Ferrari downplayed their possibilities within the lead-up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, believing their 499P Hypercar lacked the uncooked tempo to match their rivals. However the race would inform a distinct story.
The Italian producer’s cautious method to the blue riband endurance occasion was justified by its personal inner information and compounded by its automotive’s efficiency in observe and in qualifying.
Ferrari’s sportscar boss Antonella Coletta even described the group’s process of repeating its 2023 win within the Sarthe as “inconceivable”.
When the flag dropped on Saturday and the sector was unleashed , all three Ferrari entries surged ahead, grabbing the lead within the opening hour.
And so they remained in rivalry all through the primary a part of the race, adapting beautifully to the unpredictable climate circumstances that switched between moist and dry spells.
There have been moments of drama, notably for the race-winning #50 automotive. Lower than two hours from the checkered flag, Nicklas Nielsen encountered a malfunctioning right-hand door that would not shut.
This compelled an unscheduled pitstop for the AF Corse-run group, however their fast considering and execution stored them forward. The #50 Ferrari crossed the end line first, a outstanding 14 seconds forward of the #7 Toyota, securing a surprising victory that defied all pre-race expectations.
“We arrived [here] like not the favourites,” mentioned Coletta after the race. “I keep in mind after the primary check on Sunday and the FP1, FP2 and FP3 my thought was that with out a particular race with the issue of the climate, with the change of the climate or the opposite drawback it was inconceivable for us to win.
“After the beginning of the race we have been aggressive however as you recognize very effectively the 24 Hours of Le Mans [can] change every a part of the day. In case you are aggressive in the beginning, [you] can’t [be] certain you may be aggressive on the finish.
“The truth is throughout the 24 hours, numerous vehicles have been within the first place throughout the race. And for us it has been very sophisticated as a result of we began with two penalties for the #83 and the #51 [carried over from qualifying].
“After that I do not keep in mind what number of penalties we acquired however [it was] rather a lot. We [also] had an issue with the door. [But] we gained for the second 12 months and we’re very, very completely satisfied.”
After the race, a beaming Nielsen expressed how a lot it meant to him to be a part of Ferrari’s historic feat – back-to-back victories at le Mans.
“It was, to be sincere, a really lengthy one,” he mentioned. “Particularly after the difficulty we had with the door…I really thought every little thing was misplaced. I knew the tempo was actually good within the moist by the tip. I imply, it was a really lengthy final lap as effectively.
“I don’t even know what to say. It’s simply wonderful to be right here, to lastly win the race that I’ve all the time needed to win.
“Seeing the sister automotive win it final 12 months, was clearly a proud second for everybody. After which, I feel for us to take it this 12 months – it’s a fair better achievement to do it back-to-back.”
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