Ferrari prevents Toyota from winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the second consecutive year, while Nicklas Nielsen performs an unexpected final stint to secure victory in the main event of the World Endurance Championship by a margin of less than 15 seconds.
The 2024 edition of the race was filled with various incidents, including a prolonged safety car period during the night due to heavy rain. Despite these challenges, nine out of the 23 entries in the Hypercar class managed to finish on the same lap as the leaders. In the end, the battle for victory was between Ferrari and Toyota.
Ferrari #50, which adopted a different strategy compared to the other leaders, and Toyota #7, which faced several issues in its preparation for the race, led the fight for victory. In the final stages of the race, Toyota believed they had the advantage, as Ferrari brought in Nielsen with 51 minutes remaining, suggesting that Ferrari would need to make one last pit stop.
This situation arose because Ferrari had to bring Nielsen in earlier than planned in the last two hours due to a loose door on the right side of car #50. Less than 10 minutes later, Toyota #7, driven by Jose Maria Lopez, made its final pit stop while leading and returned to the track just ahead of sister car #8, knowing they could make it to the end of the race without further pit stops.
However, Ferrari seemed confident they could manage until the end. Nielsen, who remained calm on the radio and asked the team to let him go with the flow, minimized his time loss compared to the chasing Toyotas. Toyota eventually revised their understanding and effectively conceded the fight with half an hour remaining. On the radio, Lopez was informed that Ferrari didn’t need to make another stop, and Toyota’s priority was to secure second place, with a 30-second difference.
Although the difference has decreased in the last laps, Nielsen’s driving to the finish line was direct and well managed. Despite the heavy rain, he, along with teammates Antonio Fuoco and Miguel Molina, secured the victory one year after Ferrari’s return to Le Mans with car #51.
This victory also denied car #7 an unlikely win from its starting position in 23rd and last among the Hypercar competitors. This low starting position was a consequence of Kamui Kobayashi’s spin and the subsequent red flag during qualifying, which resulted in the exclusion of his lap time that would have qualified him for the Hyperpole session. Lopez was also a late addition to the driver lineup of car #7, joining Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries after regular driver Mike Conway suffered injuries in a bicycle accident.
Ferrari ended up with two cars on the podium, with last year’s winning team Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi, and James Calado in car #51, narrowly beating Porsche #6 and securing third place by just one second. Despite receiving a five-second penalty for spinning the Toyota #8 with two hours remaining, car #51 served the penalty during its final pit stop and secured a spot on the podium.
The second Toyota finished in fifth place after contact with car #51, separating Porsche #6 from its sister car #5. The Cadillac #2, with IndyCar champion Alex Palou behind the wheel at the finish line, crossed the line in seventh place.
The factory entries from Ferrari, cars #50 and #51, took on the challenge for victory against the customer car #83, which led for a significant part of the early stages of the race. However, the eventful race for the AF Corse team came to an early end when smoke started coming out of the brakes while Robert Shwartzman was in fourth place.
This car had already received a 30-second penalty for a serious collision with Dries Vanthoor’s BMW, resulting in the immediate retirement of the BMW while the Formula 1 driver was leading. BMW managed to bring one car to the finish, but sister car #20 faced significant delays and completed only 96 laps, finishing in 47th place.
Alpine’s first 24 Hours of Le Mans race in the top class with their A424 LMDh car was interrupted. Car #35, driven by Ferdinand Habsburg, was on the same lap in 13th place when its engine spectacularly failed in the fifth hour. Sister car #36, driven by Nicolas Lapierre, also had an engine problem and was taken to the garage about an hour later.
The Jota team’s customer Porsche cars, #12 and #38, were the last cars on the same lap as the leaders, finishing in eighth and ninth place, respectively. Car #12, driven by Callum Ilott, Norman Nato, and Will Stevens, crossed the finish line ahead of car #38, piloted by Jenson Button, Phil Hansen, and Oliver Rasmussen.
The Lamborghini team, managed by Iron Lynx, successfully completed the race with their two cars, finishing two laps behind the winning Ferrari. Car #63 SC63, driven by Daniil Kvyat, Mirko Bortolotti, and Edoardo Mortara, secured the last position in the top 10, beating the best Peugeot, car #94, by eight seconds.
© 2024
The world of sports is full of surprises and emotions, and 2024 will be no different. With various exciting competitions taking place around the world, fans are eagerly anticipating seeing their favorite athletes in action. This year, the Olympic Games promise to be one of the most anticipated events, with athletes from different countries competing in various sports disciplines.
In addition to the Olympic Games, there will also be several competitions in soccer, basketball, tennis, and many other sports. Fans are excited to see the world’s best players in action, showcasing their skills and competing for the title.
In the world of soccer, club tournaments are in full swing, with several teams vying for the title. Fans are eager to see who will be this year’s champion and which players will stand out during the season.
In basketball, teams are preparing for the playoffs, where the best teams will compete for the NBA title. Fans are excited to see thrilling games and incredible moves from the world’s most talented players.
In tennis, the Grand Slams are always a highlight of the year. Fans are eager to see the world’s best players compete in the Wimbledon, Roland Garros, US Open, and Australian Open tournaments.
In addition to these events, there will also be several competitions in extreme sports such as skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding. Athletes will showcase their skills and courage in impressive maneuvers, leaving fans in awe.
In summary, 2024 will be an exciting year for sports fans. With several competitions taking place around the world, fans will have plenty of thrills and surprises to follow. Get ready to cheer for your favorite athletes and enjoy unforgettable moments in the world of sports.
