Toyota secures one-two end at 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans
Toyota secured a one-two end on Sunday on the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans following a dramatic ultimate hour within the season-ending race of the 2018-2019 World Endurance Championship.
In the long run, it was Toyota’s quantity eight TS050 Hybrid pushed by Fernando Alonso, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima first to cross the end line, with the no. 7 TS050 Hybrid of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López ending second, 16.9 seconds behind the lead automobile.
Rounding out the highest three locations within the premier LMP1 class was the no. 11 SMP Racing/BR Engineering BR1 pushed by Vitaly Petrov, Mikhail Aleshin and Stoffel Vandoorne. They completed six laps behind the lead automobile.
2019 24 Hours of Le Mans
Toyota’s dominance was largely anticipated given its standing as the only producer within the LMP1 class. The identical was true final season when the Japanese automaker secured its first win at Le Mans.
Regardless of the dearth of competitors, there was nonetheless loads of motion on the Circuit de la Sarthe, the place the race was held. For instance, after dominating the weekend, the no. 7 Toyota was virtually sure to win, however issues shortly modified after lap 367 when López got here into the pits with a puncture. Sadly for him and his fellow drivers, a sensor problem resulted within the flawed tire being recognized, which means López left the pits nonetheless with a puncture. This necessitated a gradual lap again to the pits when all 4 tires had been modified, handing an unassailable result in the no. eight automobile.
Within the LMP2 class, the no. 36 Signatech Alpine A470 pushed by Pierre Thiriet, André Negrão and Nicolas Lapierre took high honors. They got here sixth total.
AF Corse/Ferrari on the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans
And additional down the courses, it was the no. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo pushed by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Daniel Serra first within the GTE Professional class designed for production-derived race automobiles with skilled drivers. They completed 20th total.
And eventually within the GTE Am class for production-derived race automobiles with newbie drivers, first place went to the no. 85 Keating Motorsports Ford GT pushed by Ben Keating, Jeroen Bleekemolen and Felipe Fraga. They completed 32nd total.
As talked about above, the race additionally concluded the present season of the WEC. Toyota with Alonso, Buemi and Nakajima scored the 2018/2019 title within the LMP1 class, whereas the title within the LMP2 class went to Signatech Alpine and its drivers Thiriet, Negrão and Lapierre.
Keating Motorsports/Ford on the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans
Within the GTE Professional class, Porsche and drivers Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen claimed the title, whereas within the GTE Am class the title went to staff Venture 1 and drivers Egidio Perfetti, Jörg Bergmeister and Patrick Lindsey.
Groups now take a break till the 2019/2020 WEC will get underway with the four Hours of Silverstone in the UK in September. Sadly, Toyota will stay the only producer within the LMP1 class however issues will change the next season, i.e. 2020/2021, when the brand new Hypercar class replaces LMP1 because the premier class of the WEC.
Already confirmed are Aston Martin, Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and Toyota, and extra producers are anticipated to observe swimsuit.
Teaser sketch for 2020/2021 Aston Martin Valkyrie World Endurance Championship race automobile