It is with great sadness that the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has learned of the death of Chris Craft. The British driver was an ever-present at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1971 to 1984.

24H Le Mans

Le Mans Legendes

24 Heures du Mans

Historique

Le Mans, Ignite your senses | Since 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans has been regarded as the ultimate test in endurance racing. Only 145 drivers and 25 brands have ever reached the top step on the podium. The race is regarded as the Everest of motorsport by fans and competitors alike. Every triumph recorded in the history of the French endurance classic tells the story of an extraordinary conquest, destined to be remembered for all time.

<h2>The rich flavour of victory</h2>

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is so much more than just a race. It is a monumental challenge, where the taste of victory is rich and complex. For some, it&rsquo;s the long-awaited redemption, a dream finally achieved after years of hard work and sacrifice. For others, it&rsquo;s the&nbsp;joy of coming through a gruelling ordeal, with every lap a battle against time, mechanical issues and the ever-changing elements.

Yet, triumph can leave a more bittersweet aftertaste. 2013 was a poignant example of this. As Tom Kristensen secured a record-breaking ninth victory, the tragic loss of his compatriot Allan Simonsen cast a sombre shadow over the celebrations

<h2>Reaching the chequered flag, a victory in itself</h2>

Taking part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans means competing at the pinnacle of endurance racing, while confronting a challenge unlike any other. For many teams, simply crossing the finish line is considered a victory in itself. It&rsquo;s a feeling that reflects the remarkable nature of the event, where the experience holds almost as much weight as the outcome. As the teams overcome technical, sporting and human challenges, the very essence of endurance is brought to the forefront.

In the last two years, Ferrari AF Corse has savoured two wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.&nbsp;Kenji Concy, a mechanic for the Italian team assigned to the Ferrari&nbsp;499P, enjoyed the even sweeter taste of triumph at the Centenary edition.&nbsp;He tells us what victory feels like.

For him, the feeling is above all &ldquo;insatiable.&rdquo; &ldquo;Once you&rsquo;ve won the race, you want to savour that taste of victory again.&nbsp;At the start of the race, you never know what to expect. But when you&rsquo;re at the top of the leaderboard, the more the time goes by, the more you start to believe it can happen. Paradoxically, though, the doubts grow stronger because anything can happen, right up to the very last moment. It&rsquo;s only when the chequered flag is lowered that you finally realise.&nbsp;That&rsquo;s when the real taste of victory hits,&rdquo; he says.

When asked what epitomises the taste of success, the mechanic quickly replies, &ldquo;Champagne, though enjoyed in moderation!&rdquo;&nbsp;But beyond the celebration, it&rsquo;s the memory of the team effort that will stay with him. &ldquo;Since the start of our campaign, we&rsquo;ve come through a lot together.&nbsp;For six months, it was test after test. And before the tests, there was the entire assembly of the car. It was exhausting. I&rsquo;ll always think back to the path that led to victory. It was filled with obstacles and sleepless nights.&quot;

<h2>An indelible taste</h2>

Engaging our sight, sense of smell, touch, taste and hearing, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a powerful, multi-sensory experience. Victory, when it comes, is the culmination of a journey fraught with challenges. Yet it is this blend of perseverance, doubt and hope that gives it a flavour both distinctive and deeply cherished. At Le Mans, victory embodies the essence of teamwork, the sweet taste of accomplishment, and the lasting resonance of a dream fulfilled.

The taste of victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: hard work, dreams and emotion

In 2024, MissionH24, the collaborative program between the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and H24Project for the promotion of hydrogen in Endurance, has multiplied numerous experiments, some quite special.

What can we say about the highway trip, between Paris and Le Mans, for the H24 with St&eacute;phane Richelmi at the wheel? Users of the A11 that April day still remember it. 
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The flight over the H24 by a PC21, a fighter pilot training aircraft, will remain in the memory of all participants in this exchange organized in Cognac then on the Paul Ricard circuit, on high performance and the energy transition between MissionH24 and the Air and Space Force. 
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In June, alongside the various activities of the H24, the future H24EVO was presented by the team at the 24 Hours. With its futuristic lines, the H24EVO looks full of promise, for a zero-emission competition, which Zin&eacute;dine Zidane was able to discover aboard the Alpine Alpenglow. 
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In January, in Birmingham, the H24 began a tour of Europe, for various benchmark events in motorsport or mobility. In May at Spa in Belgium, the H24 took to the track while being at the heart of a Hydrogen forum organized with Hydrogen Europe.&nbsp;During the summer, the H24EVO participated in&nbsp;the crucial system set up in Dreux by Toyota&nbsp;on sustainable mobility 
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In Brussels, in November, it joined members of the Hydrogen ecosystem at the&nbsp;European Hydrogen Week. Find these great 2024 moments on video...And see you in 2025 for other surprises!

2024: a lively year for MissionH24

2024, une année animée pour MissionH24

Genesis, Hyundai's luxury line, intends to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and FIA World Endurance Championship in Hypercar in 2026. The carmaker's ambitious programme is supported by a strategic partnership with the French team IDEC Sport recognised for its expertise in the LMP2 category.

<a href="https://www.idecsport.com/en/" target="_blank">IDEC Sport</a>&nbsp;has evolved into a key player in endurance racing since its&nbsp;formation&nbsp;in 2015. On the back of several successes, including a title in the 2019&nbsp;European Le Mans Series, two&nbsp;pole positions in&nbsp;LMP2 at the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le&nbsp;Mans (2018 and&nbsp;2023) and a third place finish this year, Patrice Lafargue&#39;s team has continued to give&nbsp;the top competitors in the field a run for their money. The outfit&#39;s results demonstrate technical competence and strategey, both major advantages&nbsp;in supporting Genesis in its move&nbsp;into the Hypercar category.

Patrice Lafargue, IDEC Sport president: &quot;...seeing a marque&nbsp;like Genesis rely on our expertise is proof we&rsquo;ve been doing things the right way.&quot;&nbsp;This recognition is both a mark of confidence and a springboard towards new horizons for the French team.

<h2>First on the Agenda: LMP2 in the&nbsp;European Le Mans Series&nbsp;</h2>

Above and beyond its&nbsp;success in competition, IDEC Sport stands out for its focus on human relations. Lafargue: &quot;I&rsquo;ve always prioritised the human element, and I continue to believe it&rsquo;s the most important aspect.&quot;&nbsp;This philosophy&nbsp;aligns&nbsp;with the values ​​of Genesis, known for&nbsp;developing its talents internally, and was&nbsp;a determining factor in solidifying the&nbsp;partnership.

The objective is clear: provide Genesis Magma Racing with an environment conducive to team learning. IDEC Sport will play a guiding role in mentoring Genesis&rsquo; young talents so they are primed&nbsp;to take on the challenges of the Hypercar category.

Genesis has opted for a progressive strategy in its preparation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/genesis-takes-the-wraps-of-its-gmr-001-hypercar-59196" target="_blank">to enter the highest level of endurance racing</a>. In 2025,&nbsp;Genesis Magma Racing will make its debut in the&nbsp;European Le Mans Series alongside IDEC Sport with two ORECA&nbsp;07-Gibsons. That rookie&nbsp;season will be a crucial step in training drivers, engineers and mechanics for the demands of endurance racing.

Cyril Abiteboul, Hyundai Motorsport president: &quot;We have exceptional partners in this programme with ORECA Motorsport&nbsp;and IDEC Sport, both well-established names in endurance racing, as well as an exciting lineup of drivers.&quot;&nbsp;The recruiting of&nbsp;Logan Sargeant, Jamie Chadwick and Mathys Jaubert reflects the&nbsp;desire to build a strong and promising team for the future.

<h2>Customised Support for Genesis Magma Racing</h2>

IDEC Sport&#39;s expertise isn&#39;t limited simply to race management. The French team has also been entrusted to develop the&nbsp;key skills of Genesis crew, from its engineers to its technicians. Nicolas Minassian, IDEC Sport team principal: &quot;Our&nbsp;mission will be to give them the benefit of our expertise so&nbsp;they are ready for 2026. We have started work, and I can&rsquo;t wait&nbsp;to see the cars on the starting grid for the first race of the 2025.&quot;

The&nbsp;second car will be driven by&nbsp;Lafargue, Job van Uitert (who joined the team this year)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Paul-Loup Chatin (Alpine&nbsp;Hypercar driver).

IDEC Sport will celebrate&nbsp;its 10th anniversary in 2025 by writing a new chapter in its history. For&nbsp;Genesis, this&nbsp;is an opportunity to draw on tried-and-true&nbsp;expertise and prepare its crews for success on an international level.

<h2>FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About the collaboration Between&nbsp;Genesis Magma Racing and&nbsp;IDEC Sport in endurance Racing</h2>

Why has Genesis Magma Racing decided to partner up with&nbsp;IDEC Sport for its involvement in endurance racing?

Genesis Magma Racing has selected IDEC Sport for its proven endurance expertise, state-of-the-art infrastructure and success&nbsp;at Le Mans. This collaboration guarantees optimal technical and strategic support for entry into competition.

What is IDEC Sport&#39;s track record in endurance racing?

IDEC Sport is an iconic team, renowned for its performances in the European Le Mans Series and&nbsp;eight participations in the 24 Hours. It has built a solid reputation thanks to a rigorous approach and significant results.

What are&nbsp;Genesis Magma Racing&#39;s goals in the endurance discipline?

The team is looking to hold its own against the best in&nbsp;Hypercar&nbsp;by&nbsp;capitalising on IDEC Sport&#39;s expertise and&nbsp;developing quickly to go after&nbsp;podiums and wins in the FIA WEC, and especially at Le&nbsp;Mans.

Which car will Genesis Magma Racing field in Hypercar?

Genesis will field two&nbsp;Hypercars in the&nbsp;FIA WEC starting in&nbsp;2026. The&nbsp;Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar was unveiled on&nbsp;4 December and is compliant with LMDh regulations. ORECA will build the chassis and the car was developed by&nbsp;Genesis Design Europe.

Why Genesis Magma Racing chose IDEC Sport for its future in endurance racing

Le Mans, Ignite your senses | At the 24 Hours of Le Mans, sound isn’t just background noise – it’s a defining feature of the race. The thunderous roar of the engines resonates in spectators’ memories, with some cars earning legendary status for their distinctive acoustics.

More than just raw decibels, an engine&rsquo;s sound embodies the technology, spirit, and philosophy of its time. Some cars have entered the 24 Hours history books as much for their distinctive sonic signature as for their record-breaking performance.

<h2>Engines that have marked history</h2>

In 1991, the&nbsp;Mazda&nbsp;787B&nbsp;became the first Japanese car to win Le Mans and stands as the perfect example. Its rotary engine delivered a sharp, almost metallic sound that lingers in racegoers&rsquo; memories. Each pass along the pit straight or the Mulsanne Straight plunged spectators into an unforgettable auditory experience. The deep, powerful tone of the&nbsp;Ford&nbsp;GT40&rsquo;s V8 engine defined the late 1960s, as the car claimed four consecutive victories from 1966 to 1969. Its rumble became a symbol of American dominance and the soundtrack to the legendary rivalry with Ferrari. The shrill wail of the&nbsp;Porsche&nbsp;917&rsquo;s Flat-12 engine was matched by its glorious aerodynamic silhouette. This car made history not only with its victories in 1970 and 1971 but also with its distinctive&nbsp;piercing sound. Then there&rsquo;s the&nbsp;Peugeot&nbsp;905, whose striking, high-pitched tone came from its naturally aspirated V10 engine. It epitomised an era defined by technical excellence combined with French savoir-faire. Last but certainly not least, the powerful, throaty growl of the Chevrolet Corvette V8 engines is another signature feature of the Le Mans soundscape. From the&nbsp;Corvette&nbsp;C5.R&nbsp;to the C7.R, the thunderous roar has become a hallmark in the GT class at the 24 Hours.

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<h2>Sounds that endure in the fans&rsquo; hearts and minds</h2>

ACO Club member Pascal, 58, is a devoted 24 Hours of Le Mans fan. For him, the sound of the Porsche&nbsp;911 RSR-19, a staple in the LMGTE class from 2019 to 2023, is unforgettable: &ldquo;The high-pitched tone of that car left a lasting impression on me.&nbsp;Since the switch to the LMGT3 class, it no longer competes but I can still vividly recall its distinctive sound.&rdquo; 
Sammy, 36, who first came to the 24 Hours in 2001, is equally fond of the classic engine sounds: &ldquo;The roar of the V8 engines on the Corvettes, Panoz, and Cadillacs is something I&rsquo;ll never forget.&nbsp;And the striking tone of the Judd&nbsp;V10 from the 2000s is simply unforgettable.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was the 2001 Corvette&nbsp;C5.R that sparked my love for Chevrolet. These engine sounds give me goosebumps and bring back so many memories.&nbsp;&nbsp;I think that&rsquo;s what ignites our passion for racing.&rdquo;

ONBOARD Camera  24 Hours of Le Mans 2018 : Porsche 911 RSR #91 Qualifying lap record

Caméra embarquée à bord de la Porsche 911 RSR #91 - Meilleur tour en qualification

<h2>The power of sound at the 24 Hours</h2>

For many fans, like Pascal and Sammy, the sound of an engine goes beyond mere mechanics. It captures raw emotion, triggering memories and igniting an enduring passion. The symphony of sound instantly immerses fans in the 24 Hours of Le Mans atmosphere.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As hybrid and hydrogen engines shape the future, the race&rsquo;s iconic acoustics continue to fuel the collective memory. They remind us that, far beyond lap times and victories, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a human experience, engaging all five of our senses.

The roar of legends: how sound echoes our emotions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

Chris Craft&rsquo;s 1971 d&eacute;but at the 24 Hours concluded in a splendid fourth place in a Ferrari 512 M. His Le Mans career was subsequently linked to that of his compatriot Alain de Cadenet. They finished third in 1976 and fifth in 1977, at the wheel of De Cadenet prototypes built on a Lola chassis.

Craft then joined Japanese manufacturer Dome from 1979 to 1983. One of his co-drivers in 1983 was none other than Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. In 14 Le Mans starts, Craft saw the chequered flag on seven occasions, also finishing 12th in 1972, 14th in 1975, 15th in 1978 and 25th in 1980. He made his final 24 Hours appearance in 1984 in a Porsche 956.

The Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest extends its sincerest condolences to Chris&rsquo;s family and loved ones.&nbsp;

24H LE MANS

The Automobile Club de l’Ouest pays tribute to the memory of Chris Craft

Related News

The taste of victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans: hard work, dreams and emotion

2024: a lively year for MissionH24

Why Genesis Magma Racing chose IDEC Sport for its future in endurance racing

The roar of legends: how sound echoes our emotions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

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