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Le Mans 24 Hour - Race Report - 17/6/12

By MJP Media / Formula Photographie | 17 June 2012

Brits finish 2nd and 3rd in the Le Mans 24 Hour while Anthony Davidson suffers a broken back in a high speed crash.

Audi in 1-2-3 podium lockout

As 60,000 UK fans headed for Le Mans this weekend, hopes were high for British drivers Allan McNish, Martin Brundle, Anthony Davidson, Peter Dumbreck and the only all British line up of Danny Watts, Jonny Kane and Nick Leventis driving for Strakka Racing, based at Silverstone.

Favourite for overall victory was Scotland's Allan McNish at the wheel of one of the works Audi R18 E-Tron Quattros although there were rumours that the two identical cars wouldn't be allowed to race each other because of team orders. The monster hybrid powered Audis have proved sensational in testing, achieving speeds well over the 200 mph at the glorious French circuit. Fellow Scot Anthony Davidson was driving a works Toyota TS 030, a very similar hybrid machine to the Audi and expected to give the Audis a run for their money. Also in the top LMP1 class was Englishman Peter Dumbreck in the works HPD ARX 03a Honda and Oliver Jarvis in the number 4 Audi which is solely diesel powered.

Allan McNish finished 2nd

Racing started at 3:00 with Audi quickly moving into a 1-2-3 just ahead of the two Toyotas. Behind them there was an anxious moment or two as Martin Brundle's Nissan doesn't appear on the timing screens but after re-setting the cars transponder it could be seen that the car was actually running well and just hadn't triggered the timing screens. After 20 minutes came the first big drama as McNish slid the number 2 Audi over the grass but managed to catch it and stay 12 seconds off the lead. At the end of the first hour, the Audis had built up a 40 second lead over the Toyota of Davidson.

At 5:43 there was shock in the pit lane as McNish's number 2 Audi was wheeled into the garage. Fortunately, the car was back out only 4 minutes later after a quick fix. By 7:30, a brilliant stint by Davidson's co-driver, F1 ace Sébastien Buemi, had put the Toyota to within 3 seconds of the lead as he came in to hand back over to the Scot. At 7:57 Davidson's world was turned upside down, literally, as he was clipped by a Ferrari at the Mulsanne corner. At over 170mph his Toyota became airborne and rolled, fortunately landing on its wheels before slamming into the barrier with the Ferrari smashing in next to it whilst on its roof - a horrendous crash at full speed. The medics and crowd were amazed to see both drivers emerge but after Davidson was taken to hospital it transpired that he had broken two vertebrae and was being kept in hospital for further assessment.

Anthony Davidson shortly before his high speed crash

After an hour and a half behind the safety car whilst the Mulsanne corner was re-built, it was the number 1 Audi ahead of the number 7 Toyota with McNish's number 2 Audi in 3rd. Elsewhere, Peter Dumbreck was in 7th and Martin Brundle in 28th. After a quiet night there was drama as the sun rose when the number 1 Audi spun and Allan McNish gratefully regained the lead. By 9:00 am, and following several pit stops, Audi were still running first and second with McNish's car still leading. Meanwhile Oliver Jarvis from Cambridge was hanging on to their coat tails in the number 4 Audi. The Audis continued to dominate but at 12:13 McNish's car had an off and limped back to the pits. It rapidly emerged but was now 2 laps down on the number 1 Audi.

As the race approached its conclusion, the two Audis maintained their pace and it was the number 1 car of André Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fässler that took victory from the number 2 car of Allan McNish, Rinaldo Capello and Tom Kristensen. Third was the number 4 Audi of British pilot Oliver Jarvis with Marco Bonanomi and Mike Rockenfeller. This was a historic victory for Audi - the first time Le Mans had been won by a hybrid car and with 4 wheel drive.

With drivers in 2nd and 3rd place it was a major result for British motorsport however a very difficult weekend for Anthony Davidson. Peter Dumbreck finished 6th and Martin Brundle 15th.

Words copyright MJP Media
Pictures copyright MJP Media / Formula Photographie

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