Date: 12-13 June 1999

Number of competitors: 49

Number classified as finishers: 22

Winners: Yannick Dalmas, Joachim Winkelhock and Pierluigi Martini (#15 BMW V12 LMR)

Distance covered by the winners and average speed: 4,967 km (365 laps) at an average 207 kph

Pole position: Martin Brundle (#1 Toyota GT-One) in 3:29.930 at an average 233 kph

Highlights:

• Nine was a lucky number for BMW. After the hat trick by the 328s in 1939, the best classification of an Art Car (sixth place overall for the M1 decorated by Andy Warhol) in 1979, the marque claimed the top step on the overall podium in 1999, its ninth at Le Mans, all classes considered.

• Winner in 1992, 1994 and 1995, Yannick Dalmas matched Henri Pescarolo as the winningest French driver at Le Mans in 1999, a feat he achieved at the wheel of four different cars. 

• Finishing second with the Toyota GT-One, Ukyo Katayama, Keiichi Tsuchiya and Toshio Suzuki secured the best result of an all-Japanese driver line-up at the 24 Hours.

• In GT, the Dodge Viper won its second consecutive class victory, representing the French team ORECA, thanks to Dominique Dupuy, Olivier Beretta and Karl Wendlinger.

• Audi's first appearance in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing third and fourth. Thirteen overall victories would follow between 2000 and 2014.

Motorsport in 1999:

- Finnish driver Mikka Hakkinen was crowned for the second time in a row in Formula 1, with McLaren.

- A big year for Finnish motorsport: Tommi Makinen won his fourth consecutive world title in rally. He matched the record at the time held by his fellow countryman Juha Kankkunen.  

What else happened in 1999?

- George Lucas launched the second Star Wars trilogy he directed with Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

- The final total eclipse of the sun of the 20th century took place on 11 August.

 

Yannick Dalmas looks back to 1999

 

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY 12 & SUNDAY 13 JUNE 1999. Developed in collaboration with Williams F1, the V12 LMR prototype was the first phase of this Anglo-German partnership, continuing in Formula 1 in the early 2000s.