McLAREN AT LE MANS
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Le Mans 24-hour Grand Prix d'Endurance, the ultimate test of man and machine. A whole day of non-stop racing on the La Sarthe circuit in France, at speeds of over 320km an hour.
McLaren's success at the event began in 1995, when the team entered the McLaren F1 GTR model. The car piloted by Frenchman Yannick Dalmas, the former Finnish Formula 1 driver JJ Lehto and Masanori Sekiya took the chequered flag and overall victory, making McLaren the first manufacturer to win the event in its inaugural year, having completed 298 laps at an average speed of 168.992 km/h.
In 1997, due to major changes in the regulations, McLaren Cars developed the F1 GTR for the 24-hour race. The changes were aimed at improving the engine, an all-new sequential transmission was introduced, and radical changes were made to the car's aerodynamics. In addition to this was an overall reduction in weight.
The results of these changes were that the lap times improved by four seconds from the previous year and the F1 GTR piloted by Frenchmen Jean-Marc Gounon and Pierre-Henri Raphanel and Swede Anders Olofsson, went on to win the GT Category and finish second overall, completing 360 laps at an average speed of 202.993km/h.
A second GTR filled the final podium position, completing 358 laps at an average speed of 201.858kph and was piloted by Peter Kox, Roberto Ravaglia and Eric Helary.
McLaren's success at the event began in 1995, when the team entered the McLaren F1 GTR model. The car piloted by Frenchman Yannick Dalmas, the former Finnish Formula 1 driver JJ Lehto and Masanori Sekiya took the chequered flag and overall victory, making McLaren the first manufacturer to win the event in its inaugural year, having completed 298 laps at an average speed of 168.992 km/h.
In 1997, due to major changes in the regulations, McLaren Cars developed the F1 GTR for the 24-hour race. The changes were aimed at improving the engine, an all-new sequential transmission was introduced, and radical changes were made to the car's aerodynamics. In addition to this was an overall reduction in weight.
The results of these changes were that the lap times improved by four seconds from the previous year and the F1 GTR piloted by Frenchmen Jean-Marc Gounon and Pierre-Henri Raphanel and Swede Anders Olofsson, went on to win the GT Category and finish second overall, completing 360 laps at an average speed of 202.993km/h.
A second GTR filled the final podium position, completing 358 laps at an average speed of 201.858kph and was piloted by Peter Kox, Roberto Ravaglia and Eric Helary.
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