All articles tagged with #le mans
Ford fired up its 5.4L Coyote V-8 on a dyno for its Oreca‑based LMDh, releasing a video of a driver‑in‑the‑loop simulator tackling a full Circuit de la Sarthe lap and revving to 9,000 rpm. The clip offers a glimpse at development progress and a possible design direction, as Ford prepares its first complete‑car test this month and targets a Le Mans debut on June 12, with a FIA WEC season start next year and no IMSA GTP entry yet announced.
Ford Racing's Coyote V8 is run on a dyno to reproduce a Le Mans lap around the Circuit de la Sarthe using a high-end simulator, creating a ‘virtual proving ground’ that accounts for multiple drivers and driving styles ahead of next year’s WEC Hypercar debut, helping engineers gauge engine stresses, heat, and performance over a 24-hour race.
Toyota’s No. 7 TR010 Hybrid battled a driveshaft torque sensor fault that forced a back-up power mode and even a moment of giving up, but Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries and Mike Conway still claimed victory at Le Mans by 10 seconds over the No. 20 BMW M Hybrid V8. It marked Toyota’s sixth FIA WEC win and Kobayashi/Conway’s second Le Mans triumph, with de Vries earning his first. The No. 8 Toyota finished third after the team split strategies, and engineers said the sensor issue drifted into default power at times before gradually easing late in the race.
This piece surveys Porsche's most important engines across its history, tracing the journey from the iconic air-cooled flat‑6 that defined the 911 to the era of water‑cooled and turbocharged power, highlights the notable flat‑4 and V8s (including the 928 and Cayenne), and showcases racing‑bred units—like the Carrera GT’s V10, the Le Mans‑dominant flat‑12 and 919’s V4 hybrid—while also noting tech transfers to modern road cars and the ongoing push for high performance with efficient packaging.
With four hours remaining at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Cadillac, Toyota, BMW and Ferrari are locked in a razor-thin Hypercar fight, separated by about eight seconds as the leaders navigate FCY disruptions and pit stops; while Cadillac leads, BMW and Toyota press hard and Ferrari lurks, setting up a dramatic finale amid a backdrop of retirements and class battles across LMP2 and LMGT3.
A nine-hour safety-car restart at Le Mans propels Toyota back into the Hypercar lead as Cadillac’s three V-Series.Rs move to 2nd–3rd in a tight battle with BMW; the No. 50 Ferrari drops eight laps after a fire-extinguisher issue, while LMP2 remains led by the No. 30 Oreca and GT3 is headed by Heart of Racing’s Aston Martin (No. 27) with the TF Sport Corvette close behind.
BMW unveils the M Concept Neue Klasse at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, presenting a design-forward concept that embodies the Neue Klasse philosophy and performance-driven engineering, signaling a new era for BMW on the track and beyond.
Genesis revealed the Magma GT3 Concept at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a race-ready GT3 development done with Hyundai Motorsport to expand Genesis’ performance ecosystem. The car pushes a “performance-first design” approach and could become a customer GT3 racer to complement the road-going Magma GT Concept, signaling Genesis’ broader push into European and global motorsports, though a street-legal GT3 car would still be required to meet racing regulations.
Genesis unveiled the Magma GT3 Concept at Le Mans as a potential future GT3 project for Genesis Magma Racing, framed as a performance-first, production-free study aligned with FIA GT3 rules. No production or racing plans are confirmed, but the gesture links Genesis's road and racing ambitions, with a GT3 entry not expected before 2028–2029 at the earliest.
BMW unveils a Neue Klasse-based M concept for Le Mans, introducing a four-motor M eDrive system on Gen6 architecture with an 800-volt 100 kWh battery and an integrated battery housing, plus new M design cues and aero enhancements; while still a concept, it signals a production Neue Klasse M3 and a quad-motor M3 ZA0 with up to around 1,000 hp expected next spring.
Le Mans Tuesday kicked off with the traditional drivers’ photo, pit walk, and autograph sessions as teams prepare for the 24 Hours; AF Corse’s No. 83 Ferrari 499P won the pit-stop challenge, with LMP2 and LMGT3 class wins noted as well. Genesis Magma Racing teased a GT3 program with a Friday press conference, while Luc Donckerwolke unveiled the Box Buggy, a four-wheel-drive paddock EV. The event also brings changes to Le Mans qualifying across Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGT3, extensive Michelin tire plans, and the Hydrogen Village along with Toyota LH2 Racing demos, all ahead of Wednesday practice and the race weekend coverage.
A reader‑driven QOTD asks which automaker should build a new supercar, listing options from Bugatti and Lamborghini to Lucid, Toyota, Kia, GMC and Land Rover. The author personally hopes Peugeot brings a supercar, citing its endurance-racing pedigree (three Le Mans wins, 9X8) and past mid‑engine concepts (Quasar, Proxima, Oxia, Onyx) as precedent, and suggests the 9X8’s hybrid V6 could underpin a production model, inviting readers to share ideas.
Hans Herrmann, a legendary Porsche racing driver known for his victories at Le Mans and other major endurance races, passed away at age 97. His career included over 80 wins and a historic victory at the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, cementing his legacy in motorsport history. Porsche and the racing community mourn his loss.
The article explains that Porsche's left-side ignition placement is primarily due to postwar resource conservation and tradition, not a racing advantage, and highlights the inconsistency of ignition placement in Porsche's racing and road cars over the years.
The Watkins Glen race weekend features a reduced entry list due to driver injuries and scheduling conflicts, with several driver and team lineup changes, including notable entries from Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, and preparations for the upcoming race with practice sessions starting Friday.