Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Track action at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun today with the #1 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Neel Jani setting the pace in the first 4-hour Free Practice session. 

In hot conditions, with the sun beating down and temperatures at 30 degrees, Jani’s lap of 3m20.362 was 0.604seconds faster than the no7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid of Kamui Kobayashi, with the no2 Porsche of Earl Bamber third quickest with a lap time of 3m21.687 on the 13.6km track at La Sarthe.

Ferrari was the quickest of the four LMGTE manufacturers competing in the FIA GT World Endurance Championship with the no71 F488 of Sam Bird posting a 3m54.832 lap, 0.4 seconds ahead of the no97 Aston Martin of Darren Turner and 0.7 seconds ahead of the no51 Ferrari 488 of James Calado

The 25 strong LMP2 grid was headed by the no26 G-Drive Racing Oreca07-Gibson, with Alex Lynn setting a 3m30.363 lap, 1.3 seconds ahead of the no13 Vaillante Rebellion Oreca of Mathias Beche and the no31 Vaillante Rebellion of Bruno Senna just 0.083s behind his teammate.  The two Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca’s were 4th and 5th fastest with the no38 Oreca of Ho Pin Tung just 0.261s ahead of Tristan Gommendy in the no37 car.

The no98 Aston Martin was once again at the top of the LMGTE Am class with Pedro Lamy posting a 3m56.082, which was faster than seven of the LMGTE Pro class cars including all four Fords and both Porsches.  The no83 DH Racing Ferrari was second quickest with Andrea Bertolini setting a 3m57.540 lap, 1.5 seconds behind the lead Aston Martin.  The no84 JMW Motorsport Ferrari F488 was third quickest, 0.066s behind the DH Racing Ferrari and 0.183s ahead of the no60 Clearwater Racing Ferrari.

The first of three 2-hour qualifying sessions will get underway at 22h00later today, with Q2 and Q3 taking place tomorrow evening.

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Toyota Gazoo Racing head into the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans with a 1-2-3 ahead Porsche in the official test at La Sarthe today.  The final 4-hour session was red flagged with 5-minutes remaining after the no25 CEFC Manor TRS Racing Oreca-Gibson stopped on track leaking oil and the session was brought to an end.

Kamui Kobayashi set the fastest lap in the no7 Toyota TS050, lapping the 13.6km circuit in a time of 3m18.132, well inside the fastest lap time of 3m21.375 set during last year’s test by the no8 Audi R18 and and 1.6 seconds quicker than last year’s pole position time of 3m19.733.

The no8 Toyota TS050 was second fastest, with championship leader Sebastien Buemi setting a time1.158 seconds behind the lead car and 2.2 seconds ahead of the no9 Toyota of Jose Maria Lopez.  The two Porsche 919s were fourth and fifth fastest with the no2 car finishing 3.380 seconds behind the lead Toyota with the no1 Porsche another six tenths further back.

In LMGTE Pro the no91 Porsche 911 was the quickest of the WEC contenders with Fred Makowiecki posting a 3m54.996, but the French driver was only second quickest in the class with the no64 Chevrolet Corvette of Oliver Gavin posting the best class time of 3m54.701.  The no92 Porsche was third quickest just 0.003 behind the sister car with the no63 Corvette in 4th place.  The two Aston Martins were 5th and 6thfollowed by the two Ferraris.

In LMP2 the no35 Signatech Alpine A470-Gibson led the way in the 25 car class, with Nelson Panciatici setting a 3m28.146 lap, 0.7 seconds ahead of the no24 CEFC Manor TRS Racing Oreca-Gibson of Jean Eric Vergne and the no37 Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca-Gibson of Alex Brundle in third place.

Aston Martin leave the official test as the fastest car in the LMGTE Am class with the no98 Vantage of Pedro Lamy setting a time of 3m58.250, just 0.052 ahead of the no50 Larbre Competition Corvette of Fernando Rees and 0.2 seconds ahead of the no77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 of Matteo Cairoli.

The teams will now gather in Le Mans in one week’s time in the Place de la Republique for le Pesage on Sunday 11 June, which kicks off a week of motor sport celebrations, culminating in the start of 85th edition of the 24 Heures du Mans at 15h00 on Saturday 17 June.

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

WEC, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 heures du Mans, FIA, Motorsport

Lap distance:     13.629 km

Race duration: 24 hours

Location: Situated 200km from Paris, Le Mans is located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.

Other Races: Road to Le Mans – Porsche Carrera Cup

 

WINNERS

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

LMP1

Fässler / Lotterer / Tréluyer

no1 Audi Sport Team Joest

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (M)

378 laps

Kristensen / Duval / McNish

no2 Audi Sport Team Joest

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (M)

348 laps

Fässler / Lotterer / Tréluyer

No2 Audi Sport Team Joest

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (M)

379 laps

Hulkenberg/ Bamber/ Tandy

No19 Porsche Team

Porsche 919 Hybrid (M)

395 laps

Dumas / Lieb / Jani

No2 Porsche Team

Porsche 919 Hybrid (M)

384 laps

LMP2

Potolicchio / Dalziel / Kimber-Smith

no44 Starworks Motorsports

HPD ARX 03b – Honda (D)

354 laps

Baguette / Gonzalez / Plowman

no35 Oak Racing

Morgan – Nissan

329 laps

Dolan / Tincknell / Turvey

no38 Jota Sport **

Zytek Z11SN – Nissan (D)

356 laps

Howson / Bradley / Lapierre

No47 KCMG

Oreca 05-Nissan

358 laps

Menezes / Lapierre / Richelmi

No36 Signatech Alpine

Alpine A460-Nissan (D)

357 laps

LMGTE Pro

Bruni / Fisichella / Vilander

no51 AF Corse

Ferrari F458 Italia (M)

336 laps

Dumas / Lieb / Lietz

no92 Porsche Team Manthey

Porsche 911 RSR

315 laps

Bruni / Fisichella / Vilander

no51 AF Corse

Ferrari F458 Italia (M)

339 laps

Gavin / Milner / Taylor

No64 Corvette Racing – GM**

Chevrolet Corvette C7R

337 laps

Hand / Muller / Bourdais

Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA **

Ford GT (M)

340 laps

LMGTE Am

Bornhauser / Canal / Lamy

no50 Larbre Competition

Chevrolet Corvette C6-ZR1 (M)

329 laps

Narac / Bourret / Vernay

no76 IMSA Performance Matmut **

Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

306 laps

Poulsen / Heinemeier Hansson / Thiim

no95 Aston Martin Racing

Aston Martin Vantage V8  (M)

334 laps

Shaytar / Bertolini / Basov

No72 SMP Racing

Ferrari 458 Italia

332 laps

Sweedler / Bell / Segal

No62 Scuderia Corsa

Ferrari 458 Italia (M)

331 laps

 

POLE POSITION

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

LMP1

A. Lotterer

no1 Audi Sport Team Joest

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (M)

3:23.787

L. Duval

no2 Audi Sport Team Joest

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (M)

3:22.349

K. Nakajima

No7 Toyota Racing

Toyota TS 040 – Hybrid (M)

3:21.789

N. Jani

No18 Porsche Team

Porsche 919 Hybrid (M)

3:16.887

N. Jani

No2 Porsche Team

Porsche 919 Hybrid (M)

3:19.733

LMP2

J. Martin

no25 Delta-ADR

Oreca 03 - Nissan (D)

3:38.181

O. Pla

No24 Oak Racing

Morgan – Nissan (D)

3:38.621

O. Pla

no26 G-Drive Racing

Morgan-Nissan (D)

3:38.843

R. Bradley

No47 KCMG

Oreca 05-Nissan

3:38.032

R. Rast

No26 G-Drive Racing

Oreca 05-Nissan

3:36.605

LMGTE Pro

F. Makowiecki

no59 Luxury Racing

Ferrari F458 Italia (M)

3:55.393

F. Makowiecki

no99 Aston Martin Racing

Aston Martin Vantage V8 (M)

3:54.635

G. Bruni

no51 AF Corse

Ferrari F458 Italia (M)

3:54.754

R. Stanaway

No99 Aston Martin Racing

Aston Martin Vantage V8

3:54.928

D. Muller

Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA **

Ford GT

3:51.185

LMGTE Am

Patrick Pilet

no79 Flying Lizard Motorsports **

Porsche 911 RSR (997) (M)

3:57.594

A. Simonsen

no95 Aston Martin Racing

Aston Martin Vantage V8 (M)

3:57.776

A. Bertolini

no72 SMP Racing **

Ferrari 458 Italia (M)

3:56.787

P. Lamy

No98 Aston Martin Racing

Aston Martin Vantage V8

3:55.102

R. Bell

No61 Clearwater Racing

Ferrari F458 Italia

3:56.827

LAP RECORDS

LMP1

A. Lotterer

Audi R18 e-tron quattro

3m17.475

248.2kph

13-14 June 2015

LMP2

R. Mehri

Oreca 05  – Nissan

3m36.259

226.9kph

18-19 June 2016

LMGTE Pro

S. Dixon

Aston Martin Vantage V8

3m51.514

211.9kph

18-19 June 2016

LMGTE Am

C. Nygaard

Aston Martin Vantage V8

3m54.480

209.2kph

14-15 June 2014

DID YOU KNOW?

2017 will be 85th edition of the 24 Heures du Mans. The first race was held in 1923.

  • 17.262 km (10.726 Miles) was the length of the original circuit in 1923. It was shortened in 1929 and again in 1932.
  • The city of Le Mans has hosted the French Grand Prix on four occassions: 1906, 1921, 1929 and 1967
  • The fastest speed achieved on the Mulsanne Straight was 403.9kph / 251mph set by Roger Dorchy’s WM-Peugeot in 1988.
  • 5410km  (3362 Miles) – the greatest distance achieved by a winning car (2010 Audi R15 TDI – Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard, Mike Rockenfeller)
  • After winning the 1967 race with A.J. Foyt and Ford, American Dan Gurney spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium.  This was the first occasion that this had been done and one that has become the traditional victory celebration.
  • It is 20 years since a Formula 1 Grand Prix winner has won at Le Mans  - Michele Alboreto in a Joest Racing TWR Porsche WSC-95 in 1997
  • 1997 was also the first of Tom Kristensen’s record nine wins at Le Mans.

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

The full entry list for next month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans on 17/18th June has today been revealed by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO).

Among the 60 entrants will be 28 from the FIA World Endurance Championship, the French classic being the third round of the 2017 season and the jewel in the crown of endurance racing for teams and competitors worldwide.

There will be 6 LMP1 entrants, including 5 hybrid-powered 1000 bhp+ prototypes from Porsche and Toyota seeking overall victory, an impressive 25 in the LMP2 category which features all four different chassis manufacturers, and an amazing 29 Aston Martins, Corvettes, Ferraris, Fords and Porsches in the two LMGTE classes representing the world’s leading luxury GT car manufacturers.

The 179 drivers on the list (just one name is yet to be confirmed in the LMGTE Am class) carry racing licences from 31 different countries and the teams will carry the colours of 16 different nationalities.

Diversity, strong competition, prestige names on and off track, the best endurance drivers in the world:  the countdown to the most famous sportscar race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, is well and truly on!

Number of different entrant nationalities:    

USA                       12

France                    8

UK                          8

Germany                7

Switzerland            4

China                     4

Italy                        3

Japan                     3

Russia                    3

Singapore              2 

Austria                   1

Hong Kong            1

Netherlands           1

Philippines             1

Portugal                 1

Slovakia                 1

 

         

 

 

Search