Porsche wins Le Mans, 2016 in the last minutes! [updated]

Posted on 19-06-2016 at 15:12 by jaapiyo – 55 Comments”

We were just witnessing a historic 18th victory of Porsche at Le Mans. What an insane end…

Yesterday at three o’clock saw the start of the annual racing spectacle in Le Mans. Though the spectacle of virtually the whole of the first hour there was no question, as the stewards, as now often happened, decided the race start behind a Safety Car due to rain. The Audi’s at Le Mans in recent years, rarely managed to win by their reliability, were quite quick in the race technical problems, like one of the two Porsche’s. Thus there was one premium-VAG car over to Toyota its first Le Mans victory. The brand came for the first time in 1980 to Le Mans with a by the team of TOM’s enrolled Celica LB Turbo. At the end of years ’90 was the GT-One extremely fast, and picked up even the lap record, but also who knew the race not to win. The brand was second in 1992, 1994, 1999 and 2013, but the victory slipped so far every time from their hands. If they win it would be only the second time that a Japanese manufacturer is the French classic managed to win after all the screaming Mazda 787B with a wankel engine won in 1991.

With still four hours to go the top three are still within 20 seconds of each other. The leader in the race fluctuated occasionally, depending on who the burner indook. The Toyota may be a little longer drive on a tank of petrol than the Porsche, but seems a little bit faster the tires wear out. With 2 hours and 48 minutes still on the clock is the track #6-Toyota backwards in the pit box pressed. Former Formula 1 driver Kamui Kobayashi spun off a half hour earlier, off the track, after he earlier in the race already a light touch with a GT. But is it damage, or the technique? In that last case it would be the leading Toyota also can have problems. And if the #6 really lose a lot of time, would also have to be the best Audi on stage to sneak.

The battle lapping by, but as the end of the race comes closer, it seems wrong to be able to go for Toyota. But then suddenly: an absolute DRA-MA for the Japanese with 5 minutes to go. The leading car will lose speed. Jani in the Porsche sits on a little more than a minute. That is the Toyo not save. It will not happen? On the radio, Porsche sound jubelend ‘We’re gonna win this race!’. And yes, for the 18th time Porsche for the first time about the measure. Bizarre.

LMP2 and the Dutch in the race

All Dutch this year at the start were of the vingt-quatre heures sat in a LMP2. In order of gridpositie reason why Ho-Pin Tung in an Alpine A460-Nissan, kart-born Nick Brown in a Oreca 05-Nissan, Giedo van der Garde in a Gibson 015S-Nissan and Beekemolen-member Jeroen Event in a six-year-old Oreca 03R-Nissan. The respective starting positions were in the LMP2 class is a deserving P2, P11, P12, and P20. They had to go up against, among other brokkenmaker Tracy Krohn in his green car. Also in ‘Garage 56’ was this year a LMP2, only one specially adapted for Frédéric Sausset. This man became aggressive virus infection have limbs largely lost. His dream was to ever Le Mans race, and with adjustments to the car was that dream this year still reality.

For van der Garde and Tung that their cars saw fall out by crashes of their team mates, the race, however, a disappointment. Also the Event had a tough race. Especially in the beginning showed that the team did not summit had prepared to the race. Technical problems, a moderate setup and strategy-misses frustreerden Jeroen. The rest of the race was certainly not flawless, but the old Oreca, however, continued to eventually drive. Nick Brown did it from the Dutch, still the best, with a constant race he and his team finished in the midfield.

The GT-classes

The story for the race was mainly about the BoP and the manipulation of the race organiser the ACO. With the Balance of Performance formula try the ACO a ‘level playing field’ between the GT’s that are all different bases. The Ford GT, for example, has turbo’s on a V6, and the Corvette’s a thick atmospheric V8 (by far the best sounding car by the way). By juggling with such things as the amount of gasoline that cars should be allowed to take, the boost pressure and the diameter of the air inlet determines the political game partly how competitive the cars are. Evil tongues claimed that the ACO the cards on purpose so shaken was that the race would culminate in a battle between Ford and Ferrari. This is because it is a nice story would result in the framework of the historic battle between the same two brands 50 years ago.

Or Porsche, Chevrolet and Aston is actually an ear sewn is obvious to dispute, because the Porsche’s completely against expectation not be reliable this year. The fact is that the race in the GT pro class, indeed, in terms of speed, quite quickly, a duel was between the Ford’s and one of the ferraris of RISI Competition with other Fisichella behind the wheel. The other good Ferrari had quickly problems and also a number of the four Ford’s got to do with technical malheur and/or accidents. Equally, it seems as if the leading Ford also has problems on the last, but he remains whole and to achieve a legendary victory.

In the GT amateur class there was a little more fight between Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin. Ferrari tackles in this class eventually a handsome dubbelzege, for a 911. The good news is that there is in this class this year is actually no bizarre moves were made by betaalrijders to nasty accidents have resulted. The bad news: the following is only about a year…

Update: The fight between Ferrari and Ford will not be confined to the racetrack. Is now the 24 hours of Le Mans, but there is fuss about the victory of Ford in the GT class. Ferrari and Aston Martin have filed a complaint against Ford on the victory. This would not be fair) are achieved. The American car manufacturer would, among other things, not to the “7 Percent Rule” have held. We are waiting for more clarity for further communications.