Porsche has claimed its third successive victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans despite Toyota’s valiant attempt to make up for 2016’s last lap heartbreak.
Toyota had brought three TS050 LMP1 cars to the race this year in a bid to improve its chances of winning but its number 1 and number 2 cars were both forced to retire. The number one Porsche 919 also retired with four hours to go, opening the door to the car of Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley and Earl Bamber to secure the win as one of just two LMP1 competitors to finish the endurance race.
Just one lap behind the winning Porsche was the #38 DC Racing LMP2 entrant and by securing second place overall, it became the first entry from the category to claim an overall top-three position since 2005. Taking the final step on the podium was the LMP2 car of Nelson Piquet Jr, David Heinemeier Hansson and Mathias Beche.
The sole remaining Toyota LMP1 entrant came home in a lonely 9th place.
Competition in the GT classes was much tighter with a final lap battle between the #63 Corvette C7.R of Jordan Taylor and Jonathan Adam’s #97 Aston Martin seeing the Aston claim first place after a well-fought battle.
Ferrari then claimed a one, two, three finish in the AM class.