24h Le Mans
Speed is paramount at Le Mans. The famous Mulsanne Straight has been challenging drivers since 1923. But just how fast are the cars in this year’s top class?
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a succession of long straights. Good pace and top speed is essential to high performance. In the past, cars got close to the 400 kph mark, some even breaking the barrier on the Mulsanne Straight before the two chicanes were added. The record holder is the WM P88, which hit 407 kph on 11 June 1988. The performance is even more impressive given that most of the Le Mans circuit is public roads, not a purpose-built racing track.
Approaches differ in this year’s diverse Hypercar field. You might assume that the absence of a rear wing on the Peugeot 9X8 would make it more aerodynamic, and therefore improve its top speed. However, Ferrari is currently fastest. At the wheel of the #50 Ferrari 499P, Antonio Fuoco attained 343.3 kph in Qualifying. The car clocked the best lap time in the session, which shows the importance of top speed.
Drivers can always hug a sister car or an opponent to benefit from its slipstream. By doing so, the following car works less hard to overcome air resistance. Several factors affect top speed and, as often, it’s a question of striking the right balance. Less downforce increases speed, but makes corners trickier to negotiate. Toying with the gear ratio can also work, but that means losing acceleration power. Teams use practice sessions to adjust settings and find that perfect spot.
Although the Ferrari can boast the best top speed, its opponents have nothing to be ashamed of. There is little to choose between the top teams. Below are the top speeds of each model, plus the driver and session.
1. #50 Ferrari AF Corse Ferrari 499P – 343.2 kph – Antonio Fuoco – Qualifications
2. #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 Hybrid – 342.3 kph – José María López – Test Day
3. #38 Herz Team Jota Porsche 963 – 342.3 kph – António Félix da Costa - Free Practice 3
4. #708 Glickenhaus Racing Glickenhaus 007 – 340.2 kph – Romain Dumas – Free Practice 1
5. #93 Peugeot TotalEnergies Peugeot 9X8 – 339.1 kph – Mikkel Jensen – Qualifications
6. #2 Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R – 338.1 kph – Earl Bamber – Qualifications
7. #4 Floyd Vanwall Racing Team Vanwall Vandervell 680 – 333.9 kph – Tom Dillman – Practice session 2
How is top speed measured?
Cristobal Lopera, project manager at Al Kamel Systems, revealed how top speed is recorded, without using a speed camera! First, an important detail: the cars carry two transponders that work side by side in case one breaks down. A transponder is a black box protected by carbon casing, which continually sends and receives the car’s data. The transponder transmits the car’s lap times, for example.
“There are timing loops set up around the track, which respond to the transponder’s signal. Every time the car crosses one of the lines, a signal is sent to the timing desk. The loops are 30 metres apart, so we can calculate the speed. That’s how we obtain the official data”, explains Cristobal Lopera. Of course, you divide distance by time, and you get speed!
Will we see even more impressive top speeds during the race? Find out this weekend!
