Gara perfetta per la numero 51: Toyota battuta
It’s history: the Ferrari 499P won the centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans. An extraordinary success for the Maranello company fifty years after its return to the premier class of the most important race in the world. Bringing the number 51 to the top step of the podium Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado. The red hypercar got the better of the number 8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid (Hartley, Buemi and Hirakawa) with a simply fantastic second part of the race. A duel that began during the night and continued until a few hours before the checkered flag. Third step of the podium for the #2 Cadillac driven by Lynn, Bamber and Westbrook.
A victory written in destiny, a triumph full of meanings. Project 499P born well, but few expected such a convincing performance capable of breaking the hegemony of the Japanese, winners on the La Sarthe circuit in the last five years. A red hypercar which, in addition to being fast, as evidenced by the one-two in qualifying, proved to be solid in all weather conditions: from the heat to the cool of the evening, passing through the various rain showers over the 24 hours. The number 51, started second, didn’t force the start and led a cautious first part of the race to then insert the arrow with
Alessandro Pier Guidi, author of excellent stints in the night. Leadership conquered in the early hours of the morning and never lost again by keeping the #8 at a safe distance, with Calado and Giovinazzi, until Pier Guidi took the checkered flag, despite a thrill at the last pit stop. A magical circle that closes: it was the Italian driver who kept the 499P at Fiorano at full speed less than a year ago, on 6 July 2022. The number 51 once again proved to be a winner for the Prancing Horse: the story he repeats and Ferrari is there, all under the eyes of the president
John Elkann.
Unlucky, however, the other red, the number 50 which, with a
Fire enraged, she had to give up just before two in the morning when she was fighting for victory. A stone damaged the ERS radiator and caused the car driven by Molina and Nielsen to lose five laps and any desire to win glory. Fifth place that burns and cries out for revenge.
Slap for Toyota which did not materialize the experience of the last few years in endurance and was surprised by the speed of the Ferrari. Buemi and Hartley gave it a hard time, but they had to surrender to Hirakawa’s mistake in braking with one hour and 45 minutes to go: the rear lost due to a lock. GR010 Hybrid damaged and over two minutes lost. The #7 of Kobayashi, Lopez and Conway, on the other hand, had to abandon the race after midnight due to an accident with the number 66 Ferrari 488.
Big surprise for the
Peugeot 9X8 which until halfway through the race was fighting for the lead with the number 94. To everyone’s amazement, the French hypercar then had to raise the white flag due to a mistake by Nico Muller.
The Porsche is inconsistentdespite a favorable Bop, brought the first of the four 963s to ninth place.
This Sunday is red: June 11, 2023 enters the history of motorsport.