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Ferrari Defeats Toyota and Porsche to Win Consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours

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Ferrari Defeats Toyota and Porsche to Win Consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours

In a spectacular showcase of speed and endurance, Ferrari emerged victorious in the 92nd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, securing its second consecutive win. The triumphant #50 Ferrari 499P, driven by Nicklas Nielsen, Antonio Fuoco, and Miguel Molina, crossed the finish line with a 14-second lead over the #7 Toyota GR010 HYBRID, piloted by Nyck de Vries, Kamui Kobayashi, and Jose Maria Lopez. The #51 Ferrari of defending champions Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi completed the podium, securing third place.

The race’s final hours were fraught with tension and drama. In the penultimate hour, the right-side door of the #50 Ferrari began flapping uncontrollably, prompting race control to display a black-and-orange flag. Nielsen was forced to pit for repairs just six laps into his stint. Despite this setback, he managed to maintain the lead over the #7 Toyota. The pressure eased somewhat when Lopez spun at the Dunlop Curve, momentarily halting on track and effectively ending Toyota’s hopes of a comeback.

From the very beginning, Ferrari demonstrated exceptional pace. All three 499P cars, including the AF Corse-entered customer entry, surged to the front within the first hour. The strategic decision by the #50 factory car and the #83 customer entry to stay out when rain hit the track briefly on Saturday evening paid off handsomely. This move allowed them to build a significant lead over the rest of the field, as many competitors, including the #51 Ferrari, opted to pit and switch back to slick tires.

As night fell over La Sarthe, the race was first neutralized when the #15 BMW driven by Dries Vanthoor crashed at the end of Mulsanne after colliding with the #83 Ferrari, then driven by Robert Kubica. The marshals took nearly two hours to repair the barriers, with racing resuming just after midnight. A subsequent safety car period was triggered by rain and fog, making the track unsafe. Throughout these interruptions, Toyota, Porsche, and Ferrari battled fiercely for the lead.

The dawn brought clarity and opportunity for Ferrari. In the 18th hour, the #50 Ferrari made significant progress, with Fuoco overtaking both the #83 Ferrari and the #5 Porsche of Frederic Makowiecki to claim second place. This position turned into first when the #2 Cadillac, out of sync with its pit stops, had to switch to wet tires. Despite a five-second penalty for Pier Guidi due to a collision with the #8 Toyota, the #51 Ferrari managed to secure the third spot on the podium.

Pre-race favorite Porsche had a mixed outing, with the #6 Porsche 963 narrowly missing the podium, finishing just 1.1 seconds behind the #51 Ferrari. The #6 Porsche had moved into the lead in the 18th hour after pitting under a slow zone, caused by Felipe Nasr crashing the sister #4 entry at Indianapolis. However, a subsequent pit stop under a safety car dropped them down the order. The #8 Toyota, delayed by the incident with Pier Guidi, finished fifth, with Sebastien Buemi bringing the car he shared with Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa across the line.

Cadillac emerged as a surprise contender on Sunday afternoon. A well-timed pit stop before the last safety car period put the #2 V-Series.R, driven by Alex Lynn, Earl Bamber, and Alex Palou, in the lead. However, the rain in the final three hours negated their strategic advantage, forcing the entire Hypercar field onto wet tires simultaneously. Ultimately, Palou brought the #2 Cadillac home in seventh place.

The Peugeot 9X8 2024 faced another challenging outing, with both factory cars struggling for pace. Stoffel Vandoorne, Paul di Resta, and Loic Duval finished 11th after a drive-through penalty and a collision. The sister car, #93, driven by Mikel Jensen, Nico Muller, and Jean-Eric Vergne, ended up in 12th place.

Lamborghini showed promise as the best newcomer in the Hypercar class. Despite a couple of spins, their SC63 cars finished without major issues, with the #63 car ending up in 10th place and the #19 in 13th.

Isotta Fraschini also made its debut, with Jean-Karl Vernay, Carl Wattana Bennett, and Antonio Serravalle finishing 14th.

Both BMW and Alpine faced significant issues. Engine failures led to Alpine’s double retirement, while BMW’s early crashes and subsequent repairs left them out of classification.

Ferrari’s victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours is a testament to the team’s resilience and strategic brilliance. Overcoming late-race drama and fierce competition from Toyota and Porsche, Ferrari secured back-to-back wins, cementing their legacy in endurance racing. As the teams look forward to the next season, this race will be remembered for its thrilling battles, strategic gambles, and the indomitable spirit of Ferrari.

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