2024 marked the second 12 months of the merged Le Mans Hypercar and LMDh rules into the WEC’s Hypercar class, dominated by a Stability of Efficiency, however LMDh automobiles are but to seize their first win on the Le Mans 24 Hours after a particularly aggressive race this 12 months.
Along with veteran Richard Westbrook, Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn had achieved a third-place end of their Cadillac V-Collection.R within the 2023 contest, led by the #51 Ferrari and the #8 Toyota. However this time round, solely LMH equipment made it to the rostrum at Circuit de la Sarthe – the #50 Ferrari took the win from the #7 Toyota and the #51 Ferrari.
The polesitting #6 Porsche LMDh was only one second off the rostrum, with Andre Lotterer’s fears that team-mate Kevin Estre’s “distinctive” pole lap “perhaps just isn’t 100% consultant of the efficiency” considerably justified.
In the meantime, the #2 Cadillac LMDh now shared by Bamber and Lynn with Alex Palou was in competition for a win for a very long time, main after 21 hours. Nevertheless, it suffered from higher-than-average tyre degradation in blended observe situations and ended up seventh underneath the chequered flag.
“At one level, it was wanting superb, however in the long run, I believe Ferrari and Toyota simply had a bit bit extra tempo in all situations,” Alex Lynn instructed Motorsport.com.
“That was finally the distinction. At sure factors we might match them, however by no means have one thing additional. Additionally, they had been at all times very, very aggressive. I believe we had been wanting okay for a P3, however in the long run we had a nasty final hour or so, and that was it.”
“The Hypercars are very sturdy with the four-wheel drive, that is why they’re all on the rostrum”, Earl Bamber added when talking to Motorsport.com. “It is exhausting to battle in opposition to.”
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid: Jose Maria Lopez, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck De Vries
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Toyota, Ferrari and Peugeot’s four-wheel-drive set-up is available in notably helpful in moist situations, because of the additional traction this supplies in comparison with the rear-wheel-drive LMDhs. On this explicit occasion, though numerous showers spiced up the race, this was partly mitigated by the security automobile neutralising the race when the rain was at its worst, between 3:45am and eight:10am.
LMH automobiles had been quicker in all sectors within the race, with two Toyotas and two Ferraris main the way in which on the Mulsanne straight and its two chicanes – the main LMDh was the #2 Cadillac pushed by Palou [1m20.048s], almost three tenths off Sebastien Buemi’s #8 Toyota [1m19.786].
Within the third sector, comprised of many corners with numerous velocity profiles, Alessandro Pier Guidi was quickest within the #51 Ferrari with a 1m35.364s time, however Porsche’s Laurens Vanthoor and Cadillac’s Palou had been simply 0.085s and 0.089s off respectively.
In fact, the quickest race occasions had been set in dry situations, and with no session being run absolutely in moist situations, analysing absolutely the benefit loved by LMH automobiles is difficult.
Porsche’s Frederic Makowiecki admitted to Motorsport.com after the race that the German constructor was “missing a bit bit to have the ability to compete with Toyota and Ferrari. Not a lot, however a bit an excessive amount of.
“The distinction is [Ferrari] can overtake you, however you’ll be able to’t overtake them! That is getting sophisticated: we’re not fairly on an equal footing.”
The aforementioned sector 2 occasions on the Mulsanne straight are inclined to corroborate the French veteran’s evaluation. Then again, three automobiles recorded a 344.5km/h prime velocity within the race – each Toyotas and… Felipe Nasr’s #4 Porsche. However it was the one occasion when one of many German automobiles went above 339.1km/h over the 24 hours, with the Brazilian driver almost certainly catching a giant tow.
every automobile’s common prime 5 speed-trap entries, the image turns into clearer with each Toyotas on 342.6km/h and 342.1km/h and two Ferraris on 340.9km/h and 340.6km/h. The highest LMDh turns into the #36 Alpine on 339.1km/h, with the quickest Porsche reaching 338.9km/h due to Jota’s #12 buyer entry and no Cadillac doing any higher than 336km/h for the #2 automobile.
Ultimately, there may be little remorse within the American camp. “Finally, I believe this race we maximised,” Lynn added. “I used to be actually pleased with how we did. We had, I believe, a extremely sturdy race. It was simply Ferrari and Toyota specifically.
“Clearly I do know we obtained crushed by two Porsches, however I do not really feel like they had been higher. We misplaced to them, however Ferrari and Toyota had been higher.”
