Zapping Le Blogauto The Porsche Panamera preview
The first lesson from these 24 hours in 2024 is that the Alpine has a big problem with its Mecachrome V634 engine. Both betrayed the team. The first blew up the engine shortly after 8 p.m., the second officially shortly before 10 p.m. The race was punctuated by temporary showers making the track slippery (some quickly switched to rain tires), and contacts sending one or the other spinning. From the classic in endurance and especially the 24H with 3 equally heterogeneous categories.
The Iron Lynx’s Lamborghini caused a “full course yellow” after Claudio Schiavoni crashed at the second chicane. Just a few minutes and the race resumed. We could sense the drivers were feverish with the rain and we had, for example, a BMW LMGT3 overtaking an LMP2 and sending it into a spin.
But the highlight of the evening was the accident between Kubica and Vanthoor. No luck for Vector (LMP2) who was in the lead and returned to the pits. But the exit is closed with the safety car and Vector pays dearly for this ill-timed refueling. The race is neutralized for a very long time, with the 3 safety cars on track since it is necessary to work for a long time on the very damaged rails. Then, everyone will regroup behind a single car and the race can be restarted. But, the rain is here! It falls sharply and will further disrupt the race.
The Porsche should regain the lead of the race at the green flag.
Top 10 of the race at midnight
1 – 83 AF Corse – Ferrari 499P
2 – 5 Porsche Penske Motorsport – Porsche 963
3 -8 Toyota Gazoo Racing – Toyota GR010 – Hybrid
4 – 50 Ferrari AF Corse – Ferrari 499P
5 – 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport – Porsche 963
6 – 2 Cadillac Racing – Cadillac V-Series.R
7 – 51 Ferrari AF Corse – Ferrari 499P
8 – 12 Hertz Team JOTA – Porsche 963
9 – 7 Toyota Gazoo Racing – Toyota GR010 – Hybrid
10 – 311 Whelen Cadillac Racing – Cadillac V-Series.R
Top 3 LMP2
20 – 22 United Autosports – Oreca 07 – Gibson
21 – 24 Nielsen Racing – Oreca 07 – Gibson
22 – 37 COOL Racing – Oreca 07 – Gibson
Top 3 LMGT3
34 – 92 Manthey PureRxcing – Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3
35 – 46 Team WRT – BMW M4 LMGT3
36 – 87 Akkodis ASP Team – Lexus RC F LMGT3
To sum up
The 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans has just seen its first safety car after an accident between a Ferrari and a BMW Hypercar. Sent into the rail, the BMW gave up but caused a long interruption behind the safety cars.
The Alpines pulled the curtain after two engine problems. Mecachrome will have to review its copy.
