Le Mans 2008
2008 promised to be a classic year at Le Mans, and the race didn’t disappoint.
Peugeot were looking to take the fight to Audi for outright honours with a three-car squad and arrived with the faster, arguably better, car. But it was Audi that was to ultimately triumph; a result of faultless pit-work, a reliable car, and on-the-limit driving, around the clock and in all conditions from the Kristenssen/McNish/Biela car. It was McNish’s 2nd victory at Le Mans, coming 10 years after he last triumphed in a Porsche in 1998.
Courage were the best of the rest behind the diesel cars of Audi and Peugeot, but were unable to replicate the podium they achieved last year.
Porsche sealed their return to the Le Mans prototype class with a victory in LMP2.
The GT1 battle with Corvette was another highlight, with the Gulf-liveried 009 car pipping the two factory Corvettes in a close-fought contest which saw the two manufacturers with two wins apiece at Le Mans.
In GT2 both Porsche 997RSR’s were involved in incidents that handed victory to Ferrari. Although Porsche arrived with the faster car, the Ferrari F430 of Risi Motorsport took the spoils.
Peugeot were looking to take the fight to Audi for outright honours with a three-car squad and arrived with the faster, arguably better, car. But it was Audi that was to ultimately triumph; a result of faultless pit-work, a reliable car, and on-the-limit driving, around the clock and in all conditions from the Kristenssen/McNish/Biela car. It was McNish’s 2nd victory at Le Mans, coming 10 years after he last triumphed in a Porsche in 1998.
Courage were the best of the rest behind the diesel cars of Audi and Peugeot, but were unable to replicate the podium they achieved last year.
Porsche sealed their return to the Le Mans prototype class with a victory in LMP2.
The GT1 battle with Corvette was another highlight, with the Gulf-liveried 009 car pipping the two factory Corvettes in a close-fought contest which saw the two manufacturers with two wins apiece at Le Mans.
In GT2 both Porsche 997RSR’s were involved in incidents that handed victory to Ferrari. Although Porsche arrived with the faster car, the Ferrari F430 of Risi Motorsport took the spoils.
Results
| POS | NO. | DRIVERS | CAR | TYRES | TIME | CLASS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | CAPELLO-McNISH-KRISTENSEN | AUDI R10 TDI | MICHELIN | LM P1 | |
| 2 | 7 | GENE-MINASSIAN-VILLENEUVE | PEUGEOT 908 HDI FAP | MICHELIN | + 4'31"094 | LM P1 |
| 3 | 9 | MONTAGNY-ZONTA-KLIEN | PEUGEOT 908 HDI FAP | MICHELIN | + 2 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 04 | 3 | LUHR-PREMAT-ROCKENFELLER | AUDI R10 TDI | MICHELIN | + 7 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 05 | 8 | LAMY-SARRAZIN-WURZ | PEUGEOT 908 HDI FAP | MICHELIN | + 13 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 06 | 1 | BIELA-PIRRO-WERNER | AUDI R10 TDI | MICHELIN | + 14 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 07 | 17 | PRIMAT-TINSEAU-TRELUYER | PESCAROLO JUDD | MICHELIN | + 19 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 08 | 5 | AYARI-DUVAL-GROPPI | COURAGE ORECA JUDD | MICHELIN | + 24 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 09 | 10 | MUCKE-CHAROUZ-ENGE | LOLA ASTON MARTIN | MICHELIN | + 27 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 10 | 34 | VAN MERKSTEIJN-VERSTAPPEN-BLEEKE | PORSCHE RS SPYDER | MICHELIN | + 27 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 11 | 18 | ICKX-GREGOIRE-BARBOSA | PESCAROLO JUDD | DUNLOP | + 29 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 12 | 31 | NIELSEN-ELGAARD-MAASSEN | PORSCHE RS SPYDER | DUNLOP | + 34 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 13 | 009 | BRABHAM-GARCIA-TURNER | ASTON MARTIN DBR9 | MICHELIN | + 37 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 14 | 63 | O'CONNELL-MAGNUSSEN-FELLOWS | CORVETTE C6R | MICHELIN | + 37 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 15 | 64 | BERETTA-GAVIN-PAPIS | CORVETTE C6R | MICHELIN | + 40 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 16 | 007 | FRENTZEN-PICCINI-WENDLINGER | ASTON MARTIN DBR9 | MICHELIN | + 42 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 17 | 72 | ALPHAND-POLICAND-MOREAU | CORVETTE C6R | MICHELIN | + 46 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 18 | 35 | RAGUES-LAHAYE-CHENG CONG | PESCAROLO JUDD | MICHELIN | + 48 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 19 | 82 | SALO-MELO-BRUNI | FERRARI F430 GT | MICHELIN | + 55 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 20 | 40 | AMARAL-PLA-SMITH | LOLA AER B05-40 | DUNLOP | + 56 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 21 | 73 | GOUESLARD-BLANCHEMAIN-PASQUALI | CORVETTE C6R | MICHELIN | + 56 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 22 | 97 | MALUCELLI-RUBERTI-BABINI | FERRARI F430 GT | PIRELLI | + 63 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 23 | 90 | EHRET-KAFFER-NIELSEN | FERRARI F430 GT | DUNLOP | + 64 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 24 | 14 | HALL-MOWLEM-GOOSSENS | CREATION AIM CA07 | DUNLOP | + 65 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 25 | 99 | FERTE-AUCOTT-DAOUDI | FERRARI F430 GT | PIRELLI | + 69 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 26 | 4 | NICOLET-HEIN-FAGGIONATO | PESCAROLO JUDD | MICHELIN | + 70 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 27 | 77 | DAVIDSON-HENZLER-FELBERMAYR Sr | PORSCHE 911 GT3 RSR | MICHELIN | + 72 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 28 | 50 | BOUCHUT-BORNHAUSER-SMET | SALEEN S7R | MICHELIN | + 75 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 29 | 32 | BARAZI-VERGERS-MOSELEY | ZYTEK 07S | MICHELIN | + 77 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 30 | 59 | MENTEN-FITTIPALDI-BORCHELLER | ASTON MARTIN DBR9 | MICHELIN | + 79 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 31 | 26 | ROSTAN-DEVLIN-JEANNETTE | RADICAL AER SR9 | DUNLOP | + 84 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 32 | 96 | BELL-MULLEN-SUGDEN | FERRARI F430 GT | DUNLOP | + 92 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 33 | 80 | BERGMEISTER-VAN OVERBEEK-NEIMAN | PORSCHE 911 GT3 RSR | MICHELIN | + 92 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 34 | 11 | ITO-TACHIKAWA-KATAOKA | DOME JUDD S102 | MICHELIN | + 109 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 35 | 55 | KOX-RUSINOV-HEIZEMANNS | LAMBORGHINI MURCIELAGO | MICHELIN | + 115 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 36 | 16 | BOULLION-COLLARD-DUMAS | PESCAROLO JUDD | MICHELIN | + 143 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 37 | 23 | LEWIS-McMURRY-WILLMAN | CREATION JUDD | DUNLOP | + 157 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 38 | 24 | TERADA-TAKAHASHI-KATOH | COURAGE MUGEN | MICHELIN | + 157 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 39 | 45 | HUGHES-KANE-FOSTER | EMBASSY ZYTEK | MICHELIN | + 168 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 40 | 33 | POMPIDOU-BELICCHI-ZACCHIA | LOLA JUDD | MICHELIN | + 187 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 41 | 20 | BURGUENO-DE CASTRO-VALLES | EPSILON EUSKADI JUDD | MICHELIN | + 192 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 42 | 22 | SUZUKI-KAGEYAMA-KURASAWA | COURAGE ORECA YGK | YOKOHAMA | + 196 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 43 | 21 | JOHANSSON-GOUNON-NAKANO | EPSILON EUSKADI JUDD | MICHELIN | + 223 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 44 | 6 | PANIS-PAGENAUD-FASSLER | COURAGE ORECA JUDD | MICHELIN | + 234 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 45 | 44 | DE POURTALES-NODA-SIMONSEN | LOLA MAZDA | DUNLOP | + 234 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 46 | 12 | PICKETT-GRAF-LAMMERS | LOLA JUDD | MICHELIN | + 235 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 47 | 78 | VILANDER-BIAGI-MONTANARI | FERRARI F430 GT | MICHELIN | + 270 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 48 | 25 | ERDOS-NEWTON-WALLACE | LOLA MG B05-40 | MICHELIN | + 281 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 49 | 19 | EVANS-BERRIDGE-STRETON | LOLA AER B06-10 | DUNLOP | + 294 lap(s) | LM P1 |
| 50 | 53 | HARDMAN-LEVENTIS-NEGRAO | ASTON MARTIN DBR9 | MICHELIN | + 299 lap(s) | LM GT1 |
| 51 | 94 | CHIESA-LEUENBERGER-ALEXANDER | SPYKER C8 LAVIOLETTE | MICHELIN | + 309 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 52 | 85 | DUMBRECK-KELLENERS-VASILIEV | SPYKER C8 LAVIOLETTE | MICHELIN | + 338 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 53 | 76 | NARAC-LIETZ-LONG | PORSCHE 911 GT3 RSR | MICHELIN | + 355 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
| 54 | 41 | OJEH-GOSSELIN-SHARPE | ZYTEK 07S | MICHELIN | + 359 lap(s) | LM P2 |
| 55 | 83 | KROHN-JONSSON-VAN DE POELE | FERRARI F430 GT | MICHELIN | + 369 lap(s) | LM GT2 |
