24h Le Mans
In 1991, Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot with Mazda won the first victory of a Japanese manufacturer at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the time, they were also Grand Prix drivers, and were the last F1 title-holders to have won in La Sarthe.
In 1991, Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler competed in their second 24 Hours of Le Mans. Brought together for the first time the year before, already with Mazda, they were forced to retire. Herbert had eight Grand Prix under his belt (in 1989 and 90) and, the weekend before the 1991 24 Hours, had competed in the Grand Prix of Mexico with Lotus, with whom he had just replaced Julian Bailey. As to Gachot, he was a driver with Eddie Jordan's team which completed its first Formula 1 season in 1991.
Qualified 19th, the No. 55 Mazda 787 B reached the top 10 in the second hour and climbed to second position in the wake of issues had by the other prototypes (Porsche, Sauber Mercedes, Peugeot). It ended up taking the lead on Sunday when the Sauber Mercedes of Jean Louis Schlesser-Jochen Mass-Alain Ferté had to stop, falling victim to a cooling issue with less than three hours to the race. History was in the making: Mazda became the first Japanese manufacturer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans…despite a final, relatively serious hiccup: after having crossed the finish line, Herbert, dehydrated, was unable to join his teammates on the podium as he fell ill getting out of the car! As a nod to history, the British driver did finally get his podium ceremony "just for him" at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans during the 20th anniversary celebration of Mazda's win.
Title-winner in Formula 1 with Force India, Nico Hülkenberg has been recruited to drive the third model of the 919 Hybrid which Porsche will enter in the 24 Hours of Le Mans - immediately propelling it as a candidate for victory as Porsche's greatest ambition is to reconquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a 17th win.
The 83rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14, 2015.
