Watched the entire race and followed it, as the main concern was heat, for the whole event. For a look back at Le Mans, let's venture into the hourly updates of the race to see exactly what happened, and how the stories transpired so they'd be written into the history book of the greatest endurance sports car race in the world. We now take you, to highlighted coverage, of the entire race. Let's get started. Fire the engines, and cinch down those belts.
Here is video of the start of the race. Two Toyota's on the front row. Two Porsche's on the second row. The French flag waves, and the 85th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is underway!
The Toyota's lead 1-2, Mike Conway leads into the Dunlop corner.
After the opening hour of the race, Sebastien Buemi is your race leader.
Buemi Leads Toyota 1-2 After Opening Hour at Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/buemi-leads-toyota-1-2-after-opening-hour-of-24h-le-mans/
As we enter the second hour, attrition, and problems for the front runners will begin to take their toll, and the first of those cars to retire from the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours is the #26 polesitting LMP2 entry for G-Drive Racing in the hands of Roman Rusinov, who crashes the car.
LMP2 Polesitter G-Drive Out in Hour 2
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lmp2-polesitters-out-in-hour-2-at-le-mans/
Here are the rest of the hour two highlights with narration from Fox Sports' Bob Varsha, and Tommy Kendall, after G Drive is shunted by the #88 Proton Porsche 911 RSR in LM GTE Am in the hands of Khaled Al Qubaisi. Your hour two class leaders.
Overall/LMP1: #7 Kobayashi/Conway/Sarrazin Toyota TS050 Hybrid
LMP2: #31 Prost/Senna/Canal Oreca 07 Gibson
LM GTE Pro: #95 Sorensen/Thiim/Turner Aston Martin V8 Vantage
LM GTE Am: #62 MacNeil/Bell/Sweedler Ferrari 488 GTE
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-le-mans-hour-2-highlights-2/
We move now to the fourth hour which sees the #7 Toyota in the hands of Kamui Kobayashi continue to lead, while both Porsche and Aston Martin in LM GTE Pro, hit problems in hour four.
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/kobayashi-leads-as-porsche-aston-martin-hit-trouble-in-hour-4/
In the fifth hour, a serious incident as Pierre Kaffer clobbers the wall in his #82 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE. Kaffer was slammed into by the #28 TDS Racing Oreca 07 Gibson LMP2 racer, with Matthieu Vaxiviere at the wheel of it. The full course yellow and track cleanup from the Risi incident with Kaffer and Vaxiviere, continued into the race's sixth hour.
Porsche Closes in on Toyota at Hour 6 as Risi Cleanup Continues
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-close-in-on-toyota-at-hour-6-as-cleanup-continues/
As hour eight rolls around, problems begin to surface for Toyota, who were the heavy favorites going into this 85th renewal of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One of the TS050 hybrids, leads the race, with Mike Conway at the controls.
Toyota Hit With Motor Issue In Hour 8, Conway Leads
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/toyota-hit-with-motor-issue-in-hour-8-conway-leads/
By hour ten, Toyota's race was beginning to fall apart as the the race leading car, of Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway, and Stephane Sarrazin, retired from the event with clutch trouble.
Clutch Problems Force Race-Leading Toyota Out In Hour 10
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/clutch-problems-force-race-leading-toyota-out-in-hour-10/
The next hour of the race was no kinder to Toyota, as in as many hours, two of their cars exited competition at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This time it was the third bullet in the gun, the #9 entry in the hands of Jose Maria Lopez, Nicolas Lapierre, and Yuji Kunimoto.
More Heartbreak for Toyota as No. 9 Car Retires in Hour 11
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/more-heartbreak-for-toyota-as-no-9-car-retires-in-hour-11/
Here are the full highlights of the race's eleventh hour of competition. Fox Sports' Brian Till, Jamie Howe, and Brad Kettler highlight major issues for some of our LM GTE Pro contenders from Aston Martin and Corvette. Olivier Pla had a snap spin and a broken suspension into Indianapolis, and also was reprimanded by Edoardo Freitas, Race Director, for dragging gravel onto the road.
VIDEO: Le Mans Hour 11 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-le-mans-hour-10-highlights/
The #9 Toyota had a tire issue which led to hydraulic failure, leading to the car's demise.
Halfway through the 24 Hours of Le Mans for 2017. 3:00 A.M., the witching hour, and Porsche is the new force to be reckoned with at La Sarthe, vying for a 19th overall win in the 24 hours.
Porsche In Control at Halfway Mark of 24H Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-in-control-at-half-distance-of-24h-le-mans/
It should be noted that the #1 Porsche in the hands of Nick Tandy of England, Germany's Andre Lotterer (a former Audi driver), and Switzerland's Neel Jani, was the car to lead at halfway.
The plot thickens as the second half of the race looms. We see problems for the LMP2 leading #31 Oreca for Vaillante Rebellion. This Swiss team enlisted Brazilian Bruno Senna (nephew of the late, great Formula 1 legend, Ayrton Senna), Nicolas Prost (son of four-time F1 World Champion and Senna rival, Alain Prost), and Frenchman Julien Canal, to drive the car.
LMP2-Leading Oreca to the Garage in Hour 13
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/lmp2-leader-to-the-garage-in-hour-13/
In the 14th hour, the safety car reappeared, and also during this time, Porsche 919 #1 retook the overall lead.
No. 1 Porsche Leads Under Safety Car After 14 Hours
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/no-1-porsche-leads-under-safety-car-after-14-hours/
Now we move ahead to the highlights of the race's 16th hour.
VIDEO: Le Mans Hours 16 Highlights
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-le-mans-hour-16-highlights/
Porsche built up a 12 lap lead, and this is what they had, headed into the last quarter of the race.
Porsche 12 Laps Clear with Six Hours to Go at Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-12-laps-clear-with-six-hours-to-go-at-le-mans/
Fast forward to four hours left, and in hour 20, the fight for LM GTE Pro accolades, is really coming to the fore as Aston Martin is applying the blowtorch to Corvette in a battle between Jonny Adam and Antonio Garcia.
GTE-Pro Fight Heating Up With Four Hours Remaining
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/gte-pro-fight-hotting-up-with-4-hours-remaining/
Three hours left, and heartbreak for the leading No. 1 Porsche that had had it's own way since hour 14! Heartbreak for Neel Jani, Nick Tandy, and Andre Lotterer, who would end up with a DNF.
Race-Leading No. 1 Porsche Stops on Track in 21st Hour
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-no-1-slows-in-20th-hour-13-lap-lead-at-risk/
With Porsche's misfortune for car #1, an unusual suspect was left in the race lead. For the first time ever, an LMP2 class car would lead Le Mans, the Jackie Chann DC Racing Oreca Gibson in the hands of Frenchman Thomas Laurent.
Laurent, Jackie Chan Racing Take Overall Lead at Le Mans
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/laurent-jackie-chan-dc-racing-take-overall-lead-at-le-mans/
Here is video proof. Radio Le Mans' Toby Moody and Allan McNish have the call.
VIDEO: LMP2 Car Leads 24H Le Mans Overall
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-lmp2-car-leads-24h-le-mans-overall/
DC Racing continues out front, but Porsche isn't giving up on their 19th overall Le Mans win.
DC Still Out Front Overall, Porsche Closing in With Two Hours To Go
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dc-leads-overall-porsche-closing-in-with-two-hours-to-go/
Headed for the final hour, though, DC Racing would need to pit, and Porsche would spoil their party, and retake the lead at Le Mans.
Porsche Re-Takes Lead Heading into Final Hour
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-re-takes-24h-le-mans-lead-heading-into-final-hour/
VIDEO: Le Mans Final Hour Recap
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/video-le-mans-final-hour-highlights/
Porsche scores their 19th overall win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the #2 Porsche 919 Hybrid taking victory in the hands of Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley, and Earl Bamber, who held on to beat the #38 Jackie Chan Racing Oreca of Ho Pin Tung, Thomas Laurent, and Oliver Jarvis, who still won LMP2. LM GTE Pro was a nail biter as Corvette lost on the last lap to Aston Martin after a cut tire for Jordan Taylor. So, Johnny Adam, Darren Turner, and Daniel Serra. In LM GTE Am, Ferrari takes the honors with JMW Motorsport and the driving team of Robert Smith, Will Stevens, and Dries Vanthoor. What a race!
So, your overall and class winners from Le Mans 2017 are:
Overall/LMP1: #2 Bernhard/Hartley/Bamber Porsche 919 Hybrid
LMP2: #38 Tung/Laurent/Jarvis Oreca 07 Gibson
LM GTE Pro: #97 Adam/Turner/Serra Aston Martin V8 Vantage
LM GTE Am: #84 Smith/Stevens/Vanthoor Ferrari 488 GTE
JMW Dominates GTE-Am, Ferrari Podium Sweep
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/jmw-dominates-gte-am-ferrari-podium-sweep/
Aston Martin Defeats Corvette in Final Lap GTE Pro Showdown
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/aston-martin-defeats-corvette-in-final-lap-gte-pro-showdown/
DC Racing Takes Historic LMP2 Win, Overall Podium
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/dc-racing-takes-lmp2-win-overall-podium/
Porsche Wins Wild 24H Le Mans in LMP1 Meltdown
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/porsche-wins-wild-24h-le-mans-in-lmp1-meltdown/
Bamber, Hartley Doubted "Fairytale" Win Was Possible
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/bamber-hartley-doubted-fairytale-win-was-possible/
For Porsche, the thrill of victory. For Toyota, again, the agony of defeat. They must be thinking "how long... how long... until we can win one of these things?!"
Vasselon: "Frustrated" With Toyota's Missed Opportunity
http://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/vasselon-frustrated-with-toyotas-missed-opportunity/
Here is video of the race highlights.
VIDEO: Le Mans Race Highlights
We'll see you again, next year, for the 86th renewal of the world's greatest sports car race. Au revoir, for now, everyone.
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