and more? Well, new challengers rarely win first time out and the well-matured Toyota programme has set a daunting benchmark. It will take some beating. And given the rising stakes and the big anniversary, the sixth would surely mean the most.It was hoped a favourable Balance of Performance would allow the two Glickenhaus 007 LMHs to challenge the Toyotas, but in the end the American cars didn’t have the pace to live with the GR010s.
The #709 entry that finished on the podium ran largely trouble-free to finish five laps down on the winning Toyota. A damaging spin and misfire delayed the #708, but given how much can go wrong at Le Mans – as anyone from the troubled Alpine campaign can tell you – the lack of troubles forEven when all the big car brands arrive next year, the already proven 007 will remain a contender, and no one is laughing at Glickenhaus now.
High potential and expectation can be swept away so easily and quickly, and surely the most heart-breaking example was how Corvette’s strong chances of bowing out from GTE Pro with a victory was lost through someone else’s ineptitude.
Perrodo was distraught at his mistake and made his way quickly to the Corvette pit, where his sombre apologies were met with grace and appreciation. Great to see – but it was still a bitter pill for a team that has brought so much to Le Mans in the past two decades. That’s Le Mans for you.
deserving, if they didn't compete the category would die
Without any real competition
Audi won Le Mans 13 times. Both with petrol and diesel, 13 wins out of their first 16 races .. ('Toyota took its fifth Le Mans title this year, which makes them one of the race's most successful modern manufacturers' .. )
And which manufacturer did they beat? Uh huh.