LAST LAP DRAMA
2016 LE MANS
To do justice to covering the Le Mans 24 Hours you would need to produce
a magazine for every team that lined up on the grid, for everyone of them will
have a unique story to tell. Some epic, some perhaps not so - but whatever
the case they would all be very interesting reads.
This year’s contest at Le Mans was an epic one in the true sense of the
word. Three works teams slugged it out for a large chunk of the 24 hours,
then in the final four minutes of the race, the leader (by more than a minute)
started to falter visibly. Slowing significantly midway through the penultimate
lap as the second placed Porsche stalked it for the cruelest of kills.
The leading Toyota #5 hit trouble, big trouble with the finish line and victory
in sight, finally coasting to a halt on the start-finish straight, right in front of
the Gazoo Racing pit box. How cruel is that? You would not dare script such
an incredible scenario for a movie or novel, it would never be believed!
But it did happen, Porsche took the lead with a single lap to go, a mere three
minutes to 3pm local time and the German team went on to notch up yet
another victory at Le Mans, while Toyota ticked all the boxes for 23 hours
and 57 minutes, but when it mattered luck deserted them totally.
Agony for Toyota. Ecstasy for Porsche. And so many stories to tell. This is
our tribute to the 84th running of the world’s greatest race.
EDITOR
• PAUL VELASCO
CONTRIBUTORS
• GRAND PRIX 247
• LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC
• GETTY IMAGES
• HOCH ZWEI
• REUTERS
• FIA, ACO, WEC & TEAMS MEDIA
CONTACT
• [email protected]