24 Hours of Le Mans: What prospects for the race?

In Le Mans, there is always something happening. Rain may show up. A red flag may shake things up. Or even just a safety car. Over 24 hours, manufacturers are not safe from a mechanical issue. So many factors to consider, indeed. And that can disrupt the smooth running of the race.

If we set aside all these external factors, three teams seem to stand out: Porsche, Toyota, and Ferrari. A Porsche engineer told us that these three teams have an advantage thanks to the presence of three cars at Le Mans. There is a sharing of data. And if one of their Hypercars encounters a problem and falls behind, we can try out things on it.

Alpine, who delivered a very good performance during the qualifying session, could stand out. If initially there is some roughness, the French team could gain a few positions. And the top speed of the A424 could be very useful to maintain this position. During the practice sessions, the French car was the fastest, alongside the Peugeot.

Can rain reshuffle the cards?

Cadillac showed a very strong pace during the fast lap exercise. If the American manufacturer has had no significant results in the World Endurance Championship since the start of the season, the V8-powered car is still very efficient. Last year, the car was in the leading positions. And Sébastien Bourdais, at the wheel of #3, wants to shine in front of his home crowd.

BMW could be an outsider. Just like Alpine. A race incident or good rain management, which is expected, could benefit them. On the other hand, Peugeot, Lamborghini and Isotta Fraschini are expected to lag behind. Winning does not seem possible for these three forces. Unless they have been hiding their game so far…

Warming up the tires could also separate all the competitors. In this little game, Porsche is in pole position. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer is very comfortable in this area. So much so that the Scuderia has raised doubts about possible cheating.

Going from hero to stupid can happen quickly.

We will have to be very attentive to this parameter during the race. Especially at night. Because mistakes can happen quickly. « Going from hero to stupid can happen quickly », announces Alessandro Pier Guidi, from Ferrari #51. « You can even mess up in the first three corners », adds James Calado, his teammate.

All these beautiful people will try to win a prestigious victory in front of full stands. The attendance record, achieved during the centenary, is expected to be broken.

As a reminder, it is forbidden to heat the tires in the stands.