Ferrari's Epic Win at Le Mans After 58 Years

Ferrari claimed its first outright victory since 1965 at 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the 100th running of the legendary endurance race, Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado, and Antonio Giovinazzi took the historic victory for Ferrari.

Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa's No. 8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid came in second, over a minute behind. The podium was completed by the No. 2 Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Alex Lynn, Earl Bamber, and Richard Westbrook.

Ferrari wins Le Mans 24 Hours 2023

Ferrari made a triumphant comeback to the World Endurance Championship's (WEC) premier division with their formidable 499P Le Mans Hypercar prototype. Throughout the initial three races, the racer showcased impressive bursts of speed, leaving a mark on the competition. Finally, at Le Mans, Ferrari proved its mettle by not only delivering remarkable performance but also demonstrating exceptional reliability on the track.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Le Mans race, adjustments were made to the Balance of Performance (BoP) regulations. As part of these adjustments, Toyota faced an additional weight penalty of 37 kg, while Ferrari had to bear an extra 24 kg. This strategic decision had its repercussions, as estimated by Toyota's team principal, Kamui Kobayashi, who believes that this choice resulted in a time loss of approximately 1.2 seconds per lap for their team.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans 2023 had a number of unexpected surprises. While the crew looked into a problem with the car, the pole-winning No. 50 Ferrari lost five laps, while the No. 7 Toyota retired following a nighttime four-car collision. Thus, the No. 51 Ferrari and No. 8 Toyota ended up competing for victory.

Pier Guidi's spin into the gravel put Ferrari's lead in jeopardy, and it lost more time when it was obliged to run a power cycle at a pit stop with five hours left. However, while battling for the lead, Toyota driver Hirakawa made a mistake that allowed Ferrari to extend its lead.

Amidst the intense race, Ferrari encountered a nerve-wracking moment when their car failed to start after a pit stop. With time running out, Guidi executed a swift power cycle, leaving them with a mere 23 minutes to spare. Despite this setback, Ferrari's remarkable performance throughout the grueling 342 laps had secured them a substantial lead. Crossing the finish line with determination, they emerged victorious. Cadillac secured the third and fourth positions, surpassing the second Ferrari entry. While Ferrari remains in second place in the WEC standings, Toyota maintains a commanding 19-point lead over them.

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