Le Mans 24 Club

Amazing opportunity for someone (who has several million pounds) to acquire the original 917 used in the film Le Mans in 1971

https://www.mecum.com/lots/1128317/1969-porsche-917k/?aa_id=620294-0

Off the back of a hugely successful first season dovetailing its headlining Hypercar category with the new LMGT3 class, the FIA World Endurance Championship is set to go from strength-to-strength in 2025, with a freshly-revealed, high-calibre 36-strong entry.

No fewer than 13 big-name brands are featured across the two classes. That includes 12 returnees – in the shape of Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, McLaren, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota – and an exciting new addition, as Mercedes-AMG joins FIA WEC in a partnership with podium-finishing Italian LMGT3 outfit, Iron Lynx. In a similar vein, Aston Martin has increased its commitment to the championship by adding a Hypercar squad to its existing LMGT3 entries.

Defending Hypercar Manufacturer champion TOYOTA GAZOO Racing – the most decorated team in the 12-year history of the world’s premier endurance racing series – is back in its quest to secure yet more silverware, as is Porsche Penske Motorsport, which in 2024 clinched the Drivers’ crown with its #6 963. 

Ferrari AF Corse – winner of the most recent two editions of Le Mans – will endeavour to add world championship glory to its résumé with its pair of works scarlet 499P Hypercars. Cadillac doubles up to a two-car effort in partnership with Hertz Team JOTA, as fellow Hypercar contenders Alpine, BMW and Peugeot strive to maintain the encouraging progress they made last season. The FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams will be disputed between privateers AF Corse and Proton Competition.

Aston Martin will be bidding to conquer the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright for the first time since 1959 with its striking new Valkyrie Hypercar – two of which will go into battle season-long – while Mercedes-AMG’s forthcoming FIA WEC debut means the three-pointed star will return to La Sarthe following an absence of more than two-and-a-half decades.

Further big news in LMGT3, meanwhile, is a collaboration between reigning title-holder Manthey Racing and Deborah Mayer’s pioneering Iron Dames project, which will see FIA WEC’s only all-female driving crew aiming to improve upon their second-place championship finish from 2023.

A number of drivers have been confirmed on the provisional list, with full line-ups to be announced in due course. The campaign will get underway in Qatar on 28 February, visiting five different regions prior to concluding in Bahrain on 8 November. The full 2025 calendar can be found here. 

2025_FIA_WEC_Season_Provisional Entry List_v1.pdf

There are now race car sections within the Gallery 

Porsche, Toyota, Audi, Ford, Jaguar and Toyota to start with and more to come.

Feel free to add your piccys to the Galleries   https://autoevoke.com/gallery/

Toyota Gazoo Racing completed a thrilling fightback to overcome challenges and retain their FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) title when the 2024 season came to a dramatic conclusion in the 8 Hours of Bahrain on Saturday

The team locked out the front row in qualifying and knew that a win would secure them the manufacturers’ title. Each car led at different points in the race, but in the closing stages only one remained on track, down in 10^th place after suffering setbacks.

An incredible team effort and a dominant driving display saw Sébastien Buemi cut through the field to win the race in the No8 GR010 Hybrid he shares with Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa, clinching the team’s sixth successive manufacturers’ World Championship, by six points from Porsche.

The No7 GR010 Hybrid had victory in its sights when it led at half distance, but a fuel pump issue forced Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries into retirement. That ended Kobayashi and de Vries’s slim drivers’ title hopes.

The chequered flag in Bahrain concluded a 2024 season which featured 72 hours of racing, at eight rounds on four continents over almost 10 months. Toyota Gazoo Racing’s season record stands at five podiums, including three wins, and two pole positions, earning 190 World Championship points. After an exciting year, Toyota Gazoo Racing congratulate new drivers’ World Champions Kévin Estre, Andre Lotterer and Laurens Vanthoor, and thanks all WEC competitors for their contribution to a memorable season.

A dramatic and challenging race had started strongly for the team when Buemi led away from pole. But after 18 minutes their hopes suffered a blow when he was hit from behind by a GT car and spun down to seventh. He recovered to fifth before Hartley took over late in the second hour.

Hartley and Hirakawa then battled against tyre degradation on their stints but made a determined effort to keep the No8 in the top six and still in the hunt. The race turned on two safety car periods early in the second half of the race, which closed the gaps throughout the 18-strong Hypercar field.

When racing resumed with just over an hour remaining, Buemi was 10th but only 15secs from the lead. A heroic charge through the field saw him overtake several rivals to move into second after his final pit stop.

With just over half an hour of the season remaining he passed the No5 Porsche for the lead and soon established a comfortable advantage, reaching the chequered flag to win by 27.539sec. It was the No8 GR010 Hybrid’s second win of the season, and the team’s 10th in Bahrain.

For much of the race, the No7 car had looked the most likely GR010 Hybrid to challenge for victory. Conway moved up from fourth at the end of the first lap to be in the top three when Kobayashi took the wheel for what would be a dramatic stint. As the sun set in the fourth hour, a bold overtaking elevated him to second.

However, the No7 was hit by a fuel pump issue which intermittently reduced performance. Drivers, engineers and mechanics looked for a solution and, initially, appeared to have succeeded when Kobayashi closed the gap and de Vries took the lead via a fast pit stop. But the trouble returned and the No7 slipped down the field.

Considering the problem would require a lengthy repair, the team prioritised victory and the championship. It decided to retire the No7 with just over two hours to go, to allow its crew  to support the No8 car’s challenge.

Team quotes

Kamui Kobayashi (Team Principal and driver, car No7): “First of all, a big thank you for all the support we have had this season from all over the world. Winning the manufacturers’ World Championship is a great achievement and it’s the result of a huge team effort from everyone, including our Toyota colleagues and our partners, who are a big part of this success. This is the result everyone in the team wanted and they gave everything to achieve it, so thank you for all that work. Car No8 deserved the win today after an incredible race. Obviously on our car we had some issues and had to retire. We will analyse that and aim to come back even stronger next season.” 

Mike Conway (driver, car No7): “It was obviously a disappointing outcome for our car. We were very strong at some points and looking good to win, then we ran into the issue which unfortunately took us out of the race. But at least car No8 won and that means we achieved our target of winning the manufacturers’ World Championship. I am very happy for the team and for Toyota, and I’m also pleased for car No8 to win the race with such a strong drive at the end. We’ll all enjoy this moment.”

Nyck de Vries (driver, car No7): “It’s great to end the season on a high for the team by winning the manufacturers’ World Championship with an amazing victory for car No8. Obviously, it’s bittersweet for us to see our title rivals not score any points, considering we were in a winning position. Without the technical issue we had the chance to win both championships but that’s part of the game and we have to take it on the chin. Overall, I am just so happy for the team to get their reward today because they really deserve it after an eventful and challenging season.”

Sébastien Buemi (driver, car No8): “It’s crazy to think we won the race considering how it was going at some point. Against all the odds, with issues, penalties and bad luck it’s an amazing feeling for the team to win the World Championship. That was our target here and we’ve achieved it thanks to a brilliant effort from the team. When our car was down in 10th, we were going to the back of the Hypercar field during the pit stops and I thought we were done. But my team-mates did a good job hanging on with the old tyres and that meant I had a tyre advantage at the end. When it mattered today, we did a good job together and I am so pleased for the whole team.”
    
Brendon Hartley (driver, car No8): “I am so happy for everyone in the team and at Toyota. The race didn’t go as smoothly at the beginning as it could have done. We tried the medium tyres, but it didn’t work. Then at the end Séb did an unbelievable stint. He was the star; it was an incredible drive. Thanks to everyone in the team, at Toyota and all our partners. We really had to fight for this win and championship, so it means a lot. For our car to end the season with a victory is fantastic going into the winter break.”  

Ryo Hirakawa (driver, car No8): “What a day. It was an up and down race, but we never gave up and we fought as one team. We started from pole, then got hit by a GT car but still tried our best and put everything behind Séb for a maximum push at the end. On the No8 car, we have had some difficulties this season, so I am happy to finally get a bit of luck. It’s fantastic to finish the season with a win and I am so grateful to the team, as well as to everyone at Toyota and all our partners, for their big efforts to win this manufacturers’ championship.” 

Article Source:  Toyota Media - https://media.toyota.co.uk/victory-and-world-title-for-toyota-gazoo-racing/

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is attracting more and more spectators and tickets sell out fast. In response to the growing popularity, race organiser the ACO has reviewed spectator amenities for 2025.

The infamous Pirate Ship seen at Le Mans on Mad Friday 🙂 

Show us your Car, Van or Motorhome stickers for Le Mans

Sad news about Chris Hoy's diagnosis - a great olympian and Le Mans driver

https://talksport.com/sport/2180894/sir-chris-hoy-cancer-olympic-hero-team-gb/

Article source: courtesy of Talksport.com

This will be something that affects all Le Mans travellers coming from the UK

https://www.ladbible.com/lifestyle/travel/uk-foreign-office-passport-warning-entry-exit-system-935413-20240930?fbclid=IwY2xjawFp5TtleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHVTdrqV80VaB2oeLNtkfvFjXXysnoj963DXHWYzLHW5WiGblkLtj_eiFNw_aem_W0eFBb-vVHUXvJH3wWoF6A

What a great event!
One of the highlights of Le Mans week.
If you haven't been then you should definitely visit the event, it's even free entry

There are lots of cars in the show, music, food, beer and small sideshows to keep you entertained on the Friday before race day
Based at Saint Saturnin just north of Le Mans and easy to get to from most directions

Guide to Saint Saturnin

Anyone remember Mad Friday - when it was completely mad?

Memories of it being like the wild west and everything could happen - and usually did

Seems to have quietened down now to almost a whisper which is such as shame as there was never any aggro, just high-jinks and a lot of burning rubber 🙂

Who's going to the 2025 Le Mans 24?

@Trevor that's the perfect combination of a week in France with the theme of motor racing.
Can do that now semi-retired and kids have grown up but usually only used to manage 3 to 4 days at best 

So, how many of you 24'ers go to the Classics as well?

Toyota Gazoo fail to get podium place on homeground at the 6 hours of Fuji 😞

Such a shame for the team that delivered victory for many years.

https://media.toyota.co.uk/frustration-for-toyota-gazoo-racing-at-the-6-hours-of-fuji/

Ah great question!

Used to be at Beausejour (Beirut) for many years but have moved up in the world in old age and now reside at a private campsite north of Le Mans for the duration of the race.....a lot more civilised and no fireworks or Euro-Pop banging out at 3.30 in the morning

Well, here's a controversial question....how long do you all go to Le Mans, considering it's only running for 24 hours?

The usual is a week, but requires careful negotiation from the other half and of course work! 

Anyone go for less...or more?

Well the weather certainly didn't help the 2024 race with cars spinning off on every corner.
The Pace Car seemed to be out more than normal, rather than yellow flag an incident they seemed to roll out the Pace Car to escort the race at a sensibly slow pace

Cannot say I was overly impressed having seen many rainy Le Mans 24 races in the past - but safety rules!

my personal favourite has to be Derek Bell - long term legend! been there, done that and won that, what more can you say?

who's your favourite racing driver?

and why?

Porsche 917 - the legendary giant of endurance racing

Yes I'm sure there were better but my personal favourite - especially in the Gulf livery

Favourite race car and why?