intense, one combat after one other.
Not all producers had been able to combat. Cadillac misplaced two vehicles. An oil leak within the #3 Cadillac V-Sequence.R (Sébastien Bourdais/Renger van der Zande/Scott Dixon) and a spectacular crash for Pipo Derani within the #311 Cadillac V-Sequence.
Porsche additionally suffered. Felipe Nasr #4963 hit a tire wall at Indianapolis. The #5 and #6 963 vehicles held the tempo however appeared uncomfortable. The drivers could not elevate their sport to remove the tenths that make the distinction.
The tempo picked up at midday. Antonio Fuoco took lap 46 with a time of three:29.208. However at 12:15 Alex Palou (#2 Cadillac V-Sequence.R, Cadillac Racing) shocked the gang: 3:28.938 on lap 253 and was overshadowed on the next lap by Kamui Kobayashi (#7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid) (3:28.756) .
The rain returned earlier than 2:00 p.m. A number of locations turned to heavier drizzle within the first sector, from the end line to the chicane at Daytona. Brendon Hartley spun off on the Mulsanne nook within the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid after being hit by Alessandro Pier Guidi (#51 Ferrari 499P). Ferrari’s first and second place had been on the horizon. In the long run, even the red-painted Ferrari was cut up by Toyota GR010-Hybrid #7 with the crew of José María López/Kamui Kobayashi/Nyck de Vries. A lead of simply 14.221 seconds beneath the checkered flag!
United Autosports is again on a successful streak
LMP2 was broad open as a number of groups staked out their territory in an unpredictable battle over the course of 24 hours. Firstly of the race, Hyperpole winner Louis Delétraz led the AO within the TF #14 Oreca 07-Gibson. However as time handed and his fellow riders took the lead, the order modified. Because the groups adjusted their methods, Vector Sport #10 (Ryan Cullen/Patrick Pilet/Stéphane Richelmi) and AF Corse #183 (François Perrodo/Ben Barnicoat/Nicolas Varrone) took the lead.
Ben Keating, who had a earlier Le Mans victory to his identify, had a tough first relay and crashed out a number of occasions. He was a part of a high-profile lineup with teammates Filip Albuquerque and Ben Hanley.
On Sunday, the Inter Europol Competitors #34 and Cool Racing #37 groups rose to prominence, however beneath the checkered flag United Autosports took the honors for the primary time since 2020.
Porsche claimed its first victory in LMGT3
It was virtually unimaginable to foretell the result of this new class when the 9 automobile producers lined up on the grid within the LMGT3 class on Saturday. Lots of them topped the chief board sooner or later within the race. After their final victory at Le Mans in 1995, secured in wet situations, McLaren returned to repeat historical past. Inception Racing’s #70 720S LMGT3 Evo2 began from pole place in its class, however the automobile completed thirteenth. The #59 and #95 United Autosports groups – numbered as a reminder of McLaren’s previous victories – did not fare a lot better.
Lexus was within the highlight with the #78 and #87 RC F LMGT3 vehicles of Staff Akkodis ASP. It was an encouraging debut for the oldest GT3 on the grid, due to get replaced in 2026.
We had excessive hopes for Valentino Rossi within the #46 BMW M4 GT3. The a number of Moto GP champion led the race, helped by an awesome contribution from Maxim Martin at first of the race. Nevertheless, Ahmad Al Harthy misplaced management of the automobile on the best way out of the pits and precipitated injury that prevented him from persevering with. #31 is the only real survivor of the WRT clan.
The Ford Mustang had a outstanding debut and Proton Competitors obtained the very best out of the automobile. We are able to count on it to return again to win.
The Iron Dames have been impressively constant, with occasional forays into first place. Nevertheless it was Porsche that left its mark on this 92nd race. The badged automobile #92 held on all through the race however struggled with gearbox issues. The Manthey EMA #91 Porsche 911 took the lead with Yasser Shahin/Morris Schuring/Richard Lietz on the wheel. They set a formidable tempo and efficiently shook off the opposition, pushing all however the BMW #31 M4 GT3 again a lap.
Supply and photograph: 24 h LeMans.com
Outcomes of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2024