Motorsport On Monday: 16/6/14
Well, of course we're going to talk about that Le Mans result...
While the annals of history will record yet another victory for Audi, the reality was the four-ringed firm didn't dominate like it has in previous years. This one was much closer.
Could it finally be Toyota's chance to beat Audi?
Right from the off Audi was forced to chase, with its drivers pushing hard - the #1 car had an almighty shunt on Wednesday evening, showing just how much the drivers were on the limit in even the first session.
Flying further than the Wright brothers pretty much did, Loic Duval's R18 e-tron quattro got airborne on the exit of the Porsche Curves, writing the car off in the process. No matter, Audi built it back up with a new chassis in less than 24 hours. Incredible work from the mechanics.
But, with the #7 TS040 qualifying on pole on a 3min 21.789, it was Toyota's race to lose - even if Porsche trailed it by just 0.3 seconds. 2.5 seconds covered the top six cars over an 8.5-mile lap proved it was nail-bitingly close.
The race was initially less tight. Toyota amassed a significant lead and maintained a consistent pace - dominating in an Audi-esque fashion, in fact - until around 5am when an "electrical problem" saw the #7 car grind to a halt, Le Mans proved once again it can be a cruel mistress.
A strong showing but disappointment for Porsche
There was so much action to talk about that it can't all be fitted into just one week of Motorsport on Monday, so please debate all in the comments section. But one of the most encouraging points to take from LM 2014 is that each manufacturer headed the race at some point.
This proves that along with the incredibly close qualifying times, each of the three cars has pace and a driver line-up good enough to deliver great battles as we saw this year. Let's hope Nissan can join the party and make it four top teams next year.
With the three manufacturers each in P1 at a different stage, it meant a Porsche at the front at La Sarthe for the first time in 16 years too, giving the team a brief taste of what it wants.
It was a bitter end for Stuttgart though. Gearbox failure took out the #14 Porsche - although it did re-appear to take the flag - while the #20 car that lead with Webber, Bernhard and the incredibly impressive 24-year-old Brendon Hartley retired due to a "powertrain problem". The 2.0-litre V4 turbo might have proved problematic, but the benefit of the hybrid system meant Webber could limp back to the pits on electric power alone.
Ultimately, it was the whispering diesels that did it again, with Lotterer, Fassler and Treluyer in the #2 adding a third Le Mans win to their tally.
And credit to Audi. It looked like Toyota and Porsche had the legs on the R18, but consistent, unflappable and bloody quick drivers (Lotterer repeatedly taking five seconds a lap out of the leading 919 Hybrid at midday on Sunday), along with metronomic pit work in the face of problems - like needing to replace two turbochargers - secured it the win.
The race proved the new regs work, too, with the cars lapping faster while using roughly 25 per cent less fuel. Technology making motorsport better all round.
Brit team Jota took the LMP2 honours
LMP2 was as close as predicted, and it was the #35 Oak Racing Ligier with Brits Alex Brundle and Jann Mardenborough at the wheel that impressed the most - actually heading the Rebellion R-One LMP1 until a spark plug issue meant its Nissan 4.5-litre V8 became a V7.
That meant it dropped down the time sheets and out of contention. However, GT Academy graduate Mardenborough and seasoned LMP2 driver at the age of 23, Brundle, proved their potential and put themselves well in the frame for a drive in the Nissan GT-R LM Nismo next year. The Audi trio that won the race was billed as young guns once over, but along with Hartley and a few others, there's now a new crop being cultivated in sportscars.
English outfit Jota Sport took honours, with the team's mantra of keeping it off the kerbs and therefore helping reliability vindicated after 24 hours. Of course there was plenty of speed, too, thanks to Oliver Turvey who was drafted in on Thursday after Jota's quickest pedaller and Audi reserve driver Marc Gene was called up to replace the mildly injured Duval in the #1 R18.
GTE Pro and Am delivered typically close racing
No surprises that one of the gaggle of piercingly loud Ferrari 458s took honours in GTE Pro - and no surprise it was the consistently rapid line-up of Bruni, Fisichella and Vilander. Again, a close battle that raged for well over 20 hours, Le Mans proved that multi-class sportscar racing just works. Plain and simple.
On its debut at the vingt quatre Heures du Mans the Corvette C7.R (still sounds great) secured second spot, while the #92 factory 991 GT3 RSR meant there was still at least one Porsche on the podium somewhere in the field.
GTE Am
It was the GTE Am result that was, for me, most poignant. The "Dane train" #95 Aston V8 Vantage - bearing the same number on the car that Allan Simonsen raced under last year - took honours in the class.
Simonsen's memory honoured in the best way possible.
Photos: LAT Photo
Something I will say - it was fantastic to see the internet and apps finally being fully utilised - the free Le Mans app offered a 24h stream plus in-car cameras for what seemed like most of the field for the entire race. I was at a wedding and whilst all others were streaming England being beaten by Italy through their iPhones, I was firmly tuned to the circuit.
See you next year!
WOW IT WAS HOT waiting for the race to start .
funny how this race gets into the blood ... took my 11 year old son for the first time ....allready talking about our return trip next year !
no other race really like it , one can watch for a while , wander off , have a rest get something to eat .
come back ...go into Le Mans town by tram ..come back again ..all the while it feels like a big family ..everyone enjoying themselves
sad Porsche didn't rank hire , but a great race
Porsche did incredibly well for their first attempt for so many years and will no doubt come back even stronger.
Toyota were blindingly quick but ultimately too fragile - which will hurt their marketing efforts.
Everybody wrote off Audi after Silverstone & Spa but 24 hours is a different kettle of fish.
And what a last stint from Lotterer - taking 6 seconds a lap out of the Porsche lead and recording fastest lap. He was on fire.
Nissan and maybe Ferrari to join next year will only make it better.
I think a version of the EcoBoost V6 they use in their USCC (previously IMSA Rolex Grand Am) Daytona prototypes would work well in conjunction with a hybrid system. Would be a marketing coup for their EcoBoost road cars (Fiesta, Focus, Taurus, Edge, Flex, Explorer, F-150, and soon, the Mustang) if they won.
It still amazes me that, in all these years, with all their technical expertise, a Japanese manufacturer has only won Le Mans once, and that was with the most unconventional powertrain seen at La Sarthe since the Howmet turbine car in the '60s! You would think that world-wide juggernaut Toyota, with all their available capital, or Nissan, with their extensive sports car racing background would've won by now. Just goes to show how tricky Le Mans can be!
I think Nissan have confirmed they too will run 3 cars next year - which is the right way to go. I can't wait to see who their drivers are.
do you mean in class ?
as overall ranking i think first 911 was around 16th ?
The idea that this is one race is more than a bit silly. There are five different and distinct categories of cars in 5 races on the same track.
However good to see the 911 has been further eclipsed. Afterall it was really only so popular and therefore successful because it was cheap and built by a mass producer.
do you mean in class ?
as overall ranking i think first 911 was around 16th ?
The idea that this is one race is more than a bit silly. There are five different and distinct categories of cars in 5 races on the same track.
However good to see the 911 has been further eclipsed. Afterall it was really only so popular and therefore successful because it was cheap and built by a mass producer.
i was also wondering this on the day about 911 being eclipsed and watching videos of them during their golden days at le mans from 70's to late 80's when almost all the track was full of them .
great cars of course ...not many cars could run so well for 24 hours at speed , but as you say was cheap ( in relation to other cars of this level ) ....but quite a lot of independents running Ferrari this time
The idea that this is one race is more than a bit silly. There are five different and distinct categories of cars in 5 races on the same track.
However good to see the 911 has been further eclipsed. Afterall it was really only so popular and therefore successful because it was cheap and built by a mass producer.
I'm sure a Panoz was not significantly cheaper than a Corvette/Porsche/Ferrari but I might be wrong and it is the only stand out one that jumps to mind. The TVR, Spyker and Morgan were never really been in with a shout, although the Spyker was the most serious race car I think.
Both GT classes had huge battles throughout the day. The Ferrari/Aston battle through the night in Pro was fantastic.
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