24h Le Mans
Hydrogen was one of the stars of the show at the FIA WEC 6 Hours of Fuji last weekend – in the fan zone, on the campsite and on track. Endurance racing, especially the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship, plays a key role in the development of the new energy vector as a low-carbon alternative for racing and everyday mobility. The MissionH24 programme launched by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) and GreenGT in 2018 aims to introduce a FIA WEC class for hydrogen-powered cars by 2026.
Introduced to the Japanese crowds for the first time, the LMPH2G prototype demonstrated how the ACO’s strategy is taking shape. The blue and white race car displayed in the fan zone was not alone in vaunting the merits of hydrogen.
Introducing a new energy implies new safety checks and procedures. SDIS72, the body in charge of fire safety and rescue at Le Mans, represented by commander Mordret, led the discussions with representatives from the ACO, the FIA WEC and Fuji Speedway, Toyota, TotalEnergies, Michelin and the FIA.
On Friday, the MissionH24 area for zero-emission endurance racing was officially opened by [from left to right] Pierre Fillon, president of the ACO, Frédéric Lequien, director general of FIA WEC, Commander Laurent Mordret of SDIS 72, Bernard Niclot, ACO hydrogen consultant, Wolfgang Ullrich, ACO consultant, Matthieu Bonardel, Michelin motorsports director, Marek Nawarecki, head of FIA Sport and Touring Cars, Romain Aubry, technical director of TotalEnergies motorsport division, Masaya Kaji, general manager of Toyota engineering department, Ryo Sakai, president of Fuji Speedway and Tomoya Takahashi, president of Toyota Gazoo Racing Company. A Toyota Mirai fuel cell supplied the electricity for the whole village (screens, lighting and cars). The neighbouring stage also ran on a fuel cell – further demonstration of the versatility of hydrogen.
The Toyota GR H2 Racing Concept unveiled by Toyota chairman Toyoda San at at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June was also on display for the first time in Japan. Hydrogen is a major part of world-leading carmaker Toyota’s vehicle decarbonisation strategy. Chairman Sato San and Pierre Fillon together saluted the array of hydrogen vehicles on display: the future of endurance racing.
The 54,000-strong crowd gathered in Fuji to watch the penultimate race of the WEC season included many children. They were introduced to hydrogen thanks to educational spaceships, a wheel of fortune, workshops and even a hydrogen-powered train. The Moving e bus provided nearly all the electricity supply for one of the trackside campsites, producing enough to cover hot water, music, film screenings, lighting etc. Even the burgers were grilled on a hydrogen barbecue!
In another FIA WEC first, Pierre Fillon joined the world endurance championship field on track at the wheel of the hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai as part of the Safari Tour, a promotional event held only in Japan. We had better get used to the sight, because it won’t be long before hydrogen vehicles join the Hypercar prototypes in the endurance elite.
