Crew n⁰ 8 of the Japanese team preceded the n⁰ 7, victorious last year. The GLICKENHAUS N⁰ 709 completes the podium of the Endurance automobile race.
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After a 2020 edition disputed behind closed doors due to the epidemic of COVID-19 and that of 2021 which only welcomed 50,000 spectators (20 % of the usual number), the stands of the Sarthe circuit were , this year, filled to the brim for the 90 e edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 June 2022.
But if the atmosphere was different in the stands, on the track nothing has changed, or almost. For the fifth year in a row, Toyota won the classic Mancelle, again realizing the double (as in 2018, 2019 and 2021) in the category “Hypercars”.
Unlike the previous edition, it is however the crew of Toyota N⁰ 8 of Switzerland Sébastien Buemi, Japanese Ryo Hirakawa and New Zealander Brendon Hartley who finishes in front of Toyota N⁰ 7 of British Mike Conway, of the Japanese Kamui Kobayashi and the Argentinian José Maria Lopez, two minutes ahead on Sunday at 4 p.m.
The American stable Glickenhaus completes the podium thanks to the N⁰ 709 crew, composed of the Australian Ryan Briscoe, the British Richard Westbrook and the French Franck Mailleux, with five laps behind the Toyota n⁰ 8.
alpine, never in the blow
On the other hand, the French stable Alpine experienced a gloomy weekend. Overwhelmed from the start by the two Glickenhaus, the N⁰ 36 crew of Brazilian André Negrao and the French Matthieu Vaxiviere and Nicolas Lapierre already had seven laps late on the leader on Saturday at 10 p.m., after two passages at the stand in less than one Half an hour, consecutive to a clutch problem.
Worse, an accident occurred Sunday morning around 9 am: Matthieu Vaxiviere lost control of his vehicle at the entrance of a turn trying to exceed a GT car (slower), ending the protective barrier . After having once again conceded time to the stand to make repairs, the Alpine finally finished at the 23 e place, at eighteen rounds of the winner.
Despite a tire of Sébastien Buemi shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday and a puncture Sunday around 7:30 a.m., still with the Swiss driver behind the wheel, the Toyota N⁰ 8 controlled the race by demonstrating all its reliability.
At 33, Mr. Buemi joined the French Yannick Dalmas, the Belgian Olivier Gendebien and the French Henri Pescarolo in the closed circle of the quadruple winners of the classic Mancelle. The record for the number of victories among the pilots remains the possession of the Danes Tom Kristensen (nine successes). “We are happy, we had no problem. It’s incredible. It’s perfect. A big day,” said, phlegmatic, the native of the canton of Vaud on arrival at the microphone of the chain l ‘Team.
In the second category of so -called “LMP2” vehicles (for “Le Mans Prototype 2”), the Jota N⁰ 38 won before the Prema N⁰ 9 and the JOTA N⁰ 28. Note the 9
In the third category, in “LM GTE Pro” (for “Le Mans Grand Tourisme Endurance”), the Porsche n⁰ 91 finished in front of two Ferrari, the n⁰ s sup> 51 and 52, term of a twist race.
Barely the 2022 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans finished, the next one is already particularly expected and not only because it will be that of the centenary. The year 2023 will also mark the return of major stables: Peugeot, Porsche, Ferrari or Cadillac, who will increase competition in the “Hypercars” category.