Editors' Picks -- 5 days ago
Words: Charlie Thomas
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the oldest and most famous endurance race in the world, and ever since it was created in 1923, the most skilled drivers on the planet have descended on the town of Le Mans to tackle the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe and compete for glory under motorsport’s watchful eyes.
The last decade or so has been dominated by Audi Motorsport but, with a number of new rule changes being implemented this year, we could see a shake up in what is set to be another hugely exciting racing event. Here, we break down the teams to watch for this year’s 24 Heures du Mans.
AUDI, , The German marque has won 12 of the last 14 races it has competed in, so there’s no denying the influence that they are bound to have on this year’s battle. The R18 e-tron Quattro features a 4.0 litre turbodiesel V6 engine and, with drivers including ex-F1 professionals, Lucas DI Grassi and Marc Gene, you can expect one of, if not all three of Audi’s cars to be finishing at the top.
PORSCHE , , They haven’t taken first place at Le Mans since 1998, but Porsche are by far the most successful team in the history of the race, with 16 overall victories. This year they are pulling out all the stops, having recruited recently-retired Red Bull F1 ace, Mark Webber. The car looks like a winner too, and with an innovative 2.0 litre turbocharged hybrid V4 and an energy recovery system similar to Formula 1, they are in with a great shot.
ASTON MARTIN, , Whilst they won’t be competing in the LMP1 class, Aston Martin are this year celebrating the 10 year anniversary of their racing programme, and with three cars entering the GTE class they will be as hungry as ever. Competing against the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Chevrolet, Aston Martin have an impressive driver line up including ex-F1 star Bruno Senna.
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