This report will be updated periodically throughout the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans. Please refresh this page for the latest version. Enjoy the race!
Let the competition begin! Psychological warfare, strategic maneuvers, unpredictable weather, high speed, and endurance will be on display as 23 Hypercars from renowned giants of motorsport such as Ferrari, Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac, Peugeot, Alpine, Lamborghini, and BMW compete for the highest honors in the most significant race of the 2024 WEC season.
Adding to the excitement are 18 former Formula 1 drivers and the world’s best sports car drivers. Together, they create the perfect recipe for an extraordinary race that could go down in history as one of the greatest, at least on paper.
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing sustains damage during collision in warm-up session!! #WEC #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/ywDPu1K5AA
— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) June 15, 2024
With only 15 minutes to warm up on the 13.626 km Le Mans track before the scheduled start time at 16:00, teams were in a frenzy to prepare their cars and adapt to the prevailing conditions.
The Race Direction announced that the track was “wet” and instructed teams to turn on their rain lights as a few drops began to fall. Scott Dixon of Cadillac Racing reported that the main wet spot was located at Mulsanne.
While many cars made pit stops to change tires or drivers during the session, the Toyota GR010-Hybrid #7 and the Lexus RC F LMGT3 #78 had no choice but to return to their respective garages after a collision between Nyck de Vries in the Japanese Hypercar and Kelvin van der Linde in the Akkodis ASP Team LMGT3.
Despite the challenges, the Porsche 963 #12 was on the track alongside the other 61 cars. The mechanics of the Hertz Team Jota team worked wonders rebuilding the car from scratch after the original chassis was damaged in Callum Ilott’s accident during Wednesday night’s practice. The car quickly regained its racing pace and recorded the fifth fastest time in the session.
However, the warm-up lap times reflected the cautious approach of the drivers on the slippery surface, with only Robert Kubica in the AF Corse Ferrari 499P #83 managing to go below 3:30. AF Corse also led the LMP2 category.
Before the official start at 16:00, a series of rituals take place. The cars line up diagonally, a helicopter delivers the French flag, the crowd joins in an exciting rendition of the Marseillaise, and the Patrouille de France stunt team performs a flyover.
As the minutes pass, tension builds among the drivers. When the race director signals the release of the 62 cars, adrenaline really kicks in and the competitors engage in an intense 24-hour battle.
© 2024
