2023 LM24, Hour 22: Down To Two

Garage 56 NASCAR Camaro fighting to make the chequered flag after driveline issues

11 June 2023, 1:21 PM
Two hours remain in the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans, and now, two cars remain on the lead lap and the fight for the overall victory in the most anticipated event in endurance sportscar racing.

We’ve passed 309 laps completed without any Safety Car interventions in the last 12-plus hours.

The #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P is not just in a race against the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 HYBRID, it’s in a race towards history.

Ferrari’s Antonio Giovinazzi has a lead of just 9.610 from Toyota’s Brendon Hartley, who is wrapping up a gruelling quad-stint and giving it his all to chase down the leader.

The two Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.Rs run third and fourth, with the blue #2 of Richard Westbrook a lap ahead of the gold #3 of Renger van der Zande.

The #50 Ferrari has climbed back to fifth overall, Nicklas Nielsen is now aboard and eager to salvage a good result.

Both Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8s have had to spend significant time in the garage, the #94 for a change of steering rack, and most recently, the #93 for a hydraulics issue which has ruled it out of a top-five finish overall.

Albert Costa is aboard the #34 Inter Europol Competition Oreca 07-Gibson which has led LMP2 for most of the day and is just two hours away from a monumental victory.

Costa leads Robert Kubica in the Team WRT #41 Oreca by 21 seconds.

Paul Loup Chatin has broken away in third place aboard the #48 IDEC Sport Oreca, leaving the #30 Team Duqueine Oreca down in fourth with Neel Jani driving.

Two LMP2 cars buried down the order, the #22 United Autosports Oreca and the #39 Graff Racing Oreca, have gone to the garage for service before the top of the hour as now, simply finishing the race is the priority.
Nicky Catsburg is keeping the pressure on in the #33 Corvette Racing C8.R to stretch his lead to 77 seconds over the Iron Dames Porsche.

Michelle Gatting is now at the wheel of the #85 Porsche, the schedule for which seems unlikely to need a late splash for fuel at the final round of stops.

Charlie Eastwood is applying the pressure to the Iron Dames crew, reducing the gap by a second a lap in the #25 ORT by TF Aston Martin, pulling away from Matteo Cairoli in the #56 Project 1-AO Porsche in fourth.

A solid recovery in fifth for the GR Racing Porsche is being consolidated by Ben Barker. The perpetually-quick British driver is running consistently in the 3:53’s now and reducing the gap to the Project 1 Porsche and fourth place. A finish here would, in itself, deliver a well-earned reward for the underdog team that has always raced hard at Le Mans – but found results elusive.

Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is back on track, gearbox replaced. Mike Rockenfeller has shaken down the car and after another 15-minute trip to the garage, the #24 Camaro is ready to run to the finish!

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LM24 Hour 22: Lead positions held as conclusion of the race nears

Ferrari
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emailBy Stephen Kilbey | June 11, 2023 8:17 AM ET

Hour 22 was very much a holding hour. With two hours to go, it feels like this race is still yet to reach its crescendo. But for now, the lead battles in each category are static.

The No. 51 Ferrari 499P out front has Antonio Giovanazzi aboard. He is being chased by Brendon Hartley in the No. 8 Toyota GR010. Hartley, amid a quad stint, has the gap to the Italian in front around 10 seconds. It’s so tight, any error, even a minor one, could change everything at this point. A grandstand finish seems likely.

In LMP2 it’s the same as the previous hour, after serving its penalty, the No. 34 Inter Europol ORECA is managing its gap to the chasing WRT ORECA. The gap between Albert Costa and Robert Kubica is still around 20 seconds.
GTE Am meanwhile is still the Corvette show, the US-flagged team having changed driver for the last time. After a heroic stint from Nico Varrone, who was mobbed by the team after climbing out the C8.R, it’s now down to Nicky Catsburg to bring the car home. Iron Dames’ Porsche and the ORT by TF Sport Aston complete the top three, but are over a minute behind.

As for Hendrick Motorsports’ Camaro ZL1, it’s back out on track after a lengthy gearbox change. Mike Rockenfeller is aboard and down in 39th overall.
M24, Hour 22