24 Hours of Le Mans
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Audi will soon start official testing for the 81st running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, which will be taking place on the weekend starting June 22. The works team is hoping to achieve its 12th victory at the event since 1999. Audi plans to compete with three of its R18 e-tron quattro prototypes in the premier LMP1 category, one of which will be a ‘long-tail’ version. The drivers will be Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer in one car, Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Loïc Duval in another, and Oliver Jarvis, Marc Gené and...
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Audi Le Mans Prototypes: Lightness Through Gorgeous Carbon
Lightness is a highly sought-after attribute in a race car. Even when adding complex, often heavy systems like hybrid drive and large, powerful engines, there's a focus on saving weight. That's usually done through carbon fiber these days. Audi appears to have perfected the art. The carbon fiber...
Nelson Ireson -
SRT Prepares Viper GTS-R Race Cars For 24 Hours Of Le Mans
Having dominated the GTS class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for three consecutive years between 1998 and 2000, the Dodge Viper has been noticeably absent from the event for the past decade. That’s all about to change, as the Viper in its latest iteration, now badged an SRT, will be returning to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Aston Martin Announces 24 Hours Of Le Mans Driver Lineup
Aston Martin, competing in the GTE category of the 2013 World Endurance Championship, has announced the driver lineup for the event’s highlight, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As previously reported, Aston Martin will field no less than five cars in this year’s race at Le Mans, including one...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche Considered F1 Before Picking Le Mans
Prior to its confirmation of a return to top-level racing at Le Mans, made in 2011, there was some speculation that Porsche might represent the Volkswagen Group in the world of Formula One. Porsche, whose reputation is built on the performance of its cars, knew at the time it needed to be in some...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Audi Starts Tests Of Long-Tail R18 e-tron quattro Ahead Of Le Mans
Audi has rolled out a long-tail version of its R18 e-tron quattro Le Mans prototype, which it will be using for evaluation purposes in the second road of the 2013 World Endurance Championship, the Spa 6 Hours race in Belgium. The brand with the four rings will be campaigning three of its R18...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche will be looking to relive its former 24 Hours of Le Mans glory next year, with the automaker from Stuttgart set to make a return to the premier LMP1 category. Porsche will race at Le Mans this year in the GTE Class using its 911 RSR, but its full assault doesn’t start until next year. Today, the first two drivers for Porsche's LMP1 campaign have been confirmed as Timo Bernhard of Germany and Romain Dumas of France. Both are previous overall winners of Le Mans. They will drive Porsche’s new LMP1 prototype in the full 2014 World Endurance Championship as well as the 24 Hours...
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Porsche Rejects Rumors Of Mark Webber-Le Mans Deal
Following the series of mishaps afflicting Mark Webber’s Chinese Grand Prix over the weekend, including the inadequate amount of fuel that was placed in his car during qualifying, which led to him starting the race from pit lane, one might easily think the Aussie is ready to quit his Red Bull...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Alpine A450 Name Used For French Brand’s 2013 Le Mans Prototype
The new Le Mans prototype that will see Renault’s Alpine performance brand return to the world of motorsport has been renamed the Alpine A450. Previously labeled the Renault N°36 Alpine, the race car’s new name draws on the heritage of previous Alpine racers such as the legendary...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Audi R18 e-tron quattro Ready To Defend Le Mans Title
With its back-to-back wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans over the past two years, Audi’s R18 prototype race car could be mistaken for being unassailable in the classic endurance race. Audi isn’t thinking this way, as the automaker’s motorsport division, Audi Sport, has worked...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Could Mark Webber Ditch F1 To Race For Porsche At Le Mans?
Following the conclusion of the controversial Malaysian Grand Prix a fortnight ago, the rumor mill has been working overtime with news Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber may quit Formula One at the end of the current season in order to join Porsche for its 24 Hours of Le Mans campaign in 2014...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Renault Reveals Its Alpine-Branded 2013 Le Mans Prototype
Following this month’s previous announcement from Renault that it will be entering the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, as well as the European Le Mans Series, the French automaker has now revealed the LMP2 prototype that it hopes to be victorious with. Renault is using its Le Mans...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
It appears the 24 Hours of Le Mans is shaping up to be the popular arena for automakers to outdo one another once again, with more and more major players returning to the famous endurance race. Joining the likes of Aston Martin, Nissan, Porsche, SRT and Toyota, which have either recently returned to the event or plan to soon, Renault has confirmed today it will field an Alpine-branded prototype in this year’s race. Renault, of course, recently announced plans to revive its Alpine performance brand with a new sports car to be developed in partnership with British firm Caterham. While the...
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Aston Martin Adds A Fifth Car To Its 2013 Le Mans Assault
Despite already announcing its most ambitious lineup for the 24 Hours of Le Mans yet, with four cars previously announced for the classic endurance race, Aston Martin has now confirmed that a fifth car will be added to its works team. The event’s organizer, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2014 Le Mans Return Part Of Nissan’s Expanded Motorsport Program
Nissan is the latest automaker to announce its participation in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race, confirming today it will enter a “pioneering race car” that incorporates “breakthrough electric technology” in the endurance classic’s ‘Garage 56’...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Porsche 911 RSR Race Car Revealed
Porsche has revealed the 911 RSR racing version of its latest-generation, 991-based 911 sports car. Sitting at the top of a three-tiered hierarchy of 991-based Porsche 911 race cars, with the 911 GT3 Cup serving as the entry point and the yet-to-be-revealed 911 GT3 R (and R Hybrid) taking up the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid Le Mans Prototype Makes Debut
After a disastrous 24 Hours of Le Mans campaign last year, where both of its TS030 Hybrid prototypes ended up crashing, Toyota is back to fight again in 2013, with an updated version of its advanced gasoline-electric race car. The 2013 Toyota TS030 Hybrid prototype made its debut today at a special...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Aston Martin Eyes 24 Hours Of Le Mans Win In Its 100th Year
This year is Aston Martin’s 100th, so the automaker is hoping to make it a memorable one. To mark its first 100 years, Aston Martin has already introduced new Centenary Edition models, flown a Vanquish coupe via helicopter to the top of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, and just this week...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), will be celebrating this June 90 years since the first 24-hour endurance race was held at the legendary Le Mans race track in France. As part of the celebrations, the ACO ran a poll among its members and fans to select the most iconic race cars from the hundreds that have contested the 24 Hours of Le Mans since the first race back in 1923. The final decision was made by a 12-member panel of judges including FIA President Jean Todt and ACO President Pierre Fillon in Paris last Friday. The poll asked for the car...
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Patrick Dempsey To Race At 24 Hours Of Le Mans With Porsche
Grey's Anatomy star and avid racer Patrick Dempsey will be returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013 after last racing in the endurance classic in 2009 at the wheel of a Ferrari F430 GT. This time around Dempsey will be racing with Porsche, using a 911 GT3 RSR race car fielded by his own team...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The SRT Viper Returns To The 24 Hours Of Le Mans In 2013
For three consecutive years, from 1998 through 2000, Dodge Vipers took both first and second place in the GTS class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s fitting, then, that the new SRT Viper GTS-R will compete in this year’s running of the famed endurance race. SRT Motorsports has been...
Kurt Ernst -
Audi To Defend Le Mans Title With Three R18 e-tron quattros In 2013
At the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in June, Audi’s R18 e-tron quattro LMP1 race cars managed to take the top two spots, helping the brand with the four rings secure its 11th win at the prestigious endurance race. With such a record, you’d think Audi might be considering scaling back its Le...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche Relives Le Mans Glory In Lead Up To 2014 Return: Video
In 2014 Porsche will be reliving its Le Mans glory days with a brand new LMP1 race car and a determined team of drivers and engineers who are set to take part in not only the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, but also the World Endurance Championship. The automaker recently confirmed its LMP1 entry...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche Confirms Factory Team For 2014 Le Mans LMP1 Assault
Recently, Porsche confirmed it would enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans as early as next year, competing in the GTE class with a new 911 RSR race car ahead of a previously confirmed assault in the top LMP1 class in 2014. Now, Porsche has announced that its LMP1 entry will be fielded by a factory team...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran