The records that could be broken in the centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans

The centenary edition of 24 hours of Le Mans (France) takes place between Saturday and Sunday with hypercars Toyota GR010 Hybrid as strong favorites to win after their success in 2022 and having completed this season in the World Resistance Championship (WEC) to date.

Toyota, winner of the last five editions, is also aiming for victory in the 100-year race, the 91st edition, but is also in a position to break some of the great records of the legendary French race. Ferrari, with a total of 9 wins, and Porsche, with the highest number of wins in history with 19, start with fewer options than the Japanese team.

RECORDS THAT COULD BE BROKEN AT LE MANS

– 251.882 km/h: is the average speed of the fastest lap in history at Le Mans. The record of 251.815 km/h from 1985, by German driver Hans-Joachim Stuck with his Porsche 962 achieved in qualifying (3:14.80 on a circuit of 13.626 km), was improved in 2017 by Japanese Kamui Kobayashi with 3:14.791 with the Toyota TS050-Hybrid, also in qualifying, with 251.882 km/h.

– 248.628 km/h: is the average speed of the fastest lap -in a race- in the history of the French circuit (regardless of length). This record, held by British Jackie Oliver for 37 years (Porsche 917LH) with 244,387 in 1971, was only surpassed in 2008 by Frenchman Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP) with 246,068, and so on -followed by Duvalman Loïc in 2010. (Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP) with 246,463, in 2015 by German André Lotterer (Audi R18 e-tron) with 248,458 and in 2019 by British Mike Conway with his Toyota TS050-Hybrid, which set a new record at 248,628 with a time of 3:17.297.

In 2022 the record was achieved on lap 371, in the last hour of the race, by Argentine José María ‘Pechito’ López with his Toyota GR010-Hybrid in 3:27.749 and an average of 236.119 km/h.

– 5,410.713 km: this is the largest number of kilometers traveled in 24 hours. This record was held for 39 years by the Porsche 917 driven by the Austrian Helmut Marko and the Dutch Gijs Van Lennep with 5,335.313 km traveled at an average of 222.304 km/h in 1971.

It was beaten only in 2010 by three Audi R15 TDI+, which passed this milestone and achieved a ‘hat-trick’: the first, driven by the Germans Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller and the Frenchman Romain Dumas and after covering 397 laps (16 , 5 laps per hour) or 5,410.713 km at an average of 225.228 km/h, a new record was set.

Last year the winners covered 5,177.17 km (380 laps at an average speed of 15.83 per hour).

– 405 km/h: this was the top speed reached on the circuit by the Frenchman Roger Dorchy, with the WM P88 in 1988. It was in the ‘Hunaudières’ straight at the time when there were no variants (installed for the 1990 edition). This record has little chance of being broken due to the lack of a long straight.

– 9 achievements (pilot): this is the most wins for a driver. It is still owned by Tom Kristensen, the Danish driver who retired in 2014 and therefore never reached the mythical figure of 10 victories in the 24 hours of Le Mans.

– 33 participants (pilot): this is the largest number of participants and it is to the credit of the French Henri Pescarolo. 33 participations to which ten were added to his team, ‘Pescarolo Sport’, including one as a media consultant in 2010 and another two in 2011 and 2012 with the ‘Pescarolo Team’.

– 72 years of participation and 850 registered vehicles: this is the almost unrivaled record for the highest number of entries for a single manufacturer. Porsche, present at Le Mans (officially or represented by private competitors) without interruption since 1951, that is, 72 consecutive years and a total of 850 cars -prototypes or GT- registered.

Behind, Ferrari, with a presence (discontinuous) for 61 years and 460 cars at the exit. Another record attributed to Porsche is participation in a race: in 1971, of the 49 cars entered, 33 were from the German brand.