#Ferrari won the 24 Hours of Le Mans

[motogadi]

History Made: Ferrari Ends Toyota's Domination at Le Mans, Claims First Victory Since 1965

Ferrari breaks 58-year drought, clinching victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans, shattering Toyota’s winning streak. Dramatic twist at Le Mans as Ferrari capitalizes on Toyota’s mistake, secures historic triumph after intense battle. Ferrari won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time since 1965, denying Toyota its sixth consecutive triumph. On the 100th anniversary of the endurance racing classic,…

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Ford GT40

The Ford GT40 is one of the most iconic cars in automotive history, renowned for its dominance in endurance racing during the 1960s. Here's the full story:

Origins:

In the early 1960s, Henry Ford II, known as "Hank the Deuce," was determined to beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest active sports car race. Enzo Ferrari had rebuffed Ford's attempt to buy the Italian company, which led to Ford's determination to defeat Ferrari on the racetrack.

Development:

Ford tasked its newly acquired subsidiary, Ford Advanced Vehicles, with developing a car capable of winning Le Mans. The project was named GT (for Grand Touring) with the intention of building 100 road cars to homologate it for racing. Carroll Shelby, who had been involved in motorsports and had success with the Shelby Cobra, was brought in to manage the racing program.

GT40 Mark I:

The first iteration of the GT40, known as the Mark I, debuted in 1964. It was powered by a 4.7-liter V8 engine and showed promise but faced reliability issues.

GT40 Mark II:

Ford made significant improvements with the Mark II, featuring a 7.0-liter V8 engine, and refined aerodynamics. In 1966, Ford achieved its goal when the GT40 Mark II, driven by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the first time an American car had won the prestigious race outright.

GT40 Mark III:

In 1967, Ford introduced the GT40 Mark III, a road-going version of the race car. It featured a more luxurious interior and was intended for homologation purposes.

Continued Success:

The GT40 went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans three more times consecutively from 1966 to 1969, solidifying its place in motorsport history. Notably, the 1967 race saw an all-American victory with the GT40 Mk IV driven by Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt.

Legacy:

The Ford GT40's dominance in endurance racing and its rivalry with Ferrari became legendary. It remains an icon of American automotive engineering and a symbol of Ford's determination to compete at the highest level of motorsport.

Modern Resurrection:

In the 2000s, Ford resurrected the GT nameplate with the Ford GT, a modern supercar inspired by the original GT40. The new Ford GT debuted in 2004 and again in 2017, paying homage to its predecessor while showcasing cutting-edge technology and performance.

[eurotrip]

The Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, or 250 TR, was a racing sports car built by Ferrari from 1957 to 1961. It was introduced at the end of the 1957 racing season in response to rule changes that enforced a maximum engine displacement of 3 litres for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Sports Car Championship races. The 250 TR was closely related to earlier Ferrari sports cars, sharing many key components with other 250 models and the 500 TR.

The 250 TR achieved many racing successes winning 10 World Sports Car

Championship races including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Targa Florio. Ferrari won the World Sports Car Championship constructor's titles in 1958, 1960 and 1961 with the 250 TR.

The cam covers were painted bright red, giving the car its name "Testa Rossa" literally meaning "Red Head". This naming tradition first originated with the 500 TR.

Ferrari also named the 1984-1991

Testarossa road car as a homage to the 500

TR and 250 TR. In contrast to the front-engine V12-powered 250 TR, the 80s Testarossa is a mid-engine design using a flat-12 engine and was designed as a road-going sports car, rather than a racing car.

[theminimalisto]

After 50 years, Ferrari came back and won 24 Hours of Le Mans, that’s what i call heritage. Enzo would be smiling. 

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Ferrari 499P, 2022. The Ferrari AF Corse team have won this year's Le Mans 24 Hours race, with the winning No 51 car being driven by  Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi. It was their first win at Le Mans for 58 years

[maranello]

FERRARI HAS WON THE 100TH 24 HOURS OF LE MANS UPON THE FIRST YEAR OF RETURNING TO THE TOP CLASS OF ENDURANCE RACING AFTER A 50 YEAR LONG ABSENCE.

[umseb]

Sebastian Vettel: Four-time F1 world champion 'speaking to' Mercedes boss Toto Wolff amid thoughts of return to grid

Sebastian Vettel says he is thinking about making a return to Formula 1 amid ongoing discussions with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and the sport's other team principals.

The four-time world champion retired in 2022 after 16 seasons in F1, but has since been regularly linked with a possible return to the grid. Mercedes have a 2025 seat to fill following Lewis Hamilton's decision to join Ferrari, while Red Bull, the team Vettel won his four drivers' titles with, could also have a vacancy with Sergio Perez's contract expiring. Asked whether he is in the market for a 2025 seat, Vettel told Sky Sports News: "Well, potentially I am because I haven't got a drive, but the question is, am I looking for one? I think it depends on the package. I retired from Formula 1 not to come back, but I also did say that you never know, so I think it still stands. Obviously there's things that I miss, which is mostly the competition, and things that I don't miss, so that hasn't changed. Obviously life is very different if you're not involved, and I do enjoy that still. You never know where life is taking you, so maybe it takes me back behind the wheel, maybe it doesn't." Having earlier confirmed to Sky News that he has been "speaking to" Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, Vettel was asked whether he would be able to resist the lure of an offer from the Silver Arrows. He said: "I've had conversations with him (Wolff), not really about the seat. We did speak about the whole situation in short, as well. But I did speak to others, as well, because I'm still keeping in touch every now and then. I have some projects and ideas together with F1. We'll see if they will turn out or not. So I am staying in touch. I don't know. It has to be a couple more phone calls and conversations, I guess, to really find out a little bit more. But for sure it's one of the best seats on the grid. Performance-wise, Mercedes has a great track record, struggling a little bit in the last years, but then struggle and you're still second and third in the constructors', it's not like you're racing in no man's land."

Vettel tempted by Le Mans opportunity

If he were to return to F1, Vettel would currently only be the third-eldest driver on the grid, with the 39-year-old Hamilton and 42-year-old Fernando Alonso still performing at a high level. Asked what he has missed since hanging up his helmet, Vettel added: "The thrill, the speed. I think the competition mostly, really. Driving quick is not the only thing, but it's really the competition." Vettel recently tested the Porsche hypercar that will run in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans race in June. The German said there's a possibility he could make his debut in the famous race. "Maybe. I don't know yet," Vettel said. "I've been testing. I was curious, so I wanted to see how it feels. It's obviously a different discipline. It's still racing, but it's a different car, different discipline. Lots of things that excite me, lots of different things, not necessarily just looking at something behind the wheel, but also outside the car. I am (tempted) and I'm not. I am obviously also looking for lots of other things and there's lots of other things that do interest me outside of racing."

'Hamilton Ferrari switch surprising but exciting'

Having shared intense world championship battles earlier in their careers, Vettel and Hamilton had developed a strong relationship by the time the former retired. With Hamilton set to follow in Vettel's footsteps by driving at Ferrari, the German admitted he was "surprised" by the switch. "I was surprised, like I guess most of us," Vettel said. "But exciting. Obviously he's looking for a new challenge, and it will be different to see him in red, in a different colour." The final two of Vettel's six seasons with Ferrari saw him drive alongside Charles Leclerc, who remains with the Italian team and will be Hamilton's teammate next year. Vettel is confident the pair will get along, but warns Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur will face a challenge in managing their competitiveness. "Charles is good, Charles is easy," Vettel said. "He's very quick, very competitive, but so is Lewis, so it's more difficult, I guess, for the team to manage."

[blackswaneuroparedux]

What’s behind you doesn’t matter.

Enzo Ferrari

Ferrari’s Alessandro Pier Guidi just gets ahead of Buemi's #8 Toyota at 24 Hours Le Mans.

Ferrari won the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the 499P driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, who shared the number 51 car with James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi, covering 342 laps of the French track. The Maranello manufacturer claimed an historic result on its return to the top class after half a century, with the Ferrari – AF Corse team triumphing in the world’s most famous endurance race.

[chibrary]

source: charles-leclerc-fans.com season: 2013, karting

First banal question: How did you know Charles? In fact, our dads have been friends forever, so we’ve known each other well since we were kids. Charles also rode a kart for the first time on the track managed by my father in Brignoles.

Today you are the sports sponsor of Charles Leclerc. How exactly do you help him and has the world of F1 made your relationship more difficult to maintain? Unfortunately, I don’t see Charles very often, but we often talk to each other on the phone, and we go karting together quite regularly. I don’t have much to teach him about karts, but I have a career he wants to learn from and I think that sometimes gives him that extra boost when he encounters a difficulty.

If we compare your times to those of Charles. What is the finding? Next question ?! (smile)

You are the first driver to join the Ferrari Driver Academy and this prestigious school currently has three other drivers. Can we imagine that Charles can integrate it one day thanks to your help? Why not. If he continues to progress, to work and obtains good results, he will have his place in a program of young pilots managed by a manufacturer.

What are Charles’ main qualities as a pilot? First of all, it is naturally very fast. He makes few mistakes and knows how to seize opportunities to overtake. He is also very determined and always wants to win!

Your great-uncle won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 and your grandfather took part in it four times. If we follow the logic of the famous “Never two without three”, do you think that in a few years, you could possibly take part, and why not with Charles? The 24 Hours of Le Mans race is a legendary race. I think it could interest me one day, but we are still far from it and it is therefore even further for Charles.

[forzasedici]

celebrating ferrari winning 24 hours of le mans like we've won the wdc at f1 the red tifosi blood flows in my veins

[herohimbowhore]

On This Day in F1: February 29

Present: Bahrain Day 1

History: 1932 Masten Gregory is Born

Today was the start of the Bahrain race weekend with two hour long practice sessions.

In FP1, much to the annoyance of Zak Brown, was led by Daniel Ricciardo in the RB as Yuki Tsunoda in the other RB was close behind in P4. In FP2, the two Mercedes led the session with Lewis Hamilton at the front.

(I won’t lie that despite knowing better this is fueling some of my most delusional thoughts. And well if you’re not the littlest bit delusional, then how do you have fun?)

To conclude the short month of February, we look back to 1932 and highlight a driver who pioneered American participation in European-dominated Formula 1.

On February 29th, 1932, Masten Gregory was born in Kansas City, Missouri.

Called the Kansas City Flash, Masten Gregory is considered to be a motorsports pioneer and hero for several drivers. On his first Formula 1 World Championship entry - the Monaco Grand Prix - he stood on the third step of the podium. It was the first for any American. Gregory pioneered American involvement in Formula 1 as the first US-born driver to regularly compete in the heavily European-dominated Formula 1 World Championship. Throughout the early 1950s, there had been several American drivers participating in Formula 1 races here and there, but until Gregory, they hadn't regularly participated in races.

He was also one of the few race car drivers to wear eyeglasses whilst he raced. Gregory wore very thick glasses that have been described as thick as Coke bottles due to his nearsighted vision. Even today, very few drivers wear glasses when in a race car. Though notably, today, Jenson Button was seen wearing glasses while wearing his helmet.

Masten Gregory raced in Formula 1 from 1957 to 1963 and then made a return for the 1965 season. In his 46 official Formula 1 entries (38 starts), Gregory was on the podium three times and scored a total of 21 points. He also competed in various non-championship races and the 24 Hours of Le Mans during his active years.

In the 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans, Gregory and fellow American Bob Holbert finished 5th overall and first in their class.

In the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans, Gregory and Jochen Rindt finished first overall and in their class while driving the Ferrari 250LM.

In 1962, Gregory won the non-championship race at the Karlskoga circuit in Sweden.

____

Previous: Feb. 23rd - 1958 Fangio Kidnapped

Next: Mar. 1 - Bahrain Day 2 (FP3 & Quali)

On This Day in F1 Masterlist

[pucksandpower]

Imagine Charles Leclerc with a female driver for Ferrari Hypercar who just won 24 Hours of Le Mans 👀

I already have so many things to work on for this week but I am so tempted to add this to the list

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

FORD GT40

The Ford GT40 is a legendary car born out of a grudge, fueled by ambition, and ultimately crowned with victory on the world's most prestigious racing circuits. Its story begins in the early 1960s when Henry Ford II, commonly known as "Hank the Deuce," sought to challenge the dominance of European manufacturers in endurance racing, particularly at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 1963, Ford attempted to buy Ferrari, which was then the dominant force in endurance racing, having won Le Mans multiple times. However, the negotiations soured, and Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the Italian marque, walked away from the deal at the last minute, leaving Henry Ford II furious.

Determined to beat Ferrari at its own game, Ford set out to build a car that could dethrone the Italian racing giant. He tasked his engineers with creating a car that could win Le Mans, a feat no American manufacturer had accomplished at that time.

The result was the Ford GT40, a sleek and powerful racing machine designed to take on the best Europe had to offer. The GT40's name was derived from its height, standing at only 40 inches tall. It featured a lightweight chassis, advanced aerodynamics, and a powerful V8 engine.

The GT40 made its debut at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, but mechanical issues plagued the team, preventing them from finishing the race. Undeterred, Ford continued to refine the car, and in 1966, their efforts paid off.

That year, Ford entered a fleet of GT40s at Le Mans, with drivers like Bruce McLaren, Ken Miles, and Chris Amon behind the wheel. The race was a fierce battle between Ford and Ferrari, with both teams pushing their cars to the limit.

In the final hours of the race, Ford emerged victorious, securing a 1-2-3 finish with the GT40 taking the top three spots. It was a historic moment for American motorsport and a symbolic triumph over Ferrari.

The GT40 went on to win Le Mans for the next three years, cementing its place in automotive history as one of the greatest racing cars of all time. Its legacy continues to inspire car enthusiasts and racing aficionados to this day, a testament to the vision and determination of Henry Ford II and his team.

[chussyracing]

Hi, I was wondering, and honestly this is for any cholar (Charles scholar) that wants to take a spin at dissecting this, but why is the Monaco Grand Prix an emotional experience for everyone (chirlies). I get that it is Charles’ home race and with his string of bad luck, incompetent cars and strategies, it has taken longer than expected for him to win his home race. But the same could be said for Pierre, Yuki, Lando, Zhou, Esteban, and George. They haven’t won their home races but no one seems to wax poetry about it. The only suitable parallel that comes to mind is when Senna, if I’m not mistaken, won his home Grand Prix after five years of bad luck and he was so tired that he couldn’t lift the trophy. Did that create an allure around winning on home soil or is it something more. I’m still trying to learn my F1 history, so I might have missed important details, facts or people. I’m sorry for that🫶

Thank you

Nah, don't apologise. It never occured to me but now that you said it like that, it's a relevant question anyone could be asking.

In short: 1. he is specila 2. monaco is special 3. he was freaking close many times before. All details below the cut to avoid cluttering people's dash!

So first of all, there's a reason they call him il predestinato. You probably heard the story that it was given to him by Carlo Vanzini after pr training session where his teenage self bravely claimed that he doesn't need to train some situations and phrases, because there's no way any teammate of his could be better in equal machinery. It only really stuck around his win in Monza (because of the legendary commentary of his race win), but everyone suspected he was destined for bigger things much earlier than this. He was dominant in every sense of the word in F2, then he literally destroyed Marcus in Sauber despite being a rookie and had arguably the best rookie season since the time Lewis debuted. It's not a coincidence that he got offered the Ferrari seat so early on, so young and for such a long time (and the speculations about him getting it were here much sooner than that too). He got a seat of last Ferrari champion who was outperforming his teammate at that time too and (people used to be so mad at Charles for this) technically although not literally pushed out both Kimi and Seb with his performance, because Ferrari count on him long term.

Monaco is special. (I'm incredibly biased and on the contrary to many Charles fans who hate the circuit and want to drop it from the calendar from the future, I love it.) Every driver wants to win there, maybe even more than a home race. Don't hold me accountable on this but I think there's a real quote from a former champion that literally goes like "one win at monaco is worth two or three somewhere else". It's not a coincidence that the greatest drivers of history were the best in Monaco (Senna, Schumi, out of the drivers on the grid of course Lewis). Due to it's difficulty, it's a part of so called triple crown: monaco win, indy 500 win and 24 hours of le mans win. Everything has to be precise, the drivers are literally kissing the walls and being a centimeter of the line can have the worst consequences. It also has many exceptions in terms of how long the circuit is, how many laps are raced, how much they pay in hosting fees. It's been there since the first ever season of f1 with only slight changes. And of course, what people are often most concerned about are the celebrities the glamour... and the famous celebrations. Idk if you watched and followed last season but I suggest looking up "2022 monaco sergio perez orgy rumours" for funsies (spoiler: it isn't funny) - it's not the only rumour about Monaco after race celbrations either!

He was SO SO close many times before. In F2 in the main race he started on pole (as usual) fell down due to some bad decisions with crashes during the race and safety cars to p2 and then dnf cca in the middle of the race due to technical problems. In the sprint he got to p16/17 before dnfying again due to more technical issues. In Sauber he qualified p14 and dnfed due to brake failure (also took Torro Rosso driver with him and got 5s penalty for speeding in the pit lane, not a great race). In 2019 there were high hopes but Ferrari fucked up his quali when they decided not so send him out to save tyres and he was out in Q1 - kinda poetic that he ended up p16. In the race (that was really something) he got to p12, then spinned, touched someone else and got a puncture. The damage was so bad that he was lapped before he came out again. Then he pitted again and after a lap Ferrari decide to retire the car, because it was too damaged (I think he was ironically the only one to retire the race despite some others crashing/spinning). The next year it was cancelled, because of Covid pandemic (and rightfully so). In 2021 he put it on the pole again (despite crashing at the last few minutes and red flagging the session). Then famously, Ferrari declared the gearbox is okay and Charles will start on pole. But he didn't, because they discovered an issue before the race they wouldn't be able to fix before the start. To be fair the issue was on the other side then where he crashed, even in that case it was a huge let down. And then last year he put it on the pole AGAIN and due to data showed, he would put it on the pole even if Perez didn't crash and red flag the session. In the race... I can give you my full written recap if you are wondering but it was a strategy disasterclass and Charles was a sitting duck falling to p4 and not even getting to podium after yet another home race pole. It's an impressive record, because Monaco especially in modern era is known for little to no overtakes. I think the numbers says something like 8/9 out of 10 last gps were won from pole. If you get the pole the victory should be basically guaranteed. Some people started calling it a Charles curse, a Monaco race, home race curse, whatever. To be fair, I hate the narrative, because all it does every single year is him getting mocked and ridiculed all of Monaco race week. People left and right are joking about him dnfying or crashing and what not.

It's sad i'm not the "what if" kind of person, because if I was I'd count how many wins and/or podiums he would have at home by now. Because it's not just a normal circuit like Silverstone is for Lewis - it's literally his home, because he walked those streets, got his driving licence there, drives around his friends and family homes and his own too. The stress is more on home and less on race in his case of "home race". That's why this would mean more than a home race victory and why everyone wants to see it so bad. If F1 was raced on how much people deserve it, nobody would deserve to win Monaco more than Charles.

Sorry this got so long, I hope it helped understand you a bit more about why it's different than a normal race. (If we were discussing a home race for Charles, we can just as well consider it Monza. Monaco is just something more than just that).

[pwlanier]

SEV MARCHAL - 24 HOURS OF LE MANS

Commemorative panel

In resin and composite material, hand-painted, rectangular in shape, with the famous logo of the headlight manufacturer Marchal, celebrating the victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans won with Ferrari.

Artcurial

[itracing]

Ferrari Hypercar Crews Announced for the FIA WEC

Ferrari officially announces its crews for taking on the 2023 season in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship in the 499P that was officially presented at the Finali Mondiali in Imola. The drivers chosen to bring the Prancing Horse back to the top class of the world championship represent a unique mix of talent, speed and stamina, essential qualities in endurance racing.

499P number 50. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen are the three drivers set to take turns in the car that proudly bears the number 50, chosen to mark the years that have passed by since Ferrari last raced in the top class of the endurance world championship. Italian Antonio Fuoco, born in 1996, is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most talented drivers on the endurance racing scene and, together with Spaniard Miguel Molina, won the 8 Hours of Bahrain, playing a decisive role in winning the Manufacturers’ World Championship title with a great season finale. Molina, born in 1989 and European Le Mans Series champion in 2021, brings experience and determination to the crew. Danish driver Nicklas Nielsen, born in 1997, after becoming World Champion in the LMP2 Pro-Am class, completes a unique journey that has featured the Ferrari Challenge as an extraordinary accelerating element and has seen him win at least one continental or world championship title without interruption since 2018, always at the wheel of Prancing Horse cars.

499P number 51. Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi make up the crew that will share the work of racing the car bearing the number 51, one of the most successful in Ferrari history. After becoming World Champions for the second time in a row (the third in their careers) in the LMGTE Pro class, Italy’s Alessandro Pier Guidi, born in 1983, and Britain’s James Calado, born in 1989, will take on the challenge of earning the winners’ laurel in the top class together. This partnership, now in its sixth season in the world championship, can boast a unique list of triumphs: no one before them has been crowned champion twice in a row in the LMGTE Pro class and no crew has won three laurels (2017, 2021, 2022). The numbers of the British-Italian pairing over seven seasons in the WEC represent an unmistakable calling card: 11 wins and 23 podiums from 39 starts. The pair of world champions can count on the speed of Italian Antonio Giovinazzi, born in 1993, who is competing full-time in the endurance world championship for the first time after his experience at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018, where he made his presence felt. With Scuderia Ferrari since 2017, Giovinazzi will continue as a reserve driver in 2023.