senor honda

Le Mans grid grows to 62 cars for 2019

Image by JEP/LAT55 sharessharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | 7 hours ago
The grid for the Le Mans 24 Hours will be expanded to 62 cars for 2019, adding two cars to the original 60-car entry.

The change means that United Autosports’ second Ligier JS P217 and Danish team High Class Racing’s ORECA 07 have been added to field.

“In February, the selection committee faced a harder task than it has in many years,” said Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest. “There were 75 applications – all of a high standard – and it was particularly difficult to choose only 60. We quickly came to the conclusion that we had to find a way of accepting additional competitors, and our crews confirmed the feasibility of adding two garages to pit lane. We knuckled down and are overjoyed to be able to accept 62 entrants for the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s a record number, and a sign that this race is as popular as ever.”

These additions have been made possible by a plan to accommodate two more cars with temporary garages that will be added to the bottom end of the current pit lane in time for the Le Mans Test Day.

Both garages will be placed in the gap, which doubles as an access road, between the first two permanent garages at pit-in and the Module Sportif building.

To enable these new garages to be installed, the ACO will need to create a new pit-lane access road on the other side of the Module Sportif Building and relocate the current VIP car park which sits behind it.

The final arrangements, which will determine which team(s) will take up the temporary garages, have yet to be made.

The 62 car grid will be a record for the race, and one that’s set to be broken again in the near future, with the ACO still in the midst of planning a major rebuild of the current pit structure to accommodate an even larger grid in time for the 2023 24 Hours.

For High Class Racing, this is huge news. The team has been a full-season LMP2 entrant for the past two years in the European Le Mans Series, and will now make its Le Mans debut.

It had filed for an entry this year and in 2019, and was turned down by the ACO on both occasions due to there being such high demand.

Being denied again this year came as a major disappointment for the drivers Anders Fjordbach and Dennis Andersen, and for the High Class Racing team, which invested in a pair of new ORECA 07 Gibsons to replace its Dallara P217 chassis for this season in a bid to achieve stronger results.
“We are obviously very pleased to finally be at Le Mans, after a little bit of surprise last year and this year,” Fjordbach told RACER. Dennis and I are really happy, it’s been a dream for us to compete at Le Mans. With the history of all the Danish drivers having success at the race, we are happy it’s our turn now. We have a lot of work ahead of us, Dennis and I. We are very pleased to be there.”United Autosports will also see this news as a major relief. The team had expected to be awarded a two-car entry to the race because the outfit fields the most cars of any team racing under ACO rules.

“I’m delighted with the news, whatever the circumstances,” Alex Brundle, who will drive the No. 32 Ligier at the race said to RACER.

“Obviously it’s the highlight of our year and it’s always magic to be involved in that race. To get a last-gasp entry makes it all the more special.”

Currently, United Autosports competes in the ELMS’ LMP2 class, the Michelin Le Mans Cup’s LMP3 category, will step up the FIA WEC in 2019/20, and this past winter competed in both prototype classes of the Asian Le Mans Series.

“My first thought is that we’re really happy, delighted, it’s what we hoped for originally,” co-owner Richard Dean told RACER. “But my second thought is that we now have to undo everything we’d undone from our original plans. Six weeks to prepare for Le Mans isn’t a long time – the lead time on components, gearbox and everything else on the car is often longer than that. But it’s a nice problem to have. We’ve had to cancel hotels, back out of sponsor agreements, and obviously, we had commitments with drivers we’re resurrecting. It’s created a certain amount of work but for the Le Mans 24 Hours it feels worth it.

“You always hoped something might happen, and we heard the news that the Spirit of Race Ferrari pulled out. But did I have confirmation before today? No. But we always hear rumors and we’ve heard a lot about a new pit complex with a bigger grid. When you want something to happen, you read between the lines and start imagining things. But, today was the day we got confirmation and heard for sure we’re in. It’s good news!”

High Class Racing and United Autosports occupied the second and third spots on the reserve list for the race. Top of the list when it was first published was French LMP2 team Duqueine Engineering, which was previously announced as a part of the current entry after the No.55 Spirit of Race Ferrari dropped out.

Along with the news, the ACO released a revised entry list.

Jordan King (who made his WEC debut at Sebring) and IMSA regular Ricky Taylor have been added to the No. 38 Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA, to race alongside previously confirmed Dane, David Heinemeier Hansson.

In GTE Am meanwhile, the No. 62 WeatherTech Racing Ferrari’s line-up has been fully revealed; the car featuring former class Le Mans Am winner Rob Smith alongside American Cooper MacNeil and Ferrari factory driver Toni Vilander.

The reserve list features just five cars now, with Eurasia Motorsport, which competes in the Asian Le Mans Series, now sitting atop the list. Below it are the No. 24 Panis Barthez and No. 27 IDEC Sport Ligiers P217s. The remaining cars are GTEs – the second Team Project 1 Porsche, and the TF Sport Red River Sport Aston Martin Vantage.
Le Mans, United Autosports, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

More driver additions filling out Le Mans entry

Image by Nikolaz Godet/LATsharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | 9 hours ago
The entry list for the final round of the FIA WEC ‘Super Season’ at Le Mans is nearing completion.

The most recent version of the entry for June’s 24 Hours — which now features 62 cars — sees multiple driver slots filled, in addition to the recent news that Stoffel Vandorne will race in Jenson Button’s place in SMP Racing’s No. 11 BR1.

In LMP2, Alex Brundle is now confirmed in the No. 32 United Autosports Ligier alongside ELMS full season driving partner Ryan Cullen, though the third driver in the newly-added car is still an unknown. In ELMS competition this season, Brundle and Cullen are set to be joined by IMSA regular Will Owen for the remainder of the season.

In the sister car, meanwhile, Paul di Resta looks certain to complete the No. 22 crew alongside Phil Hanson and Filipe Albuquerque.

More Le Mans/WEC!

Inside The Sports Car Paddock, April 22, with Braun, Brundle

Vandoorne replaces Button at SMP for Le Mans, Spa

The Week In Sports Cars, April 17, with Graham Goodwin

Another Ligier team with news is Polish outfit Inter Europol. Leo Roussel, who like Brundle raced a Ginetta LMP1 last year at Le Mans, was confirmed by the team at Paul Ricard to have a deal to join Kuba Smiechowski in the No. 34 Ligier. As it stands there’s no deal in place yet for the third driver.
Frenchman Norman Nato has been confirmed for RLR Msport’s No. 43 ORECA. And ex-F1 man Will Stevens will be added to the No. 23 Panis Barthez Ligier entry, his non-availability at Jackie Chan DC Racing (in its No. 38 ORECA) citing a prior contractual commitment with his regular ELMS team. Julien Canal is also believed to be locked in to complete the team

.
While only currently listing one driver, the Cetilar Racing Dallara, which will compete in the 2019/20 WEC season, is set to field Giorgio Sernagiotto and Andrea Belicchi alongside Roberto Lacorte.

Similarly, it looks certain to be the full-season ELMS line-up of Memo Rojas and Paul-Loup Chatin that will join Paul Lafargue in the No. 28 IDEC Sport ORECA.

In GTE Pro, the third drivers in Aston Martin Racing’s Vantages are still listed as TBA but are expected to be Darren Turner (No. 95) and Jonny Adam (No. 97).

In GTE Am, Come Ledogar will complete the three-man line-up for the Asian Le Mans Series GT Championship-winning Car Guy squad alongside Kei Cozzolino and Takeshi Kimura. During the team’s Asian Le Mans campaign, James Calado, who will race in Pro with AF Corse at Le Mans, drove in Ledogar’s seat.

The No. 78 Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR meanwhile sees ex-Bentley and now AKKA ASP man Vincent Abril step in for his Le Mans 24 Hours debut alongside Louise Prette and his father Philippe in an all-Monegasque trio. In fact there are now five drivers from Monaco on the list, with Olivier Beretta and Stephane Richelmi also set to race.

Prette Jr. came close to gaining an auto entry for Le Mans last year with an LMP3 title run in the Asian Le Mans Series with former Le Mans class winner KCMG, only to lose the championship lead in dramatic fashion in the last 15 minutes of the final race of the season.
Le Mans, United Autosports, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

FIA mandates fuel flow meters in GTE Pro ahead of Le Mans

Image by JEP/LATsharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | 2 hours ago
The FIA will be introducing mandatory fuel flow meters to the FIA World Endurance Championship’s GTE Pro class before the end of the 2018/19 ‘Super Season’.

This change to the regulations comes after the “unanimous agreement of LM GTE Pro Manufacturers”, according to the FIA, and will be recommended for next week’s FIA WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the penultimate round of the season, before being enforced “until further notice” ahead of next month’s the Le Mans Test Day and the season-ending Le Mans 24 Hours.

More Le Mans/WEC!

The Week in Sports Cars, April 23

More driver additions filling out Le Mans entry

Inside The Sports Car Paddock, April 22, with Braun, Brundle

The FIA hasn’t yet offered a public explanation for the change, although it is important to note that the addition of fuel flow meters to the cars comes as a form of monitoring and not a means of restricting to the Pro cars’ fuel flow.

The FIA bulletin explains that: “the fuel flow will be measured using, as a prime measurement, a homologated Fuel Flow Sensor.

“A homologated sensor, to be usable during a race event, must be calibrated by a homologated calibration company.

“This calibration must be done for each single fuel and after each modification done on the sensor unless advised otherwise
by FIA. The FIA’s requirement is to mount the sensor as defined in the 2018 LMP1 Technical Regulations.”
Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

Hartley confirmed as Alonso's WEC replacement

Image by JEP/LAT61 sharessharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | 15 hours ago
Brendon Hartley will replace Fernando Alonso at Toyota Gazoo Racing for the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship season.

It will be the Kiwi’s fifth full season of WEC competition, following on from a successful spell with Porsche in LMP1 between 2014-17 that delivered 12 race wins, the 2015 and 2017 FIA WEC titles and the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours win before he departed to race in F1 with Toro Rosso in 2018.

“A big thanks to Toyota Gazoo Racing for giving me this opportunity,” said Hartley. “I know how professional and motivated this team is following my years competing against them in WEC, so I am fired up and am very happy to be joining them.

“I believe I am returning to WEC an even stronger driver following my experience in Formula 1, and I look forward to getting on track and building a strong relationship with my new team. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the TS050 HYBRID; the first tests can’t come soon enough.”

Alonso meanwhile, will depart Toyota’s LMP1 effort after a single season, with a Le Mans victory already under his belt, and the chance to win a second next month, along with the drivers’ title, before moving on.

He will remain aligned with Toyota after Le Mans to pursue “new motorsport adventures within the Toyota Gazoo Racing family”.

Could the Dakar Rally be on his wishlist? The Spaniard recently tested a Dakar Hilux with the Japanese marque. Alonso will also contest the Indy 500 for a second time this year with McLaren in his pursuit of motorsport’s Triple Crown.

“I have enjoyed being part of Toyota Gazoo Racing in WEC but this chapter is ending,” Alonso said.

“Winning Le Mans is one of the highlights of my career as part of my Triple Crown challenge and I will always remember that victory which we achieved together as a team last year. Now is a good time to take on new challenges and there are many interesting opportunities to explore within Toyota Gazoo Racing.

“I wish Brendon all the best for next season and I would like to thank all the team members for the big effort they continue to make to achieve success in WEC. We still have two important races remaining as we are still in the fight to become WEC World Champions, and I will be pushing hard to win both of them.

“I would love to put an end to this super season by celebrating a new world title with all the Toyota Gazoo Racing family. Finally, I’d like to take the opportunity to say thanks to all WEC and ACO members for such a warm welcome and experience.”


Brendon Hartley, Fernando Alonso, Toyota, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

First 42 Le Mans entries confirmed

Image by Ashleigh Hartwell/LAT252 sharessharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | February 11, 2019 7:24 AM
Organizers of the Le Mans 24 Hours the Automobile Club de L’Ouest (ACO) sprung a surprise today by confirming just 42 of the 60 entries for the 2019 Le Mans 24 Hours. The ACO had announced last November that 50 entries would be confirmed today as part of a new two-stage process.

Included in the 42 cars (out of the 75 teams that applied) so far announced are 34 of the 36 full-season FIA WEC entries announced ahead of the 2018/19 ‘Super Season’ and eight teams that have taken up auto entries. The remaining 18 slots and the 10-car reserve list are now planned to be revealed on March 1.

• Provisional entry list

There were plenty of surprises from the announcement, not least the reduced number of cars named.

None of the full season IMSA GTLM cars are yet confirmed with Corvette Racing, Porsche, Ford, BMW and Risi Competizione still waiting for news on their proposed entries.

In the FIA WEC ranks, neither of the TRSM Ginetta LMP1 cars made the cut, despite the fact that RACER understands that the Ginetta factory — having recently regained control of the entries from its former customers — had posted a pair of entries for its now AER-powered G60-LT-P1s.

More Le Mans/WEC!

LMP1 Le Mans aero on show at Spa

The Week In Sports Cars, May 1, with Graham Goodwin

Hartley confirmed as Alonso's WEC replacement

Additionally, of the 11 auto entries awarded thus far, Signatech Alpine (which won the LMP2 class at Le Mans this year) has decided against entering a second LMP2 car alongside its WEC full-season entry. Perhaps less of a surprise is that neither Toyota Gazoo Racing nor Porsche, which were also awarded auto entries for their racing success at Le Mans last year, have opted to field an additional car.

It was also announced that American sports car racing legend Hurley Haywood will be the Grand Marshall for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.
24 Hours, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

INSIGHT: Ginetta's quest for a second LMP1 chance

44 sharessharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | April 29, 2019 10:25 AM
Despite CEFC TRSM missing almost the entire 2018/19 FIA WEC ‘Super Season’ due to commercial difficulties, Ginetta has been hard at work to ensure its G60-LT-P1 LMP1 cars are back in action next season.

The Yorkshire, UK-based manufacturer, which launched its new ‘Akula’ supercar at last month’s Geneva International Motor Show, was out testing this past week in Spain, continuing to develop its LMP1 challenger, showing off its potential and making up for lost time.

Ginetta’s LMP1 contingent took the car out at Motorland Aragon, a regular venue for testing in Europe, and completed three days of running. Works drivers Charlie Robertson and Mike Simpson were behind the wheel, joined by former IndyCar podium sitter James Jakes, ByKolles LMP1 driver Oliver Webb and ELMS regular Anders Fjordbach.

The car ran with the turbo-V6 P60B AER engine, replacing the original Mecachrome engine that was campaigned at Le Mans last year and was found to be lacking performance.

Despite the car’s lack of development work and testing compared to rival LMP1 privateer chassis from BR Engineering, ByKolles and SMP Racing, it fared extremely well in the changeable conditions in Spain – not least because the running at Motorland gave Ginetta a chance to compare its car directly to some of its competitors, as SMP Racing and Rebellion Racing both had cars present lapping the circuit. For all three it was a chance to test developmental Michelin tires, and in the case of Rebellion, a new low-drag aero kit bound for Le Mans this year too.

Ginetta’s car ran on all three days under the watchful eyes of Ginetta’s Technical Director Pete Smith and the car’s designer Andy Lewis, and used the No. 5 chassis that raced at Le Mans last year.

Also on hand were veteran race engineer Alan Mugglestone, engineers from AER, Bosch data engineers and a Michelin tire engineer.

The car’s very first laps came in greasy conditions; Simpson entrusted with systems checks and some fine-tuning to tee up a trouble-free first day.

The program for the opening day was not about raw speed, but rather was about a catalogue of systems and installation checks, data calibration and the gathering of tire data. It also was a chance to develop a baseline set up, which was built on throughout, with a raft of set-up changes made by Mugglestone that Simpson later observed as “extreme, but absolutely transformational.”

By Tuesday afternoon it was clear that the third day could be used as an opportunity to push for speed, and with Charlie Robertson aboard, the cars times tumbled. The car was faster on the opening day than the Rebellions and close to the SMP BR1, and that was with the boost dialed down by 10% and without the Michelin developmental rubber.

In contrast to the car’s struggles at Le Mans, its straight-line speed proved to be excellent, too. The G60 was effectively restricted to 345 km/h (214mph), grazing that mark regularly with all three drivers aboard just before the brakes were applied at the end of the lengthy back straight.

Unfortunately, some of the running was cut short due to unseasonable rain, but the car’s performance in the wet was encouraging too; faster in those conditions than the other LMP1s, which were driven by their regular WEC drivers during the test.

The only real stumbling block mechanically for the car came when the conditions were changeable: a gearbox gremlin at the end of Webb’s stint limiting Fjordbach to a single lap on Wednesday.

That issue was solved for the third day, however, leaving Charlie Robertson, Mike Simpson and James Jakes to undertake the performance running on Thursday. After yet more showers, it was Robertson, the 2015 ELMS LMP3 champion, who tasked with pushing for lap times.



The SMP and Rebellion teams had completed their programs after Wednesday, but their times had left a benchmark for the Ginetta. At that point, the G60 sat third-quickest of the LMP1s; one of the Rebellions bettering its best time on Wednesday afternoon.

The very first Thursday run-though ended with the Rebellion’s time being eclipsed; the Ginetta dipping into the 1m18s range twice in a five-lap run, still on the older-spec front Michelins.

Robertson then edged even closer to the SMP BR1’s best time, a 1m18.605s, with a 1m18.626s on a lap compromised by a slower LMP2 car.

In the end that would prove to be the car’s best effort, but despite the G60 not ending with the fastest time, it felt like a victory of sorts for those in the Ginetta camp whose hard work had produced a car capable of going toe-to-toe with tried and tested cars almost a year into their racing life.

Not only was the car fast but it was reliable too, managing well over 170 laps, and almost 1000km of running, with only one minor setback on the mechanical front.

“That was hard work, but the performance as always there,” said Robertson after his third and final run of the day.

“We were very happy with where the car was straight out of the truck but the changes that Alan made were excellent and from there the tweaks always took us forward.”

Mike Simpson and James Jakes were equally effusive.

“The whole test has been a real buzz,” said Simpson. “Not just because we have had the results, but because everyone involved has such positivity about what is clearly an exceptional car. There’s no doubt whatsoever there is a lot more to come, what this car needs now is a team to get hold of it and prove that on track.”

“There is a frustration after a test like that,” Jakes, who is keen to stay involved with the Ginetta LMP1 project, said to RACER.

“But the frustration comes from knowing that even more time here would bring real results. That is an excellent race car, predictable, progressive, with excellent balance. The mark of any race car is how you feel about it when you get out and I can’t wait to get back in! It’s clear that this is a really strong package.”

After the test, Ginetta’s chairman, Lawrence Tomlinson, was also extremely positive.

“It’s been a really successful test,” he told RACER. “Of course, we have confidence in the car but it is fantastic to see that confirmed not only by its own performance on the track but also by our performance against our peers.

“Not only has the car proved to have the pace that would put it amongst the fastest in the class, but it has also proved too that the performance is repeatable, our stints throughout the test, in the dry and in the wet, were consistent as well as quick.

“It’s already clear that the car is eligible for the next two seasons in the WEC, and as things stand that might well be longer.”

The next step is more running for the car, but beyond that, with the 2019/20 WEC season looming, getting one or more G60s on the grid is the top priority for Ginetta. And the interest in the car is there, from more than one potential customer. There are deals to be done, and more testing to be planned.

But crucially, with the car now proving its worth, there’s a palpable sense of optimism coming from Ginetta’s headquarters in Garforth. And a real determination to hand its LMP1 project a second life.
Ginetta, LMP1, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

Segal lands Le Mans ride with JMW

sharetweetemailBy: Graham Goodwin | 4 hours ago
Jeff Segal, 2015 Le Mans GTE Am Champion and IMSA and GT World Challenge regular, will return to the Le Mans 24 Hours in June with the JMW Motorsport team he contested the race with last year.

Segal, a 2019 European Le Mans Series full season entrant with his Canadian driver coaching client Wei Lu, will be joined by Lu at Le Mans with current GT World Challenge championship leader Rodrigo Baptista.

It will be Segal’s fourth Le Mans 24 Hours, continuing a career that began with a win on his debut in 2015 alongside Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler in a GTE Am Scuderia Corsa Ferrari. The same trio returned the following year, again finishing on the podium.

In 2017 Segal made his debut with the JMW team, themselves winners of the class at Le Mans in 2017, contesting the Le Mans 24 Hours alongside Cooper MacNeil and Liam Griffin. The 2019 edition of the race will be Baptista’s GTE race debut, and both he and Wei Lu will be making their Le Mans debuts this year.
Jeff Segal, JMW Motorsport, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

Krohn, Jonsson join Dempsey Proton Porsche for Le Mans

Image by Nikolaz Godet/LATsharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | 13 hours ago
Texan Tracy Krohn is set to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours with his driving partner Nic Jonsson for a 14th consecutive year. The record-breaking duo, who together have three class podiums (2007, 2009 and 2012) to their names in the French endurance classic, will race with Dempsey Proton Racing in the GTE Am category.

They’ll drive the German outfit’s No. 99 Porsche 911 RSR with previously confirmed Porsche factory driver Patrick Long. Krohn and Swedish racer Jonsson, therefore, compete in a Porsche for the first time since their first start together back in 2006 with White Lightning Racing.

More Le Mans/WEC!

Toyota locks out Spa front row as lap records fall

Kobayashi turns up the wick in Spa FP3

Segal lands Le Mans ride with JMW

Long will be the ninth different co-driver that Krohn and Jonsson have raced with at La Sarthe, adding to a list which includes IMSA regulars Colin Braun, Joao Barbosa and Jorg Bergmeister.

For Long, this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours will be his 16th start at Le Mans, and his seventh consecutive in a Proton-run Porsche.

senor honda

Kobayashi turns up the wick in Spa FP3

Image by LATsharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey 13 hours ago
Toyota’s pace improved drastically in this morning’s final WEC Free Practice session at Spa, the No. 7 TS050 Hybrid ending up with a time of 1m54.105s from Kamui Kobayashi — considerably faster than the team’s previous best set in FP1, a 1m58.7s.

The uptick in pace put the No. 7 2.2 seconds quicker than the sister No. 8 TS050 which end up second fastest. It was also eight tenths up on last year’s pole time.

The fastest non-hybrid, the No. 17 SMP Racing BR1-AER entry with Egor Orudzhev, finished with a best time of 1m56.842s, continuing the Russian team’s strong show of pace against its privateer rivals with the high-downforce spec BR1. During the session, the No. 17 completed 18 laps, repaired after its off at Blanchimont during FP2 yesterday in the wet.

SMP’s No. 11 sister car ended the session fourth fastest ahead of the Rebellions and the ByKolles CLM.

More Le Mans/WEC!

Toyota locks out Spa front row as lap records fall

Krohn, Jonsson join Dempsey Proton Porsche for Le Mans

Segal lands Le Mans ride with JMW

In LMP2, G-Drive Racing’s Aurus led the way on pace, Jean-Eric Vergne topping the times with a 2m01.243s, leading the two Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECAs.

Fastest of the Chinese-flagged 07 Gibsons was the No. 37 of Will Stevens, with a 2m01.826s. Gabriel Aubry ended up third in the No. 38 with a 2m02.830s.

GTE Pro saw the No. 91 Porsche take the top spot, Gianmaria Bruni lapping the Belgian circuit in 2m13.722s before losing power on his way into the pits at the end of the session. The Italian stopping at pit in was the only incident in the session of note, the 60 minutes of running taking place in green flag conditions.

Bruni’s time was two tenths up on Harry Tincknell in the No. 67 Ford and a further three tenths up on the No. 92 Porsche that slotted in third after Kevin Estre’s best lap.

Porsche also topped the GTE Am class, with Matteo Cairoli in the No. 88 Dempsey-Proton entry edging out Matt Campbell No. 77 911 RSR with a 2m15.190s.

UP NEXT: Qualifying starts at 3 p.m. local time.
Spa, Toyota, Le Mans/WEC

senor honda

Rain, hail and snow can’t stop No. 8 Toyota at Spa

Image by LAT186 sharessharetweetemailBy: Stephen Kilbey | 8 hours ago
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s No. 8 TS050 HYBRID of Fernando Alonso, Kazuki Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi outlasted weather chaos at Spa-Francorchamps to earn its fourth victory of the 2018/19 FIA WEC ‘Super Season’.

What turned out to be one of the more remarkable and memorable contests in WEC history, ran without a red flag stoppage until the final 8 minutes despite the constant change in weather conditions.

The six hours of racing featured bouts of sunshine, broken up by heavy snow, hail and rain, which shook up the running order continuously as teams took risks on strategy.

Tire choice was key here, with all four classes featuring tight battles for podium spots right until the end. The driving standards were outstanding, with no major incidents, and the cars all held up. As a result, there were no retirements.

Behind the winning Toyota, the podium was completed by two privateer LMP1s. The No. 3 Rebellion Racing R-13 of Gustavo Menezes, Thomas Laurent and Nathanael Berthon beat the No. 11 SMP Racing BR1 of Mikhail Aleshin, Vitaly Petrov and WEC debutant Stoffel Vandoorne to second.

Both cars were close throughout the race, and finished just six seconds apart, despite Aleshin telling RACER after the podium ceremony that the No. 11 had just four gears for the final two hours.

Both driver crews all performed masterfully through traffic in the tricky conditions, with Vandoorne, in particular, standing out, the ex-McLaren F1 driver in his LMP1 debut, leading the race early on in the confusion caused by the first ‘blizzard’.

The sister No. 7 Toyota was unable to challenge and convert pole into a win. Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez ended up finishing sixth overall, after losing four laps to an electrical sensor issue at the halfway mark while it was leading.

“It was a crazy day, with crazy weather. We didn’t expect snow in May! It was lucky for us, we feel sorry for the sister car. We secured the Team’s Title, so it’s an important result. Now we head to Le Mans,” said race winner Nakajima.

The only titles settled this afternoon was the LMP1 team’s title, which went the way of Toyota, and the GT Manufacturers’ FIA World Endurance Championship, which went to Porsche.

Porsche’s two 911 RSRs scored enough points in Pro to make it mathematically impossible for Ferrari to stay in the fight at Le Mans week. All the other titles across the four classes though are going down to the wire.

Winning the Pro class though, was Aston Martin Racing, with its No. 97 Vantage AMR of Maxime Martin and Alex Lynn, who both took their first ever class wins in the process.

GTE Pro was spectacular in the changing conditions, and again provided viewers trackside and at home with an unpredictable race, full of drama and door-to-door action.

No manufacturer really took control, as the safety cars and full-course yellows throughout kept the field bunched up and on the same lap.

With each car performing wildly different as the conditions changed, it was near-impossible to see which way the race was going until the final hour, when the final weather front caused one last flurry of pit stops under the safety car and set the order for one final dash before the red flag.

The No. 97 led the way at the final restart, Maxime Martin aboard after an ironman-like stint from Alex Lynn, who thrived in the middle portion of the race in the tough conditions. The Belgian, on home turf, had to defend hard until the race was called against James Calado in the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari. The two battled hard, with Calado unable to get through.

“It was a crazy race,” Lynn, whose only other sports car victory came at Sebring in 2017, told RACER. “It was far worse being in the garage and watching Max than it was being out there in that weather.

“The team was awesome, every strategy call was spot on, but it was a mentally tough race, probably worse because we knew we could be strong here and the conditions just kept throwing more pressure to deal with, at us.

“Every team was in with a chance at some point, and I’m just delighted that we’ll got to Le Mans with a win in the bag for Max and I and can focus now on getting the next one.”

1 2
Porsche, Spa, Toyota, Le Mans/WEC