24h Le Mans
The specific regulations for the 2018 24 Hours of Le Mans impose minimum and maximum driving times for drivers. Unfortunately, four drivers were cited for non-compliance, resulting in penalties for their respective teams.
Four entrants in the 86th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans are concerned: one in LMP1, one in LMP2 and two in LMGTE Pro, but only the classification in LMGTE Pro required adjustment.
Article 10.10.2 indicates that in each class a driver cannot drive less than six hours during the race, and a driver cannot drive more than four hours in a six-hour period, with pit stops deducted.
In LMP1, Léo Roussel - sharing CEFC TRSM Racing's (Manor) #5 G60-LT-P1 with Charlie Robertson and Michael Simpson - spent only 5 hours 36 minutes in the car. The missing 24 minutes were converted to the number of laps and additional time compared to the car's best lap (3:25.390), the equivalent of six laps plus 2:45.613, and were deducted from the number of laps completed by the driver line-up during the race. So the trio finished 105 laps behind the winners instead of 99, and kept last place in LMP1.
The same penalty was incurred in LMP2 by François Perrodo who exceeded the six-hour maximum driving time by 4:45.446. Based on a best time of 3:27.258, the driver line-up picked up a lap and 1:18.188 as a penalty. Though the decision would not have affected the fourth place finish secured by TDS Racing's #28 ORECA 07-Gibson in LMP2, the car was disqualified after the race. The team is able to file an appeal if it wishes to do so.
There was no change in LMGTE Pro for the trio sharing the wheel of Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA's #69 Ford GT, still ranked last (14th) despite insufficient driving time for Scott Dixon. For less than a 10 minute difference, the New Zealander was given two laps and 1:42.968 as a penalty.
Lastly, in LMGTE Pro as well, Tony Kanaan spent only 5 hours 16 minutes in Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK's #67 Ford GT, earning a hefty penalty of 11 laps and 1:23.499, moving Priaulx-Tincknell-Kanaan from fourth to 12th place in the class. This adjustment to the classification will impact the points scored by the American constructor and the drivers in the World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC).
PHOTO: The #67 Ford GT penalized for insufficient driving time for Tony Kanaan.
[Updated 18.06.18]
