The 24 Hours race this year is shaping up to be a fierce competition between Toyota Gazoo Racing, the current six-time world champions of the World Endurance World, and Ferrari, the winner of the Centenary Le Mans in 2023. However, the results of the three races so far this season indicate that it will not be an easy victory for either team.
While Toyota achieved an unexpected victory in Imola, stealing the championship from Ferrari, it is important to consider the big picture. Both entries from Gazoo Toyota GR010 Hybrid, number 8 with drivers Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, and Nyck de Vries, and number 7 with Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa, have shown impressive performance and teamwork.
On the other hand, Ferrari needs to overcome its tactical deficiencies and issues in order to meet the minimum weight requirement to make a strong impression. However, the AF Corse team, with team members Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovanazzi, has proven their capabilities by winning Le Mans in 2023 and is back for another attempt at victory.
Ferrari also has two other Hypercar teams competing: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen in the red number 50, and Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifei Ye in the yellow number 83.
In a surprising twist, Porsche, which was considered an underdog last year, is leading the World Endurance Championship and is the team to beat in this race. They have a total of six 963 Hybrids competing, aiming to secure Porsche’s 20th consecutive overall victory at Le Mans. The factory cars from Penske Motorsport, led by Kévin Estre, André Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor in car number 6, are the favorites. They are supported by teammates Matt Campbell, Michael Christensen, and Frédéric Makowiecki in car number 5, and Felipe Nasr, Mathieu Jaminet, and Nick Tandy in the additional third car, number 4.
Porsche also has three 963s from private teams driven by highly skilled crews. The Hertz JOTA team trio, composed of Will Stevens, Norman Nato, and Callum Ilott, emerged victorious in the 6 Hours of Spa race. Former Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, Oliver Rasmussen, and Philip Hanson form a second golden Porsche team. Finally, Neel Jani, Harry Tincknell, and Julien Andlauer will pilot the sixth Proton 963.
But there is additional information. A lot more. From the United States, the trio of Cadillac V-Series.Rs are the crowd favorites. They have a powerful V8 engine that sends shivers down the spine. Former Formula 1 driver Sébastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande, and Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon are supported by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn, and Indy star Alex Palou in two factory cars. The third Caddy Whelen is driven by the private team composed of Luis Felipe Derani, Jack Aitken, and Felipe Drugovich.
The Peugeot is also returning for another attempt to win Le Mans in its third era. They have two reworked 9X8 hybrid cars, piloted by Jean-Eric Vergne, Mikkel Jensen, and Nico Müller, and Stoffel Vandoorne, Formula 1 analyst Paul di Resta, and Loïc Duval. Peugeot is facing pressure from management and a French revolution with the return of Renault-Alpine. Nicolas Lapierre, Mick Schumacher, and Matthieu Vaxivière, and Paul-Loup Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg, and Charles Milesi will be driving two A424 hybrids.
BMW is returning to Le Mans with two WRT team M Hybrid V8 cars, aiming for victory 25 years after their last win in 1999. One car will be driven by DTM champion Sheldon van der Linde, Robin Frijns, and René Rast, while the other will be driven by Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello, and Marco Wittmann. Lamborghini is also making its debut in the top class at Le Mans with two Iron Lynx SC63s. Romain Grosjean, Andrea Caldarelli, and Matteo Cairoli will be driving one car, while Mirko Bortolotti, Daniil Kvyat, and Edoardo Mortara will be driving the other.
Le Mans wouldn’t be complete without an underdog. Carl Wattana Bennett, Jean-Karl Vernay, and Antonio Serravalle are expected to be this year’s underdogs in the exotic Italian Isotta Fraschini Tipo6-C Hybrid. Will they achieve a surprising victory like Glickenhaus did in 2024? Only time will tell. Specifically, 24 hours!
The Isotta will likely face a tough challenge from the group of sixteen Oreca 07 Gibsons from the LMP2, which no longer compete in the WEC but have the chance to race at Le Mans. These roaring prototypes add an interesting element to the race, and the sound of their gear shifts will stay in your memory for days after the race.
Among the notable entries in the LMP2, Ben Keating, Filipe Albuquerque, and Ben Hanley from United Autosport, as well as Oliver Jarvis, Bijoy Garg, and Nolan Siegel, will be competing against Ryan Cullen, Patrick Pilet, and Stéphane Richelmi from Vector Sport. Keep an eye on the AO by TF crew composed of Louis Delétraz, PJ Hyett, and Alex Quinn, Fabio Scherer from Nielsen, David Heinemeier Hansson and Kyffin Simpson, and the Crowdstrike trio, George Kurtz, Colin Braun, and Nicky Katsburg.
The big news in the GT category, besides the transition of the division to the new LM GT3 specification for the first time, is the participation of MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi in Le Mans. Rossi will be racing alongside Ahmad Al Harthy and Maxime Martin in a BMW M4 LM GT3. Another BMW will be driven by Darren Leung, Sean Gelael, and Augusto Farfus, while a quartet of new Ferrari 296 GT3s will also make their debut in Le Mans.
Among the Lamborghini Huracan teams, we have Claudio Schiavoni, Matteo Cressoni, and Franck Perera, as well as the Iron Dames represented by Sarah Bovy, Michelle Gatting, and Doriane Pin. Although there are no NASCAR races this year, there is a notable presence of American GT teams, including a pair of Corvette Z06 LMGT3 Rs. One of the Corvettes will be driven by Tom Van Rompuy, Rui Andrade, and Charlie Eastwood. Additionally, two new Ford Mustangs will be competing, with Christian Ried, Ben Tuck, and Christopher Mies among their drivers.
Kelvin van der Linde, the current leader of the DTM championship, will share one of the two Lexus RC F LMGT3s with Arnold Robin and Timur Boguslavskiy. Representing British interests are two McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evos and the regular fleet of Aston Martin Vantage. Just like in the Hypercar class, all LM GT3 cars will have to overcome the formidable Porsche 911 GT3 Rs, with the Manthey team composed of Yasser Shahin, Morris Schuring, and Richard Lietz being especially notable.
With training sessions taking place on Wednesday and qualifying on Thursday, June 13, the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2024 will start at 4:00 PM on Saturday, June 15. The event is already sold out, with an expected audience of over 350,000 fans. The race will be broadcast live in most countries and can also be watched online through fiawec.tv. (Report by Michele Lupini in Le Mans)
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Dramatic events occurred in the world of sports this week, leaving fans in shock. A surprising twist happened during the football match between rival teams, leaving spectators speechless. The event, which took place at the local stadium, was marked by moments of great emotion and tension.
During the match, a talented player suffered a serious injury, leaving everyone concerned about their future in the sport. Doctors and support staff rushed to help the athlete, who was quickly taken to the hospital. There is still no information about the severity of the injury or how long the player will be sidelined.
In addition, the game was marked by a series of controversial referee decisions, which generated a lot of frustration among the fans. Many question the referee’s impartiality and call for a review of the sport’s rules. The controversy will certainly continue to be debated in the coming days.
Despite the difficult moments, there were also moments of great emotion and skill during the match. Talented players showcased their exceptional abilities, scoring incredible goals and making impressive plays. Fans went wild with the quality of the game and the athletes’ displays of talent.
No final, o resultado da partida foi surpreendente, com o time considerado azarão conquistando uma vitória histórica. Os jogadores comemoraram intensamente, enquanto os torcedores invadiram o campo para celebrar com seus heróis. Foi um momento inesquecível para todos os presentes e para os fãs que acompanharam o jogo de casa.
Agora, os times se preparam para os próximos desafios, buscando se recuperar das derrotas e manter o ímpeto das vitórias. Os fãs estão ansiosos para ver o que o futuro reserva para seus times favoritos e esperam por mais momentos emocionantes e empolgantes no mundo dos esportes. Fique ligado para mais notícias e atualizações sobre o mundo esportivo.
