24h Le Mans
The Centenary year of the 24 Hours of Le Mans marked the end of the LMGTE era. Before the new LMGT3 class comes on the scene next year, we look back at the most spectacular LMGTE liveries to have graced the circuit.
The distinctive livery of the Prospeed Competition Porsche was designed by Belgian graphic designer Loïc Poncelet. The artwork was inspired by Brittany, a region close to François Perrodo’s heart, and depicted the elements of water, earth and fire. The region’s emblem, the three-spiralled triskelion also featured in the design. The car retired in the 18th hour of the race after losing a wheel in the second Mulsanne Straight chicane.
The Aston Martin Art Car fielded at the 83rd 24 Hours of Le Mans was decorated by German artist Tobias Rehberger. An amalgamation of art, design and architecture created a 3D effect of shapes and colours.
After a spell in second place of the LMGTE Pro class in the eighth hour of the race, the #97 Aston Martin Vantage GTE retired at 22:50 due to an oil leak.
For their 24th participation at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Larbre Competition wrapped its Corvette C7.R with a special livery. The design, entitled Human, was the brain child of artist Ramzi Adek. “With ‘Human’, I wanted to design a livery that kids and their parents dream of. This is my culture! I lived in the US and I was inspired by the warmth and enthusiasm of comics with DayGlo colours and striking onomatopoeia,” he explained.
The car was plagued by a litany of setbacks during the race, including two door changes, a broken wishbone, a belt sheared by gravel and a puncture. The #50 Chevrolet Corvette crossed the finish line in 48th position.
Porsche celebrated its 70th anniversary by decking out its four 911 RSRs in liveries that paid tribute to the marque’s glory days at Le Mans in the seventies and eighties.
The 80s-inspired #91 livery was a nod to the 956 and 962 C that, between them, chalked up six victories in the 1981–87 period. The #91 came second in LMGTE Pro in a one-two finish.
To understand this remarkable design, we need to rewind to 1971, the year the Porsche 917 dominated endurance racing. Of the seven models on the grid, one really stood out. As a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Sarthe and its rillettes, a pork-based speciality, the #23 Martini Racing 917/20 was swathed in pink, with bold, dotted lines depicting butchers’ cuts. The Pink Pig went down in history, in a move that intrigued as much as it impressed. The design was not to the liking of Martini, however, who had their logo removed from the car. Out on the track, drivers Reinhold Joest and Willi Kauhsen were forced to retire during the race.
In 2018, however, the #92 911 RSR won the LMGTE Pro class ahead of its #91 sister car (above).
Amid a plethora of special liveries that year, it was the Team Project 1 entry that stole the show. The German team’s #56 Porsche 911 RSR featured an all-about-the-girl design conceived by modern artist Richard Phillips.
After crossing the finish line in second place in the LMGTE Am class, the panel of stewards later declared the car the winner when the #85 Ford GT was disqualified for a non-compliant fuel tank capacity.
Traditional Ferrari red be gone! The American outfit’s Ferrari saluted the Franco-USA alliance with American navy blue and white stripes on a French blue background. The livery was designed and produced as part of a contest among 21 pairs of students from the ENSAAMA School of Art & Design in Paris. It was the work of digital design student Chloélia Breton and Louise Doublet, a student in the Stained Glass section.
The car made it to the chequered flag in 40th position and came 11th in LMGTE Pro after losing 45 minutes due to a mechanical problem.
This British team is no stranger to unique liveries. In 2019, JMW Motorsport donned its emblematic yellow colour while embracing the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The #84 Ferrari’s wrap was the work of Andy Blackmore Design and depicted the outlines of the ELMS circuits, the 24 Hours track, and wildlife motifs.
With the exception of a jaunt into the gravel at the Michelin chicane on the Saturday night, the car put in a flawless performance and finished second place in its class.
For its 13th appearance at the Le Mans 24 Hours, JMW Motorsport teamed up with American artist Cleon Peterson. The livery of the #66 Ferrari featured bold, legendary warriors in the team’s traditional yellow, black and white hues. Unfortunately, the British team had to retire from the race due to gearbox failure.
Project 1-AO went prehistoric for the Centenary edition, brandishing a green Tyrannosaurus Rex with a ferocious mouth up front and little arms and feet on the doors. The livery, which appeared at the 12 Hours of Sebring, was dreamed up by the children of the driver and AO Racing director PJ Hyett. Rexy the Porsche led the LMGTE Am field for several hours. It finally finished seventh in the class after suffering a suspension problem in the final hour.
TF Sport combined Matra blue and Pescarolo green for the livery of its Aston Martin Vantage AMR. Hardly surprising, given that the drivers included brothers Arnold and Maxime Robin who hail from Le Mans. And indeed, the British team chose to unveil the design at the town's Marie Marvingt stadium (formerly the MMArena).
Despite being a strong contender for victory during the race, the #72 ended up going off track and was unable to return to the pits.
