24h Le Mans
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies and Official Starter of the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans, has unleashed the 62-strong field. Twenty-four hours of thrills and suspense are now in store, for competitors and fans alike, before we toast the winners tomorrow at 16:00!
With thousands of spectators packing the grandstands, the 90th 24 Hours of Le Mans got underway at 16:00 under sunny skies.
The competitors began to line up on the Pit Straight at 13:15 after two Le Mans legends, Gérard Larrousse and Henri Pescarolo, had taken to the track in two Matras to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the French marque’s first win in the iconic race.
Several celebrities including Squeezie, the French YouTuber with 16 million subscribers, and recently retired tennis ace Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, were among the crowd milling around the 62 cars.
H24, the electric-hydrogen racing prototype developed by H24Racing, then completed a lap of honour. Stéphane Richelmi was at the wheel of the car that took part in two rounds of Road To Le Mans (on Thursday evening and Saturday morning).
A few minutes before the start, the Patrouille de France air display team soared over the racetrack to the great delight of the crowd. The flyover signalled the start of the formation lap for 62 drivers and their machines which will be running with a 100% renewable fuel for the first time in the history of the classic endurance race. Gérard Larrousse, this year’s Grand Marshal, led the cars through the final moments of the pre-race ceremony.
At 16:00, the 24-hour rollercoaster of thrills and emotion was set in motion!
The ACO Sustainable Endurance Award presented by DHL goes to Ferrari AF Corse!
Several criteria were considered in choosing the winner. Ferrari AF Corse is developing a global approach that is fully consistent with the ACO’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and its three-fold commitment (EngageMans) for the planet, for a responsible economy and for everyone. The Italian outfit has also embarked on the process of obtaining ISO 20121 certification, the sustainable events standard.
A pulsating opening lap ensued with Sébastien Buemi in the #8 Toyota GR010-Hybrid off to a flying start. The Swiss racer overtook Toyota Gazoo Racing stablemate Mike Conway in the polesitting #7 sister car on the climb to Dunlop, while the Glickenhaus 007 LMHs pressed hard behind. Conway subsequently regained the advantage as the #8 car rolled out of the pits.
Further back in the LMP2 field, René Rast in the WRT #31 Oreca 07-Gibson struck the United Autosports’ #22 machine in the heavy traffic, propelling Will Owen’s car into the kitty litter.
The Chevrolet Corvette C8.Rs managed to steer clear of the carnage in the opening lap and lead the LMGTE Pro field from the two factory Porsche 911 RSR-19s.
Porsche has ruled the opening stages in the LMGTE Am class, however, with four German machines in the first four places. Meanwhile, Iron Dame Michelle Gatting punctured a tyre on the #85 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo.
LMGTE Pro
#64 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R - Corvette Racing - Milner/Tandy/Sims - 15 laps
LMP2
#38 Oreca 07-Gibson - JOTA - González/da Costa/Stevens - 17 laps
LMGTE Am
#99 Porsche 911 RSR-19 - Hardpoint Motorsport - Haryanto/Picariello/Rump - 15 laps
