24 Hours of Le Mans: Toyota offers a treble in silence

In Le Mans

On Sunday afternoon, the traditionally crowded pit straight line to celebrate the heroes of Le Mans remained hopelessly empty.

It was without an audience, in a small committee, that Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley lifted the 24 Hours of Le Mans winners' trophy.

But the sad closed door imposed by the health situation in France did not prevent the talented trio of Toyota n ° 8 from celebrating with rare happiness, with champagne, and despite the masks, a deserved triumph in front of the Rebellion n ° 1 by Gustavo Menezes, Norman Nato and Bruno Senna and the other Japanese racing car (n ° 7) by Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and José Maria Lopez. 

Mechanical problems for the two Toyota

Faced with fierce competition and an admittedly small field (three opponents against the two Toyota), the mission seemed easy on paper.

It never really is in this extreme race where the slightest technical flaw can pay for itself.

The TS050s, although they have always been at the head of the race, first with No.7, then later with No.8 during the balmy night and finally without rain, each had mechanical problems which affected necessarily frozen the blood of the Japanese clan doubting the robustness of its machines.   

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The film of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2020

Like last year, the number 8 won at Le Mans.

First with the n ° 8, taped for ten minutes in its box at 10:30 pm Saturday, for a cooling problem, leaving the other racing car, already ahead, largely detached in the lead.

Then with this same n ° 7, in her turn stuck for thirty minutes in the garage for a turbo problem that had to be changed in the middle of the night, around 2:40 am, while she was prancing in the lead.

A breakdown synonymous with tumbling down and which almost deprived her of the podium.

Fortunately, the other “Toy”, repaired and adjusted again like a Swiss clock, took up the torch, held until the deliverance, Sunday, at 2:30 pm in a heavy silence and dead stands.

The valiant Rebellion team, the best private team on the plateau in recent years, will leave the discipline at the end of 2020 with a magnificent place of honor depriving the Japanese of a total triumph. 

Peugeot set to take on Toyota in 2022

Even without this coveted double, Toyota is invited to the big table of this event, alongside the Ferraris, Ford, Audi, Porsche, Jaguar, Bentley and a few others who have signed three consecutive victories.

The brand also joins Peugeot and Matra with three successes in total.

The supremacy of the Japanese manufacturer is undoubtedly not over.

Next year begins the LMH (Le Mans Hypercar) era to replace the current overpriced prototypes and the Japanese, ahead of everyone else, will again advance as the big favorite.

So that Peugeot does not come to offer him the replica, it will be necessary to wait until 2022 at the earliest.

Still a little patience. 

No new victory for Alpine in LMP2

The Signatech-Alpine team dreamed of another victory in the second endurance division before attempting the adventure in the premier class against Toyota next year.

A hydraulic leak in the first lap ruined the hopes of the Dieppe brand who must be content with a fourth place far behind the Oreca-07 Gibson No. 22 of United Autosports.

In GTE Pro, the n ° 97 Aston Martin Vantage AMR emerged victorious from a breathless duel against the n ° 51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo in which the Porsches did not exist.

An Aston Martin Vantage Amr (# 90) completed the British marque's LM GTE AM triumph ahead of the # 77 Porsche 911 RSR of the Dempsey Proton Racing team

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