The #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro on its way to victory (Photo Credit: Audi Motorsport)
Andre Lotterer led a perfect formation finish of four Audi R18 to win the 80th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Lotterer and co-drivers Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler won the race for the second consecutive year, and made Le Mans history in being the first team to win the race in a hybrid drive car.
Tom Kristensen crossed the line in second, making it a 1-2 for the Audi R18 e-tron Quattro, ahead of the #4 Audi R18 ultra. Rebellion Racing's #12 held off the final member of the Audi quartet – marc Gene to finish fourth – the best of the privateer run LMP1 cars.
In seventh overall Starworks Motorsports won LMP2 on their first attempt at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Scot Ryan Dalziel bringing the HPD car across the line with a lap advantage. The result also gave Briton Tom Kimber-Smith his second consecutive LMP2 win at Le Mans following his 2011 triumph with Greaves Motorsport.
Giancarlo Fisichella completed a dominant race for AF Corse at the end of a roller coater weekend. The team had had to build an entirely new car following a practice accident for the Italian on Wednesday afternoon. Luxury Racing and Aston Martin Racing completed the LMGTE Pro podium.
The LMGTE Am category ended in confusion. Pedro Lamy took the class lead away from Anthony Pons in the Imsa Performance Matmut Porsche with 20 minutes remaining and pulled away – seemingly to a fuss free final free minutes of racing.
However, with only a hanful of minutes remaining Pons slowed in second with a left-rear puncture, limping back to the pits just as it began to fill with celebrating teams ready to greet the cars home. Now almost a full lap ahead Lamy too pulled into the pits, the team simply swapping drivers, with Julien Canal installed in the Larbre Competition Corvette for the final lap, culminating in taking the checkered flag for the team's third consecutive LMGTE Am victory on the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Full report to follow.
