9/11/2020
The 88th edition of the legendary 24-hour race at the Sarthe is over. Unfortunately, the classic race in France no longer held any happy surprises for the Porsche works team. The 911 RSR #91 finished the race in 5th place and the sister car with the #92 crossed the finish line in 6th place.
The repair work on both cars took too much time for the #TeamPorsche. In the end, the gap was too big to catch up. Accordingly, all participants seemed disappointed at first sight. On the second place, however, the team takes this setback in a sporty - even fighting manner. Because one thing is already sure: next year, they will do everything they can to make the most of the strengths of the new Porsche 911 RSR and to tackle the class win again.
In the GTE AM class, the action continued until the finish line: just under 40 minutes before the end of the race, there was a massive impact in the LMP2 class. The resulting safety car brought the field closer together. The 911 RSR #56 from Team Project 1 started the final phase of the race in second place, ahead of its brand colleagues in the #77 from Dempsey-Proton Racing. The safety car returned 23 minutes before the end of the race, and the action took its way: on the Mulsanne Straight, Matt Campbell, driving in the #77, overtook Team Project 1 911 RSR #56 in front of him, which collided with his chaser at the end of the lap - and lost third place.
The crunch time starts: with about 3 hours of race time left on the Circuit de la Sarthe and persistent weather forecasting, no surprises are really to be expected. Nearly no surprises, because the last few years have proven that the race is decided in the final lap just before the finish line. Nevertheless, the expectations of the Porsche works team are restrained. The Porsche 911 RSR #91 is in 6th place and its sister car, after problems with the power steering, is tied for 7th place.
It still looks more conciliatory in the GTE AM class. Matteo Cairoli from Team Project 1 in the Porsche 911 RSR #56 is currently in 2nd place, showing impressive performance. Only one place behind is now the Porsche 911 RSR #77 from Dempsey-Proton Racing. Other Porsche 911 RSR models are waiting in line to take a podium finish as well. It remains to be seen which customer team will win the race in the end - but chances for a Porsche podium at the 88th edition of the 24-hour classic are excellent.
The sun is rising over Le Mans. And with it, the temperatures rise, too. So far, the race has been spared sudden changes in the weather, but history shows that anything can still happen.
For the factory team with the two 911 RSR #91 and #92, the situation has not changed in the early morning hours. Due to technical problems the cars are in the back of the GTE PRO class. Of course, the team had imagined the premiere of the latest model of the top athlete on the race track at the Sarthe differently. Nevertheless, the team is still fully committed to the track - because the data from the race will be analysed afterwards and used as a basis for next year.
In the GTE AM category, on the other hand, things continue to be exciting: with the 911 RSR #77 and #99 from Dempsey-Proton Racing, the 911 RSR #56 from Team Project 1 and the 911 RSR #86 from Gulf Racing, no less than four racing cars from customer teams are in the top 6 in the racing class. With 5 hours of racing remaining, there is a good chance that a Porsche will finish on the podium in the GTE AM category.
Due to the date shift to September, the drivers of the #TeamPorsche will experience an exceptionally long night in Le Mans. The team hoped to get more stints under full throttle from the cooler temperatures. But as in the first hours of the race, racing luck is not on the side of the Porsche factory team. After the power steering of the 911 RSR #92 forced a repair stop in the early evening hours, the #91 experienced a similar drama. After 13.5 hours of racing, Frédéric Makowiecki also reported problems with the power steering. But fortunately, after a short unscheduled repair stop, the #91 continued to race.
But things did not go smoothly even after that: 20 minutes later the #91 returned to the pits again - problems with the electrics. The sister car made it through the night unscathed. However, it still has no chance of being placed in the front places.
In the GTE AM class, the Dempsey-Proton Racing team was able to keep up with the others. The drivers, Matt Campbell, Riccardo Pera and Christian Ried, are currently in 2nd place with their Porsche 911 RSR.
For the team behind the 911 RSR #92, it was not easy in the last hours: an early puncture forced Kévin Estre to pit early. Michael Christensen took over and was able to regain contact with the top. This situation lasted until the second part of Laurens Vanthoor's double stint. Shortly after his scheduled stop, he reported problems with the power steering. The race car had to return to the pit and needed extensive repair work there. As a result, the team of Estre, Christensen and Vanthoor lost more than half an hour and therefore - at least with a regular rest of the race - has no chance of winning.
The sister car, number 91, has so far been unaffected by any problems, but in fifth place and is almost two laps behind the leader in the GTE PRO class. On top of these problems, several very long safety car phases defined the last hours of the race. The team's hope and will to win is unbroken - but all realists will realise that only great racing luck can ensure the desired class victory.
After 3.5 hours, the first conclusion that can be drawn is that it will be a tough fight. The teams of the GTE PRO and GTE AM class do give each other a hard time. It is racing as it happens in a 24-hour race.
At the moment the Porsche 911 RSR #91 is in 6th place - the sister car #92 is just ahead in 5th place. Kévin Estre said in the meantime that the bottom ranks are mainly due to the lack of acceleration on the straights. After a massive crash shortly after the start of the race Thomas Preining in the 911 RSR #88 of the Dempsey-Proton Racing Team had to avoid a Ferrari and thus catapulted himself into the track boundary.
But all this belongs to a 24h race weekend at the Sarthe. With still more than 19 hours to go, however, everything is still within the realm of possibility. Especially when the sun has completely set, and the race unfolds its unique flair during the night hours - and this time, we will experience an incredibly long night at the 24-hour race.
Welcome to the 24 hours of Le Mans. The race started at 14:30 (CEST) into its 88th edition. Due to the postponement of the race to September, the start was scheduled half an hour earlier than usual.
This year, the #TeamPorsche celebrates the 50th anniversary of the first overall victory in 1970. In the style of the red-white colour combination of the 917 KH of Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann, the two Porsche 911 RSR-19 (number 91 and 92) will start in the famous 24-hour race.
Number 91, driven by Richard Lietz, Gianmaria Bruni and Frédéric Makowiecki, set the fastest time of 3:50.874 minutes in the Hyperpole Qualifying last Friday and secured pole position. The sister car with number 92 will be driven by Laurens Vanthoor, Michael Christensen and Kévin Estre over the 13.626-kilometre circuit.
As usual, the 24-hour race began with a flying start. Number 91 led the field except for the Mulsanne straight. There, however, Gianmaria Bruni gave up the lead, as the chasing car was able to make ideal use of the slipstream. The number 92 with Kévin Estre onboard successfully defended the 6th place in the first round. The two works Porsches dropped back a few places in the further course of the early laps.
The time difference and the expected weather conditions will determine the 24-hour race. We are excited and look forward to an action-packed race on the Sarthe.
This year’s 24h of Le Mans once again stands for motorsport par excellence. Every second counts. A new duel in every curve. For a full 24 hours. So that you don't miss a single highlight over the jam-packed weekend, we'll keep you up-to-date with the latest racing action from western France here and provide some thrilling insights.
Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed for #TeamPorsche at the 24h of Le Mans.
Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. The 24h of Le Mans is about to begin.
