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Le Mans / ALMS
LE MANS: Audi Wins Frantic LM24
Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Loic Duval take win in rain-soaked and tragic 90th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans...
Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen, Loic Duval and Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich celebrate an emotional victory at Le Mans. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
Audi claimed its 12th overall victory and Tom Kristensen re-wrote the record books with his 9th career win, but those were just two of the many storylines from an unpredictable and tragic 90th anniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Kristensen took his No. 2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro across the line for top honors for he and co-drivers Allan McNish and Loic Duval, in what was a frantic final 90 minutes due to intermittent rain showers.
The race-winning diesel-powered hybrid made a series of late stops for tires prior to the final restart with 30 minute to go, which saw the No. 8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid of Sebastien Buemi briefly get back on the lead lap.
Kristensen, however, would overtake Buemi on the second-to-last lap, ensuring a one-lap victory for the German manufacturer, it's fourth consecutive in the world's greatest endurance race.
It was an extremely emotional day for the 45-year-old Dane, and the rest of the 56-car field, as an early race accident took the life of Aston Martin Racing driver Allan Simonsen. It was the first driver fatality in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in nearly 30 years.
"For me, Le Mans was filled with very personal emotions this time," Kristensen said. I'’m proud to drive for the world'’s best team.. Now this dream has come true again, winning the fastest and toughest race under the direction of Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. Unfortunately, we lost someone yesterday who had the same dream. He was a very modest and nice person. That’s why I’'m experiencing highs and lows this time."
The No. 8 Toyota of Buemi and co-drivers Stephane Sarrazin and Anthony Davidson came home second, securing the Japanese manufacturer's first 24-hour race finish and podium with its gasoline-powered hybrid prototype.
There very well could have been two Toyotas on the podium, if for not a late-race accident by Nicolas Lapierre, who went off in damp conditions at the Porsche Curves. The Frenchman limped his No. 7 TS030 Hybrid back to the pits and managed to finish fourth overall.
Third went to the No. 3 Audi of Oliver Jarvis, Marc Gene and Lucas Di Grassi, which lost time in the seventh hour with a puncture and trip to the garage for bodywork repairs.
Audi's No. 1 car of two-time and defending race winners Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler lost more than 40 minutes in the garage, also in the seventh hour, due to alternator issues and came home fifth.
Strakka Racing celebrated top honors in the LMP1 Privateer category, winning the race of survival after issues for both of the Rebellion Racing Lola B12/60 Toyotas.
Danny Watts, Jonny Kane and Nick Leventis took their HPD ARX-03c to a respectable sixth place overall result, overcoming a water leak and tire puncture overnight to score the first-ever official class victory for LMP1 privateers at Le Mans.
The No. 13 Rebellion Racing entry of Andrea Belicchi, Mathias Beche and CongFu Cheng was en route to victory until Belicchi suffered a massive crash at the second chicane with less than six hours to go.
The Italian limped the car back to the pits, later to be diagnosed with broken ribs from the high-speed accident. The car would finish 41st overall, one position behind the class-favorite No. 12 entry of Neel Jani, Nicolas Prost and Nick Heidfeld, which battled an oil leak, vibration and clutch issues.
OAK Racing scored a dominant 1-2 sweep in LMP2, with its No. 35 Morgan-Nissan of Bertrand Baguette, Martin Plowman and Ricardo Gonzalez securing the French squad's first class victory in FIA World Endurance Championship competition.
It didn't come, however, without some late-race drama, when Baguette suffered an off during the initial sudden downpour. However, he managed to get the car back to the pits for rain tires and continue unscathed.
The Belgian edged out teammate Olivier Pla by one-lap for the monumental maiden Le Mans win for the Jacques Nicolet-led squad, a stalwart of Le Mans-style prototype racing for the last half-decade.
“Since the start of the season, we have been working towards this race," Gonzalez said. "You always hope you can win, without ever daring to believe it. I’m really pleased for my teammates and especially for the OAK Racing team. Jacques Nicolet has invested a great deal in this project and I’m proud to have helped to secure this first win for him.”
Pole-sitter Pla shared the wheel of the second placed finishing entry with Alex Brundle and David Heinemeier Hansson, another Dane on the podium dedicating the race their fallen countryman.
The No. 26 G-Drive Racing by Delta-ADR Oreca 03 Nissan of John Martin, Mike Conway and Roman Rusinov was third, with all three podium finishers having an effectively trouble-free race.
Thirteen of the 22 starters in LMP2 were classified at the end of the race, with Nissan power sweeping the top-five positions in class.
Kristensen took his No. 2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro across the line for top honors for he and co-drivers Allan McNish and Loic Duval, in what was a frantic final 90 minutes due to intermittent rain showers.
The race-winning diesel-powered hybrid made a series of late stops for tires prior to the final restart with 30 minute to go, which saw the No. 8 Toyota TS030 Hybrid of Sebastien Buemi briefly get back on the lead lap.
Kristensen, however, would overtake Buemi on the second-to-last lap, ensuring a one-lap victory for the German manufacturer, it's fourth consecutive in the world's greatest endurance race.
It was an extremely emotional day for the 45-year-old Dane, and the rest of the 56-car field, as an early race accident took the life of Aston Martin Racing driver Allan Simonsen. It was the first driver fatality in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in nearly 30 years.
"For me, Le Mans was filled with very personal emotions this time," Kristensen said. I'’m proud to drive for the world'’s best team.. Now this dream has come true again, winning the fastest and toughest race under the direction of Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. Unfortunately, we lost someone yesterday who had the same dream. He was a very modest and nice person. That’s why I’'m experiencing highs and lows this time."
The No. 8 Toyota of Buemi and co-drivers Stephane Sarrazin and Anthony Davidson came home second, securing the Japanese manufacturer's first 24-hour race finish and podium with its gasoline-powered hybrid prototype.
There very well could have been two Toyotas on the podium, if for not a late-race accident by Nicolas Lapierre, who went off in damp conditions at the Porsche Curves. The Frenchman limped his No. 7 TS030 Hybrid back to the pits and managed to finish fourth overall.
Third went to the No. 3 Audi of Oliver Jarvis, Marc Gene and Lucas Di Grassi, which lost time in the seventh hour with a puncture and trip to the garage for bodywork repairs.
Audi's No. 1 car of two-time and defending race winners Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler lost more than 40 minutes in the garage, also in the seventh hour, due to alternator issues and came home fifth.
Strakka Racing celebrated top honors in the LMP1 Privateer category, winning the race of survival after issues for both of the Rebellion Racing Lola B12/60 Toyotas.
Danny Watts, Jonny Kane and Nick Leventis took their HPD ARX-03c to a respectable sixth place overall result, overcoming a water leak and tire puncture overnight to score the first-ever official class victory for LMP1 privateers at Le Mans.
The No. 13 Rebellion Racing entry of Andrea Belicchi, Mathias Beche and CongFu Cheng was en route to victory until Belicchi suffered a massive crash at the second chicane with less than six hours to go.
The Italian limped the car back to the pits, later to be diagnosed with broken ribs from the high-speed accident. The car would finish 41st overall, one position behind the class-favorite No. 12 entry of Neel Jani, Nicolas Prost and Nick Heidfeld, which battled an oil leak, vibration and clutch issues.
OAK Racing scored a dominant 1-2 sweep in LMP2, with its No. 35 Morgan-Nissan of Bertrand Baguette, Martin Plowman and Ricardo Gonzalez securing the French squad's first class victory in FIA World Endurance Championship competition.
It didn't come, however, without some late-race drama, when Baguette suffered an off during the initial sudden downpour. However, he managed to get the car back to the pits for rain tires and continue unscathed.
The Belgian edged out teammate Olivier Pla by one-lap for the monumental maiden Le Mans win for the Jacques Nicolet-led squad, a stalwart of Le Mans-style prototype racing for the last half-decade.
“Since the start of the season, we have been working towards this race," Gonzalez said. "You always hope you can win, without ever daring to believe it. I’m really pleased for my teammates and especially for the OAK Racing team. Jacques Nicolet has invested a great deal in this project and I’m proud to have helped to secure this first win for him.”
Pole-sitter Pla shared the wheel of the second placed finishing entry with Alex Brundle and David Heinemeier Hansson, another Dane on the podium dedicating the race their fallen countryman.
The No. 26 G-Drive Racing by Delta-ADR Oreca 03 Nissan of John Martin, Mike Conway and Roman Rusinov was third, with all three podium finishers having an effectively trouble-free race.
Thirteen of the 22 starters in LMP2 were classified at the end of the race, with Nissan power sweeping the top-five positions in class.
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