Relive the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, a true endurance classic that tested every limit of man and machine. Audi and Peugeot went head-to-head in a relentless battle for supremacy, with strategy, reliability, and pure speed deciding the outcome. From breathtaking night stints to heart-pounding final hours, this race captured the raw essence of Le Mans and delivered moments that would define a new era of endurance racing.
#LeMans2010
#24hLeMans
#EnduranceRacing
#AudiVsPeugeot
#MotorsportHistory
#RacingDrama
#LegendaryRace
#LeMans2010
#24hLeMans
#EnduranceRacing
#AudiVsPeugeot
#MotorsportHistory
#RacingDrama
#LegendaryRace
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SportsTranscript
00:00This is going to, it's looking like, I don't want to give the commentator a curse here, but who might have a top 10 finish with two cars is Pescarolo Chassis.
00:07We know Pescarolo's not here this year, I've talked about this a lot because I have a huge amount of respect for Omri, I'm very sad he's not here this year.
00:14For 40 years he's been coming to this race in some aspect or another, either as a driver or a competitor.
00:21I think it's wonderful and a bit of a tribute to him if two of the chassis can finish in the top 10 and they're LMP2 cars as well, finishing in the top 10.
00:28I'm not a small player, I'm not racing a very French team as well, originally run by Serge Celia, of course Celia Racing who is out of the same Pergeot program and he decided he would sell the team, which they've renamed itself as Oak Racing when he joined the Pergeot squad.
00:44Yes, so Pescarolo's chassis and as I said the change to Joe Motors has really made a big difference to them, they came here last year with a two car effort, looked sharp, weren't sharp and got let down by the machinery.
00:55This year they've come out with a better package overall, Ricardo de Villa who's overseen the design and development of those cars over the years through various twists and turns, I think he'll be feeling very happy at the end of it.
01:08That team have done a really good job and again a very French success.
01:11Pescarolo is synonymous with Le Mans and certainly the Oak Racing team are really doing Omri proud because he's here with our French colleagues chatting about the race as well as part of the French show, the US4 Coventry team.
01:24So here certainly in person being represented very admirably in spirit as well in that LNP2 class and again both their guards likely now to finish in the top ten with the unfortunate demise of Aston Martin 009.
01:37Well, Audi still had a 1, 2, 3 stranglehold on this race.
01:44My goodness, if there's any more drama, can we please just make it a little drama so I'm not sure how many of the three of us could even take much more heartache going on.
01:54Tom Christensen, well he's been through the mail a number of times, he's seen the highs and lows, what does he think?
01:59Tom Christensen, you look quite relaxed, 40 minutes to go.
02:04Tom Christensen, yes it has been an amazing race until now, 40 minutes to go, still some way, but of course it was very great top pitch just to see the last.
02:19Tom Christensen, you can see the last, you can see the point playing the first game, that's Le Mans here.
02:26It's all about strategy, triumph and this is some time, so for Hugh, I feel a lot with him for what happens to the musicals.
02:41You are running in P3 at the moment, but what is happening in the minds of the guys in the car number 9?
02:48You had it 8 times than you were in the last hour, and you thought about the victory, what is going through their minds now?
02:55They will control it, they are incredibly, the two out in the back, they cannot control themselves, and Timo's doing a good job in the car.
03:06He will drive it perfectly to the finish and go through the mind.
03:10He's concentrating on very positive adrenaline, and they will hopefully deservedly win this year's Yelp race.
03:20Did you think it would ever be possible to have a 1.2.3 for Audi this year?
03:27I didn't think that would be possible, no, but I knew that we had a car, we could race with that speed through the entire race.
03:35Of course, for us personally, I was involved in an incident, which, who does, at that time we were the leading Audi, but that's small as a sanity, it can be good, it can be bad, but that certainly cost us the chance.
03:47But, we had a feeling that Persia could not, or we understood that they could not deliver that power through the whole race.
03:57And of course, maybe they want to have an advantage, and then maybe tune down the engines, I don't know.
04:04But for sure, when they came from the back, they needed to push too much, and I don't know.
04:11But for us, of course, it's more than we definitely expected in that sense, but I think it also shows that you can say, yeah, we are lucky, but you can also say, yes, we believed in our car to do a good result, and we concentrated on that.
04:25We didn't overreact in many ways. We concentrated on delivering a solid job, and then you can say on top of that, we are lucky or not, it doesn't matter.
04:35What I also said before, every Le Mans, is that the car which wins Le Mans is the best car. The car which wins Le Mans is the best car.
04:43Thank you very much, and enjoy the chocolate bar and coffee. I think it will be champagne later. Enjoy.
04:50Oh, food. Food and drink. We'll pick it up.
04:54That's okay to strike that in.
04:56Audi, you've got to say that very well.
04:58I think Tom's up there very well.
05:00You know, you don't win by luck alone, but certainly you do need some luck.
05:04So I'm sure Persia could leave in their car as well.
05:07I'm back to Le Mans live on Euro Sport. 35 minutes of the great race to go.
05:16Let's get down to the pit lane and catch up with Ferrari's Jean-Alisi.
05:20It's been a while since we've been at the same now, hasn't it?
05:31Jean-Alisi, your car is running in P4 at the moment in the G2 category.
05:35It's a good start here for Jean-Carlo and you as an almost rookie. You were here once before.
05:41Yes, not too bad. We were second before we lose a path on the braking system.
05:48So Jean-Carlo was really lucky to bring back the car without having any kind of big, big damage.
05:56But we have to work on a car for 30 minutes, so it makes all our chance away.
06:02It took a long time for you to come back to Le Mans, but will we see you next year again?
06:07Did you get the taste now real?
06:09The taste? Yes, I have it now.
06:11For next year I don't know, but definitely if Ferrari is happy to do it, next year we're going to have a new car. Why not?
06:21Thank you very much.
06:24Well that's a valid point actually, Jeremy Sean, because the Ferrari at 430 has been a really good GT2 racing for the Maranello cars.
06:32It's already been superseded as a brilliant car and we have been told that the drivers have said that the, was it 5, 6, 9?
06:40With the next one that's coming up, 4, 6, 5, 5, 9 anyway, is already being developed as a racer.
06:46So we can expect to see Ferrari take another step forward in the way that the 430 was a big step up up at 360.
06:52So again, stakes being raised in all these classes by the manufacturers.
06:57Yeah, it's very, very high, it's not going to be a sport, but just to see John Alessi in real sports.
07:02They're really saying that, uh, it, uh, nice to race, but a little bit of a safer actually.
07:06I think, uh, you have Jim, you have Jim, you have him here driving a 90, F40 for your sign.
07:10And it has many, many years of your election.
07:12Great, thrilled to see John there.
07:14He had a blast driving a big car.
07:16Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever Ferrari does in any car racing, it's the real deal.
07:21So, uh, it'll be a, uh, an exciting program that we will hope to be, uh, see.
07:26In the food truck before too long.
07:28Now we've heard from Ninglamun to Sonia saying that this track team had to come in for one more short fuel.
07:33It's a 30-minute skid remaining, so I imagine that Danny Watts will stay in the car.
07:38Doesn't seem to be any reason, particularly why he was.
07:41That car currently lying in fifth position.
07:44Don't forget, he's our LP2 class leader.
07:47And also leading our Michelin Green X Challenge categories as well.
07:51Jan Scherer, second road racing in the Pescarilla Jack.
07:54Third loader with an HPD engine.
07:56Mike Newton will take the flag in the number 25 RML car.
08:00Fourth in LP2.
08:01Jean Nicolet in the second Pescarilla Jack road racing.
08:04Great result of it.
08:05It's a safe coming down for the rest of the generation of Gary Challendon.
08:08Uh, that we talked about a little over the last 15 RML car.
08:12And that looks like having a really good finish.
08:15Sixth in LP2 is the radical Pierre Bruneau.
08:18The 56th entry is still going.
08:21They've had a really good run.
08:23And, uh, seven-to-genator or a little bit more.
08:27The Coupel ASM car.
08:28Uh, sleazy but still winning.
08:30And we do expect to see the high-cross car out.
08:33Front Montana.
08:34Uh, there showing the, uh, disappointment when his engine cried enough.
08:40Only this morning.
08:41Just into the daylight hours.
08:43And, uh, actually in all cases, he was between the old sibling post
08:49and it is where the engines went.
08:51So, something in the pit stops in quality.
08:55Long runs at high speed.
08:57Um, yeah.
08:58I mean, that's, unfortunately, the equation that they weren't able to match.
09:01And it's interesting.
09:02It's the same thing that we couldn't have expected
09:05with the, with the way that things have come to practice
09:08to finish one, two, three.
09:10But we believe in our car.
09:11We came here with as much as we knew how to produce one.
09:14You knew the person who had exactly that speed, Gary.
09:17I mean, I don't think they came here thinking,
09:19well, it'll only do nine, but we're going to push it to 11.
09:22Sure, having to come from behind, things didn't help.
09:26But, they started off going in front.
09:28And it wasn't necessarily the coming from behind us on it.
09:31I think that caused those failures.
09:33It's just, you've got to have Audi's experience
09:37to really be able to, to, you know, plan quite as, as, as well.
09:42And Peugeot are building that.
09:44I mean, they won last year, and now the heartbreak
09:47of almost seeing a victory snatched away from each one of their cars
09:50and put each one in one.
09:51You're absolutely right.
09:52Yeah.
09:53Every one of those four cars, any one of those four cars,
09:55could quite conceivably won the third race.
09:57And, at one time or another, they were all in position to do so.
10:01So, it's going to be just, it just makes it even more heartbreaker
10:04when everything slips away at this final junction.
10:08We're just, you know, inside the final few rounds.
10:10It was about 7.15 this morning when Frank Montagne's engine let go.
10:14It was whenever it walked last night.
10:16That sort of, yesterday evening, wasn't it?
10:18The three car fell, by the way.
10:20It's that halted in the car.
10:21Yeah.
10:22With that suspension pulling out of the tunnel.
10:25That was a really surprising one.
10:27No.
10:28That was awfully surprising on its own.
10:30But it had three Peugeot turbo diesel engine failures
10:33within, what, three or four cars on each other.
10:36And nobody expected that one.
10:38Well, what we're seeing now is a lot of drivers just looking after their cars a bit,
10:42just making sure they bring it home.
10:43This is such a stressful time.
10:45We are now just within the last half an hour of this 24 hour race.
10:49And it is a really tough time to be the driver, to be the team.
10:53You're just sitting there, begging the Chester flight to come.
10:56Every single lap, you're getting that much closer.
10:58Because it's not over until you actually cross the line, especially at the car.
11:03As we all know, it's a really tough time here.
11:06Well, this is always a really tough part of the race as well.
11:10For people who have been here during the night and sort of maybe cheering after breakfast
11:13and a little bit of a kitchen during the course of the day.
11:16It's always really hard to try and build it up to the finish.
11:20Because actually, at the end, basically, the last hour and a half is tears and prayers.
11:25There's almost nothing else.
11:26Now, look at this.
11:27Centralised fueling.
11:29Have they all really been on the same stopple?
11:31They just decided to get them in all the time.
11:33Every single man in Liverpools is on the big road for Abbey.
11:37I don't see there'll be tires, but they will be a pit stop.
11:40And all the guys are...
11:42Oh, there are tires ready for the morning car.
11:46I think they're not taking any risks right now.
11:48The last thing County needs to do is get a puncher right now.
11:51And after a run, so no risks there.
11:54There's no gaps here that they need to worry about.
11:56Nobody is going to take over their lead.
11:58And look at the audio which they're coming into the Pity-Roy.
12:01Well, I hope you say that that's exactly the order.
12:04The light to have been there.
12:06No sense of chance that they're going to be running into each other as well.
12:09So no safety.
12:10Amazingly, yes.
12:12That's the way the guarantees are going to be fine.
12:15But that's the way they're going to be sauna as well.
12:18So you know they're going to even have to shuffle it out.
12:21But the other thing we're probably going to see is they'll still do a good pit stop,
12:25but they're going to take their time.
12:26I don't think they're going to get past.
12:28So they are putting tires on something.
12:29But they're not.
12:30We're still setting up tires.
12:31And I must have given them a jacket.
12:32But they're going to be okay.
12:34Special engineers will admit to each of their respective cars.
12:37Each car has an engineer.
12:39Thumbs up all out.
12:41And of course, you generally don't see the one that gets you.
12:43But I know that's how you've completed what seems to be there.
12:46It's a stupid stopper.
12:48And the line, one, two, three, here.
12:55And the second of the half of the race.
12:57The wheel heads the trio of R15 plus.
13:01It's down through the S's Delas Chappell.
13:04And he's a lap ahead of Benoit Trinlouier, who's there in the second car.
13:09In the second place number eight.
13:11And three laps ahead of the car.
13:15The third, two, in third position.
13:19And quite remarkable that while we've been watching the dramas from everybody else.
13:23And they're very gradually slowing up.
13:25Speeding down.
13:26Constituent together.
13:27Slaking up the last half hour.
13:29Goes to ten.
13:30And it's not as if, you know, one's third, one's gone for once.
13:33Twenty-seventh.
13:34And they're just ganging up.
13:35They are where they are.
13:37First, second, and third.
13:38And now, yes, the lap times will drop right now.
13:42Look at the in-lap.
13:433.43.6, 3.43.9, 3.43.0.
13:48Some twenty seconds a lap slower than they've been able to do.
13:51But absolutely no one needs to be...
13:54Yeah, but even on their in-laps we've been seeing incredible times for most of them.
13:58So nobody needs to be a hero at this stage in the race.
14:01They know that there's nothing to gain or...
14:04Don't lose.
14:05But nothing to gain really from going any quicker.
14:07So they're just going to be looking after the cars.
14:09Probably not really running over the cars much anymore.
14:11We're going to do that as well.
14:12Do not get a puncture.
14:14Look after it.
14:15Bring it home.
14:16Those are going to be the team orders.
14:17Bring it home together, boys.
14:19On the grey stuff, in the middle.
14:20It's just like you would normally drop them out of public now.
14:24And it's just a way from interception.
14:28Now, that goes south.
14:30And he's going.
14:31It does have a puncture.
14:32Now we've seen it in the car.
14:34That's a total of a huge, wide screen attack.
14:37And lots of rear wheels here.
14:40And he just keeps it really nice and quiet on his punctures.
14:44Oh, good.
14:45Let's just have this.
14:46He could give away a finish.
14:48Step up, look up.
14:49Bad enough to have a target.
14:51You don't want to make it anywhere else.
14:52If you have to peak round speed limit to speed,
14:55you will do exactly that.
14:56He's just taken over from Adrian for now.
14:58He's just recently.
14:59Carline in sixth position.
15:01Fifth in UL.
15:02And, uh...
15:03And American.
15:04Of course, in the American area.
15:06Normally, a giant engine.
15:08Normally, an area.
15:09But originally, a jet engine.
15:10With different, uh...
15:11Uh...
15:12That car running fourth is the best of the petrol cars.
15:15And I think we will see them put tires all round on that car when it comes in.
15:18Just to make sure that everything is going to be perfect to get through the finish.
15:22This is the last remaining Lola Austin Martin on the track.
15:25We saw that in huge tragedy with the Sam Hancock car earlier with the engine going.
15:31That was running in fourth place.
15:32That was running in fourth place.
15:33This car still has a chance to finish in sixth.
15:35Which will be a very strong finish after the gearbox problems they had.
15:37So, they're going to be looking after that car absolutely to the last minute.
15:41Well, let's talk about some of the other classes as 007 comes down pit road.
15:45Looks like he's done a good job with that.
15:47And, uh...
15:48Lots of hard-brain from the purpose of the car.
15:50The GT2 class started out as an absolutely epic battle.
15:53We had Corvette versus Ferrari versus Porsche versus BMW versus Aston Martin.
15:58But in the end, even the best of the Corvettes got tangled up in a traffic accident, didn't it, this morning.
16:05And that has gone.
16:07Corvettes hopes of winning GT2 on their first appearance in the class as they've won GT1 over the years.
16:13And Melbourne Times have gone.
16:15And GT2 now being led by Porsche Martin.
16:18And he, in the Felderby for his old car, is the leader.
16:22And he shares that with Richard Williams and Bob Hansler, which is one of the stronger driver line-ups anywhere.
16:27Second place though, Jeremy.
16:29This is a really big story for them.
16:31And particularly when I'm telling you the name of the team.
16:34Leaking in the number 89 Ferrari.
16:36So, and we're talking about Palmbacker and Alan Simonson.
16:39Good driver line-up.
16:40But it's the hand-cooked element that is the big difference.
16:43Hand-cooked tyres are sponsoring that team, sponsoring that programme.
16:47And they have gone from learning, learning, learning, learning, learning.
16:51To competing, competing, competing.
16:53And now they're going to end up all the backroom here at Le Mans.
16:56Which is a fantastic testing up to the world.
16:58And the entire company has put it to the ground.
17:02We've been to the ground for three of our cars.
17:04We've been to the American Revolution a couple of years ago.
17:07They had a very strong run here one year ago.
17:10And we've been following the targets here in North America over the last couple of years.
17:15We've been to the ground for the American Revolution a couple of years ago.
17:20This year.
17:21Boy, that car has been destroyed in February.
17:23For a few seconds.
17:24I'm sorry for that.
17:26I'm sorry for that.
17:27I'm sorry for that.
17:28I'm sorry for that.
17:29I'm sorry.
17:30I'm sorry for it.
17:31I mean, I came on, we need in second place to change the energy.
17:32I proceeded to fill the study up.
17:34It's a heck of an understanding of the results of the features of just one car brand.
17:38The media, you don't get more espresso development dataβ¦
17:40When you only run one car.
17:41The waterβ¦
17:42That's a hell of a deal.
17:44Two hundred and thirty-eight thousand plus spectators here.
17:46Most of them getting in the way of all the allows trying to get backβ¦
17:49God pedalinh!
17:50I'm listening to the other side of getting in the white line.
17:52That's the right one.
17:53It's five kilometres to the house, and it takes an hour and a quarter to get in on race day.
17:58It's really quite...
17:59We shouldn't complain.
18:01There's a thing in the GT2 cars as well.
18:03We've talked about this car a couple of times.
18:05Be a Veskaderi Italian.
18:06Yes, it should.
18:08You could not say be a Veskaderi Italian without a Ferrari at the end, but now we have to say Porsche.
18:14Small team, Martin Holzer, Richard Westbrook, Timo Schein, a talented driver line-up.
18:18Richard Westbrook was saying, you know, the cars just can't get out of its own way at the beginning of the race.
18:23But a bitch in the speech, Martin, didn't lose it up.
18:26He started producing parts.
18:27He had no talk at all and a winding off the wind.
18:29And yet, much against his expectations, he should be standing on the pavement like he's not at the end of this race.
18:36But he did say, didn't he, when we spoke to a lot of side.
18:38The Hamlin's car is absolutely magnificent.
18:40It's a brand new team that's never reported before.
18:43First time out.
18:44And the only one running still will.
18:46Thirdly has the Hamlin car, that's a pretty good one to itself.
18:50And as I say, we've got these very talented drivers in there.
18:52And another one running here at the Marl before that was in the Marl before.
18:56And it's had just three, three punches.
19:02I think it's not going to be good before that.
19:04This is another one that's been on the road.
19:06So there might be four punches.
19:08And again, we've talked about before, a lot of punches have been joined today.
19:11The science of that, that car has run absolutely beautiful.
19:14And again, punches, generally speaking, it would seem this year, aren't necessarily something the team can do too much about.
19:19Even if you stay off the curves and never hook a wheel over the edge, somebody else can easily bring gravel and debris on.
19:25You know, debris is the tire's worst enemy, isn't it?
19:28Well, we're seeing Mark Leap now in the number 77 car.
19:31He's going to bring up Porsche home.
19:34I'm not sure when the DOS has Porsche won the GT2 class.
19:37I think it was at least three years ago.
19:39At least.
19:39I think that's a pretty special thing for him to be running.
19:44I think that's a pretty special thing.
20:14Great result for the team best here in the Tango Park.
20:16I'm just talking about the last time the Porsche won the class here at BMW 1.
20:23You have to ask Richard Beetz, who is part of the team in 2007.
20:27It was the IMSA performance manual team that won that, those things.
20:31It's the Raven Rack, Patrick Lausne and Richard Beetz.
20:34So, you know, in the intermediate two years, it's been all easy to come in Dixie Avenue.
20:39But, you know, the Porsche, they have a massive history here, of course, and they are going to be thrilled to come away with another class victory.
20:46And into the pits comes the leading GT1 car.
20:49The last time we will ever see a GT1 car take the checkered flag here at Le Mans.
20:53So, this is a special moment for the fans.
20:55I hope everybody has a look.
20:56And it is really the granddaddy of the GT1 cars that is looking solid to take the lead, or to take the win, rather.
21:03There are quite a few laps ahead of the next car, which is another grandfather.
21:07It's an old six-year-old, in fact, Corvette, Jerome Policamp driving that.
21:11And then we have last, in that, well, last remaining GT1, and also in third place, is going to be the Aston Martin DBR9.
21:19So, we have lost quite a few GT1 cars.
21:22It's only three remaining, so really, as long as all three finish, they have secured a podium.
21:26It would be too embarrassing a podium.
21:29No, you know what?
21:29I would take any podiums.
21:31I would take any podiums, hopefully.
21:32I mean, Liz, you know, you've always said it as a driver, as a team.
21:37Just being running when the checkered flag falls is a monumental achievement.
21:42Let's not have to play that in any way, shape, or form.
21:45Finishing Le Mans 24 hours in 2006 was definitely the biggest moment of my life.
21:50It was a struggle, and we had a hard time.
21:52I think we had a time.
21:53It's not too ridiculous, but we managed to publish fourth in class.
21:57And it is an enormous feeling to stand on the pinnacle and say,
22:00We've done it, and watch your car come over the line.
22:02It's making me emotional thinking about it.
22:04What are the two words you were thinking about, Jeremy?
22:06I'm thinking Paul and Drayson.
22:09And I'm feeling for them right now.
22:11And Lord Paul Drayson is in that car as well.
22:14Yeah, absolutely.
22:14That was the whole goal coming in here, starting to finish the race.
22:17And, yeah, he's unfortunately not going to be classified as a finisher.
22:19I don't know if he's just really sad, but he is going to reach the finish of this race.
22:25They've been running reasonably well now for the last hour or so.
22:29Having had all sorts of difficulties, the handling of the car that never really did get right.
22:34But they've backed the way.
22:36And for Paul, we've seen the emotions of every aspect in handling within the last hour or so.
22:43And I know we're going to see it from that racing bunch down there.
22:46And also, we just talked about the Salim guys.
22:49Sorry, the Lava Competition team.
22:51They had an entry turned down a year ago.
22:54They weren't even here part of the race.
22:55They think they were suitable for whatever reason.
22:59Well, they've come back this stuff around.
23:02But they've come over to the win.
23:03And they're saying it's really win.
23:05Well, interestingly, we remember, I think we chatted about earlier, about that new ECU regulation that's been in that GT1 world class.
23:13That where every car had to run on the same ECU.
23:15And every GT1 car that came to Le Mans this year had a petition done to try not to have to run that ECU unit, except for the Salim.
23:24They were the only ones, for some reason, no one seems to know why, that were absolutely fine with that ECU program.
23:29They've had no trouble this year with it.
23:30And they were the only ones that said, no, no, we'd like to keep it, please.
23:34And I do wonder, and maybe that has helped destroy some of the other GT1 cars.
23:39But at least we've still got enough running to fill the podium.
23:41So I do hope it happens that way.
23:43Because it would be very subtle to have an out that team.
23:45Yeah, it really would be, actually.
23:47And for all, Brent Beal, Julian Canale, and Gabriele Gardel are in three experience, but enthusiastic amateur drivers, you have to say.
23:56What an achievement to stand on the panel, never mind on the top step.
23:59And Julian Canale is from Le Mans as well, so more even more simply than fair, which is 27 years old, on their Beal 44.
24:05Gabriele Gardel formed multiple FIA GT race winner, predominantly in 550 Ferraris in his career, I guess five or six years ago, with a Swiss driver, with a very different kind of car, and of course, one that he would have raced against.
24:23Now, here looking at Paul Jason, and Paul Jason has all the warm arms, a five-year-old who suddenly didn't two cans of Brent Bolton, the adrenaline, it suddenly needs to have an anti-adrenaline shot.
24:34He's like a helium balloon, bouncing up off the ceiling here, every time he gets in the car, I think he's suddenly discovered, he is going to be able to discover what the car could really do, and to be able to come here, race through a couple of trials and tribulations, and get a finish.
24:57I don't think I, any one of the team would have expected to have done a ground-up restoration project on the car, you know, three or four times through the entire
25:07ten billion defensive fuel line inside the fuel tank, which is buried inside the motorcycle of the car.
25:13They have fully broken suspension, they have all sorts of problems with the suspension from some real shock absorbers, almost everything on the car possibly past the steering wheel coming off again now, this is going to be working, and yet, despite its reluctance to repair from the car, they keep pushing it out, they're going to be making it go around the track, and then you're going to win.
25:34Well, this is going to be a big testament to that team as well, and actually, I've got to give a big thumbs up to some of those guys, because quite a few of them were on my 2006 car that had so many pitstops that they had to hold together to help that finish the race as well, and a lot of those guys are working on that specific number level, so they've been here before, and they know how to pull it through the ropes and keep it going to the end.
25:55Well, we talked about alligator wrestling, you know, if you blink, it gets you, well, this is the same with LeMont, and they are just beating this car with sticks, and it refuses to misbehave, and gets back out of the track, and, you know, that will be smiling on the track, and there's a story in its way as Audi's story is going to be as well.
26:14And the same goes for the Sonoris Spiker Squadron as well, and they've had all sorts of problems as well, and I'm just trying to do some math in it, I reckon they're just going to squeak in with 70%, probably only the last one.
26:26Really?
26:27Really?
26:28Really?
26:29Really?
26:30Really?
26:31Really?
26:32Really?
26:33Really?
26:34Really?
26:35Really?
26:36Really?
26:37Really?
26:38Really?
26:39Really?
26:40Really?
26:41Really?
26:42Really?
26:43Really?
26:44No, no, no, no.
26:45No, no, no.
26:46No, no, no, no, no.
26:47No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
26:48I'll make a lot of hope for whatever they do, cause it's horrible to fight so hard, and not be classified.
26:53Well there's a lot to sell across for them, because they've come every year, work really hard, and what it means obviously is a tiny budget even to their rivals, you know, Porsche, not exactly short of background, but when they were building their cars.
27:07Of course, they sell separate and custom cars as well, and that helps help me with that from the program.
27:12And you've got the, you know, you're up against the nice BMW and the Corvette,
27:15and the timing spiker and concern that they'll proudly dodged,
27:19and they really pushed themselves to the limit to try and make this race.
27:23BMW incidentally, we'll get one car to the finish.
27:26Wisdom Fox is coming at the winner, but what a better 70-year car, which is 2-5-6 position in GT2.
27:33And again, with all the programs they're running this year, a round-up start in December,
27:38where they were given a clean sheet of paper and a big thumbs-up.
27:41The Schnitzer team have done a fantastic job. Lost the art car yesterday, unfortunately.
27:46The number 78 car looks like it is going to finish the end of the race in the, well, packed GT2 team lineup.
27:55However, that has now been signed through enormously by the market of doom.
28:00There's only seven, eight cars in the end still running in that big GT2 class.
28:06So, for all their pace and ostensible reliability, just like everybody else,
28:11Le Mans has cut its way through them this year.
28:13And sometimes you see that, you know, it's really shocking whether you get space of crashes and so on.
28:19You know, we haven't had a drop of rain since morning warm-up.
28:22Obviously, it's been a four-point warm-up.
28:24Hasn't been a dark patch on the track apart from a couple of fluid leaks.
28:28And again, it's back down to race pace being so relentless that if you survive, you've done a great job.
28:36I'm wondering if that's some kind of record as well.
28:47Yeah.
28:48I'm wondering if that's some kind of record as well.
28:51Finished fifth place overall.
28:53I'm not sure if that's ever happened, has it?
28:55Well, in the short races where the lighter, you know, LMP2 seems to have had your run.
29:01But yeah, I mean, you know, in American Le Mans series racing we had overall wins from P2 Porsches,
29:07but only on tight street tracks.
29:09I mean, that was, with the tighter tracks, that was very much a different example of this.
29:19Out of Corvette corner comes our GT2 class leader, Mark Lieb.
29:24He shares with Richard Leighton, Mont-Pensardi,
29:26faster on the pair of Felbermeyer Proxon Porsches,
29:29but the sister car is right there as well.
29:32That's the ATL.
29:33And I'm not sure if it's horse Felbermeyer senior or junior at the wheel.
29:36They share that car with Miro Kolomka.
29:39Well, is there any team owner that we, or team boss, we haven't seen in tiers now?
29:44Volk, I believe.
29:45I think that probably sums up a little bit of the spirit in and out at the moment.
29:50You know, we didn't expect to win this race.
29:53We expected to race hard and give it everything we've got.
29:56But he there as well with a tear in his eye,
29:59because this is turning into quite a remarkable race.
30:03The turnaround from the start and from the early moments of disappointment
30:08with Christensen's car being caught up in that confusion
30:12with Andy Priot's BMW and going off the track.
30:14Yeah, one turnaround for Audi.
30:16If you'd said to Tom Christensen, don't worry, mate, you'll be on the podium.
30:19He would have just lost your incredulous of our system.
30:23A remarkable story, this race, all the way round.
30:26It has, absolutely.
30:27I've been doing the maths while you guys have been winding up.
30:29But he just raised about the highest ever place at MP2.
30:33If the checkered flag goes out now, this is going to be it in fifth place.
30:37Highs of the previous was RML in 2006.
30:42They finished 8th.
30:43Right.
30:44And 6 Porsche.
30:45They finished 10th in 2008.
30:46So it's a very, very good performance by Strack.
30:49Remember, British team in the US engine.
30:53OK, British Cypriot crew in the US engine.
30:57We've also just passed the lap record, the all-time lap record,
31:01on the circuit 394 laps.
31:04Jaguar in 1988.
31:06That was with the full Mozart straight.
31:08We've just gone past that.
31:11Just to go through the maps again.
31:13P1, Audi, this will be their lightning win.
31:16Yep.
31:17Bentley is run by us with Audi underneath that green.
31:20Bentley will be their 10th.
31:22P2, Honda's first.
31:25Not the first time Honda's been to Le Mans.
31:27They ran NSX GT1 cars, 94, 95, 96.
31:30But Le Mans has won this race.
31:34Nissan's been here.
31:35Toyota's been here.
31:36This will be a first for Honda.
31:38This is a success.
31:39GT1.
31:40Saline have never won before.
31:41And Le Mans will never win.
31:43They're all going to go.
31:44Yes, sir.
31:45What a window of opportunity.
31:46They got there just before it closed.
31:48And finally, Jeremy's spot on about Porsche.
31:50The last Porsche GT2 win was
31:52that instant MacBook performance.
31:54Performance MacBook car in 2000.
31:57That's a highlight for the Highcroft.
31:59After HPD has left pit road.
32:02And Merino Frankiti, who had a bit of a snooze in there
32:04for an hour or so, a couple of hours ago,
32:08has gone back out.
32:09They knew they had an overheating problem.
32:11They've gone too many laps at a time.
32:13With eight minutes to go,
32:14they'll probably get a couple in under their belts.
32:16And that will see them as a line.
32:19And they should be done.
32:20They should have done just enough to be classified
32:22as a finisher as well.
32:23But really tough break for them.
32:24But just like everybody else,
32:25you know, you've got to come and learn
32:27and, you know, polish your art.
32:29You don't expect to win your first ever motor race anywhere.
32:32You know, sometimes you can.
32:34You don't expect to.
32:35Well, I have to say, you know,
32:36certainly team under Duncan Dayton has experience at Le Mans.
32:39You're with me at Le Mans in 2006,
32:41and he's always a very good pilot.
32:42I know himself very quick in a historic car
32:44and in a prototype.
32:45So he certainly knows what this game is all about.
32:48But it is the first time the car has been here.
32:50It's the first time the engine has been here.
32:52And it was always going to be, you know,
32:54a bit of a toss up, I suppose.
32:55Everyone thought they would be the favorite.
32:57I thought they would be the favorite, actually.
33:00The drivers certainly knew how to do the job.
33:03But sometimes it's just Le Mans luck.
33:05And, you know, some of the HPDs have made it,
33:08and theirs hasn't.
33:09And, like I was saying, that's Le Mans.
33:11The guys in that Audi pit know all about winning and losing,
33:14and as Peugeot do now.
33:16Interestingly, actually,
33:17there was a film made about Peugeot's Le Mans program last year
33:21that started in January.
33:23The head of the engineers,
33:26he phoned his colleagues
33:28and got around to his house
33:30for a pizza room in one night and a bit of a film.
33:33And he watched the movies for 24 minutes of the way in 2008.
33:38And the camera shots afterwards were really quite technical.
33:41They all sat down in this lounge.
33:42They all watched the film.
33:43And at the end of it, when it finished,
33:44it was total silence.
33:46And then they interviewed the engineer afterwards.
33:49And they were saying,
33:50do you know what?
33:51They really enjoyed that.
33:53We're going to have to try and see what that feels like.
33:56But it was really interesting to it.
33:58The concept of the main one,
34:01and then to see how we win it.
34:03To see that from the other side,
34:05how it looked,
34:06how it felt the emotion,
34:07and how important it was,
34:09that gave those engineers there,
34:11in the build-up to the 2009 race,
34:14a sense of what it would be like.
34:16And they managed to hold onto that.
34:18And this year they knew what it was like.
34:20But something in the interior,
34:22that was quite interesting.
34:24I thought earlier on,
34:25Todd Christensen saying,
34:26we believe they couldn't keep that pace up.
34:30Now,
34:31not because their drivers couldn't keep that pace up,
34:34but the tires were the last,
34:35the traffic were the now.
34:36I sort of had the sense that they thought,
34:38that Virgin were overextending the engine,
34:41in some way.
34:42Because that is the real difference,
34:44between last year and this.
34:46And maybe their engine guys had just figured,
34:48that it wouldn't be possible,
34:50to produce,
34:52that speed from,
34:53that benefit rule package,
34:55for long enough.
34:57But they didn't go through those.
34:59Sorry, go ahead.
35:00Thank you Liz.
35:01Um,
35:02just to say that,
35:03that's going to have to start off on the back foot as well,
35:04as well,
35:05as well,
35:06the new car wasn't ready,
35:07they wanted to do derogation,
35:08to use,
35:09last year's,
35:10half 15,
35:11but,
35:12LMS was absolutely out,
35:13and so,
35:14you've got to run,
35:15the new race.
35:16So,
35:17they weren't able to do that race,
35:18okay,
35:19they went testing instead,
35:20but,
35:21there was no testing,
35:22like racing.
35:23Well,
35:24I think we saw Audi,
35:25pushing hard through this race,
35:26there's no doubt about that,
35:27whatsoever.
35:28But,
35:29we never saw them pack,
35:30and,
35:31we never saw them,
35:32you know,
35:33they knew the pressure was coming,
35:35but,
35:36they knew pressure was coming,
35:37but,
35:38they knew pressure was coming,
35:39but we never saw them,
35:40really overextending it,
35:41and throwing the car off the line,
35:42and overdoing it.
35:43So,
35:44that just says to me,
35:45maybe they did genuinely believe,
35:46in their heart of hearts,
35:47that they could win this,
35:48because they were making pressure push so hard,
35:50that maybe they thought,
35:51they're not going to last.
35:52Well,
35:53there are two options,
35:54aren't there?
35:55Either,
35:56when you see the pace of your rivals,
35:57you pack everything into the truck,
35:58and go home,
35:59and start thinking,
36:00or,
36:01you race what you've got,
36:02and that's their option.
36:03And of course,
36:04because they're a quality driver,
36:05like that,
36:06they were racing,
36:07but because that's all you can do,
36:10all you can do,
36:11is give them what you've got.
36:13And,
36:14if it was enough,
36:15if it was enough,
36:16if it was enough,
36:18it was enough.
36:19No,
36:20none of them surely would have expected,
36:21that they might have ended up winning the race.
36:22And without a question,
36:23there's not a single person in that garage,
36:25that thought,
36:26yep,
36:27we're all clean sweep of the podium.
36:28I don't care how quick they are,
36:29we've got what it takes.
36:30But they knew you had.
36:32And the drivers are saying after practice,
36:34everything that the designers have said,
36:37the car should be able to do,
36:39we're able to get to those benchmarks,
36:41we're setting the times they said we could,
36:42we're getting everything out of it.
36:44If it's not enough,
36:45it's not enough.
36:46No,
36:47that's exactly the point I'm making,
36:48is they did what they knew they could do.
36:50Yeah.
36:51And they never went nuts,
36:52they never went beyond the barrier of what they knew they could do.
36:54They always pushed very, very hard,
36:56but they never took ridiculous risks they didn't need to take.
37:00Well,
37:01I think you could say the same about pushing,
37:02Mark,
37:03that they weren't,
37:04you know, rally crossing the car,
37:05ready for any chicane or anything else.
37:06They knew they had a very quick car,
37:08and they really pushed hard.
37:09Now,
37:10the problem for them really,
37:11was they thought they were set by a few little problems,
37:13and then when you're having to play catch up,
37:15that's when it started to go wrong.
37:17But,
37:18not all the engines that went were in cars that were busy playing catch up,
37:21or necessarily trying to chase from behind.
37:23So,
37:24I don't know,
37:25I'm still not convinced.
37:26I think the Peugeot will find that there's an unbelievable flaw in that car,
37:31but racing has highlighted that testing wouldn't.
37:34And again,
37:35we get back to that thing.
37:36Think about the start of the race.
37:38If you send your four Peugeots out to Paul Ricard in race simulation number five,
37:43and they start to try to have each other off at every corner,
37:46like they were at the beginning of this race,
37:47then they'd be called into the pits and told us,
37:49sorry,
37:50it's not stupid,
37:51because we're not going to get any data if all the cars are wrecked.
37:53But that's what happens in racing.
37:55You push way beyond what you're doing in a test,
37:58and in the end,
38:00that's where the frailty,
38:01human, mechanical, everywhere else,
38:03organisationals,
38:04you know,
38:05are going to catch you out if they do.
38:06The other thing,
38:07of course,
38:08if a car breaks down in a test,
38:09it breaks down in a test,
38:10you fix it and carry on,
38:11and you've learned something.
38:12If it breaks down in Le Mans,
38:13you push it away,
38:14and you come back in 12 months' time.
38:17Going back to Le Mans,
38:19I think we might be on the last lap of this 24 hours episode.
38:22I've seen the marshals coming out,
38:24the teams are coming out to the pit wall,
38:26the flags are waving,
38:27especially the flags of Audi,
38:29and what a completely amazing result.
38:32One, two, three for Audi,
38:33it's sure to be the car are lined up in their order.
38:37This is an incredible moment for one of the Audi teams.
38:40Astonishing,
38:41for all their wins,
38:43maybe this is the,
38:45going to be the most remarkable,
38:47because it's the most,
38:48the least sound post in the beginning of the game,
38:50the least,
38:52expected,
38:53the most surprising of all.
38:55And you're right,
38:56they lost,
38:57on the muscle straight,
38:58for the very final time here at the bottom.
39:00The team now,
39:01and you know,
39:02oh no,
39:03what it feels like,
39:04but from this start to this end,
39:07that's a very different part
39:09than they've ever gone down before, Mark.
39:11Yeah.
39:12This is going to be hugely,
39:13hugely,
39:14hugely satisfying for this man,
39:15Timo Bernhardt.
39:16He's,
39:17Tom Christensen,
39:18we talk about,
39:19as the all-time Le Mans winner,
39:20there's eight wins,
39:21but Timo Bernhardt,
39:22he has already won the triple,
39:23he's,
39:24he's been very close to the triple crown,
39:26which is Daytona,
39:27Sebring,
39:28and Le Mans.
39:29Well, he's going to put it off today,
39:30not only that,
39:31he is also two times,
39:32a Timo Le Mans winner,
39:33and four times Le Mans,
39:35and a 24 hours winner.
39:36Now he's going to add Le Mans to that.
39:37Thank you,
39:38Jeremy Shaw,
39:39for those figures.
39:40What a drive,
39:41what an all-round endurance driver,
39:43who has become.
39:44And of course,
39:45he's won in almost every category,
39:47there is to win,
39:48you know,
39:49so,
39:50as a Porsche driver in the GT classes,
39:51and in GMT LFD2,
39:53and now,
39:54and in the overall victory as well.
39:56So,
39:57he gets the chance to bring the cars in alive,
39:59and,
40:00really, for Audi,
40:01quite remarkable.
40:02Mike Rockefeller,
40:03last year,
40:04of course,
40:05crashed the car,
40:06two years ago,
40:07crashed the car very heavy,
40:08thank you, Liz.
40:09And,
40:10you know,
40:11you must have been feeling,
40:12an awful lot of weight on your shoulders after that,
40:15with,
40:16Timo Bernhardt,
40:17and Roman Dumas,
40:18again,
40:19who ended up,
40:20with exactly the opposite feeling that they had,
40:22that Mike handed them on two years ago.
40:24From,
40:25depression in the depths of his boots,
40:26to,
40:27the sort of adventure that it's hard to imagine,
40:29just sort of,
40:30the loser of the team,
40:31on the pit wall,
40:32his teammate Marcel Fassler,
40:34and,
40:35the men watching,
40:36at the wheel,
40:37will come,
40:38in seventh place,
40:39Tom Christensen,
40:40who's at the wheel,
40:41and Alan Wignish,
40:42will,
40:43end up,
40:44in third spot.
40:45While he's flying,
40:46flying for Audi,
40:47who's up on the wall,
40:48looking tentatively,
40:49over the side,
40:50waiting till they actually,
40:51cross that line.
40:52And what do you say,
40:53because actually,
40:54do you know what,
40:55you know,
40:56this race again,
40:57this year,
40:58was in the paddock,
40:59and there is nothing,
41:00taking up a ride,
41:01and I wouldn't find,
41:02that it's going to rain,
41:03caught us.
41:04As they drive,
41:05for Audi,
41:06was,
41:07a,
41:08a,
41:09never mind,
41:10for Audi,
41:11what a remarkable race,
41:12full stop.
41:13Maybe not one of the all time,
41:14great races,
41:15to the chequered flag,
41:16or,
41:17you know,
41:18the closer finish,
41:19as 1969,
41:20or any of that,
41:21but in terms of twists and turns,
41:22I think the scriptwriters,
41:23are digging even deeper,
41:25into the Machiavellian draw,
41:26as the years go by,
41:28the Mon has always,
41:29got so much to offer,
41:31but who ever,
41:32would have put money,
41:33on this,
41:35Audi 1,
41:362, 3,
41:37in 2010,
41:38and more than that,
41:39no projects finishing,
41:41well that would be the only way,
41:43you could possibly,
41:44imagine it,
41:45but that's exactly,
41:46the way it has gone,
41:48it's hard work,
41:49for the French team,
41:50but it is,
41:51delight,
41:52for Audi,
41:53they begin to sweep,
41:54the podium here,
41:55and,
41:57absolutely,
41:58incredible,
41:59and,
42:00Bob Gamble,
42:01himself,
42:02was in tears,
42:0320 minutes ago,
42:04and,
42:05I'm sure,
42:06that everybody,
42:07congratulations,
42:08Audi,
42:09and everybody,
42:10crossing the line,
42:11here,
42:12one of our,
42:13GT2,
42:14and Brad Robinson,
42:15MVP,
42:16in his Ferrari,
42:17Richard Westbrook,
42:18third,
42:19in his Porsche,
42:20on the winning,
42:21GT2,
42:22and congratulations,
42:23it's bringing,
42:24the strata cars,
42:25as our,
42:26B2,
42:27and our,
42:28GT,
42:29to,
42:30the saline,
42:31and the car,
42:32down,
42:33the wheel,
42:34and that car,
42:35that car,
42:36that car,
42:37that car,
42:38that car,
42:39is going,
42:40tomorrow,
42:41I'll put it ma,
42:42until you get down,
42:43for ten!
42:44Thank you,
42:45man,
43:07Well, do you know what, just a little lifting of the spirits for him, particularly, sure, his Peugeot dreams have gone, but his Orica Ravell here is going to be the best of the petrol engine cars, so for him, there is definitely a silver lining to the spirits, Claire.
43:24You can say he's beaten Aston Martin, that's probably as good a report as anything, isn't it?
43:29Yeah, and Aston Martin in 6th position, 5th in the P1 class, Stefan Mucca bringing a double 7 car to the line, but he shares with how it pre-mounted Adrian and Fernandez, but in 2.5 per May come not 1, not 2, not 3 Aldis.
43:47Do you know what, I think next year I must think of the most unlikely scenario anyone could imagine and get a couple of hundred quid on it,
43:53because that's the way this race works.
43:55So much emotion we've had through this Le Mans, I'm not sure if I even remember, other than driving it myself, having so much emotion in a race like this, it's just been incredible.
44:04I don't think we could have picked it out if we didn't.
44:07And getting to the flag at some stage, we hope we will see Paul Drayson in the number 11 car, hasn't made it around yet,
44:16as you see your race winner, Timo Bernhardt, Paul Drayson's Cain, will complete 254 laps of the 397 lap race distance.
44:28And just remarkable scenes from Hart Fermat, quite incredible, elation for Ernie.
44:40Goodness me, what emotion, what joy, what surprise perhaps for Timo Bernhardt.
44:50There's the key players in the B2 cars, BNW, finishing with one of the B2 cars as well.
44:56And just seen our GT1 winner come through with the Celine Dora, put waving at the team and the crowd in the crowd.
45:02Here's Volkan Norwich.
45:03And I think fair play, and the congratulations of Peugeot made a lot to you today.
45:08Yeah, this was really something very special, because that's really sports.
45:13And I'm really proud that they came over to me, because they had a really tough weekend.
45:18They had been very strong competitors, and it was really tough.
45:22But in this situation, we chose to win a sports game.
45:28In your wildest dreams, did you ever think you could sweep the podium here?
45:32I mean, you dream of many things.
45:34But the dream of us, of a triple, before the BCD.
45:39Thank you very much, congratulations.
45:44Well, there are years where they have dreamed of sweeping the podium,
45:48where they've been the fastest in qualifying, they've had the best car, they've had the best team.
45:53This was definitely not one of those years.
45:57Wildest dreams, I think Bizarro's fantasies won't even come close to what's happened this year.
46:03Still waiting for Paul Grayson to cross the line.
46:06We have seen the Acura and the Highcroft team finish, and he brings that car to the line.
46:12He chugged around for the final lap.
46:14Still waiting for Paul Grayson to let the judge come on.
46:17And the Spiker has given to make it to the line.
46:20So has the Jannetta PRMOJ, and so too has Mike Newton's third in LV2 RML.
46:27So we're waiting for that to take a check if you don't finish, you don't finish.
46:34As a matter how many laps you have done.
46:37Now, Darnley Walks, by the way, has just taken the line off the car.
46:40Not only has he taken the line off the car.
46:42B2 is also one of the initial green cross challenge.
46:46That's been awarded down with index efficiency.
46:50I can't see if it's the lovely best that was some miles covered on the list of school.
46:55OK.
46:56And that finishes.
46:57And that will cross the line.
46:58Old Solver, the Rulaghi Radical, the Arna Malona, the Dresen Malona.
47:05And finally, the Spiker, the last car to take the check and flag.
47:08Not necessarily the rest of the class of the case.
47:10But I've seen there.
47:12Again, the Pintons of Audi taking a remarkable win.
47:16And now, anybody who possibly can will be swapping into the Pint Lane.
47:21And Lisbeth, every driver, the dream is to stand on that podium
47:25and look down at the sea of flags and faces and cheers and noise.
47:31And just taking that emotion.
47:33And it will.
47:34Well, I've been in this room with Mission One with Borja,
47:37sitting there with the teams that are ready to go onto the podium room.
47:42You can almost slice the emotion and put it in a jar.
47:45It's so overwhelming.
47:47Well, it's certainly my biggest dream.
47:49And I think it is every other driver's dream.
47:51Certainly every driver that's ever been to Le Mans,
47:53or ever dreams of Le Mans, dreams of standing on that podium.
47:56And I can really find words whenever it finishes.
48:00And I just start thinking about what it would be like.
48:03We need to have the finish at the beginning when we're fresh.
48:05Yeah, it's nearly zero to 100.
48:08And we just count them.
48:09And it's more than 65 stars and 28 finishes.
48:12We don't yet know about the racing load that won't be classified at all.
48:16We'll have to wait and hear about that when the results come out.
48:18But that's 50% of the field, of the original field, 56 cars.
48:22That's all that's finished.
48:23That's a very high revision rate.
48:25And so much heartbreak.
48:26After 11 hours or after 12 hours, 11 cars have retired.
48:30As soon as the line arrived, they all shrank away.
48:34And about to finish.
48:36There's Danny Watts.
48:39Yellow helmet course colours of Oxford United.
48:42He is their number one fan.
48:43He was at Wembling two weeks ago, showing them off to their victory.
48:47And here he is now.
48:48He is now the victory himself.
48:50And a Man United fan as well.
48:52So he and me were off at a match just the other week.
48:55Well, you know, from Martin Leib and from him and all the other guys did that we saw there.
49:01Benoit Treluye and Timo Bernhardt.
49:04Goodness me.
49:05Race win at them all.
49:07No wonder he needs a good suite.
49:08I think he's had a dry mouth for about the last two or three hours, if not longer.
49:13Now, Liz, we're talking, weren't we, during qualifying.
49:15We said that things are swinging in favour of the younger guns now.
49:19And it's happened.
49:20It's the, not only the younger guns have outed one.
49:23It's the team that's been drafted.
49:25Yeah, but let's not discount the ones who had a bit of a whoopsie accident early on that wasn't their fault at all.
49:31And they possibly could have been the ones winning this.
49:34So, I think all three teams have done the best race they possibly could.
49:38I don't think anyone's better than the other.
49:40Probably the most famous man in France, Jean-Paul Killie.
49:42We just saw talking to Tom Christensen.
49:44Killie actually gave the green flag at the start of the race.
49:48I understand you were so going to check it at the end of what we've done.
49:52Let us know.
49:53Congratulating the Audi team.
49:55Well, the emotion is quite evident.
49:58And of course, we don't need to bring the scale further.
50:01Sam Hancock and the crew at 009 from the Peugeot cruise.
50:05Everybody whose car has let them down here and all their hopes and dreams have evaporated in a puffy smoke or a puncture or a broken component.
50:13It is really heartbreaking.
50:15But again, you know, the stories here of the winners and also the also rounds.
50:20And you know, you sort of look right at the very final car.
50:23Paul Jason and his team.
50:25They have refused to give in.
50:27And that's how you got to where they are.
50:29Exactly the same approach.
50:30Refused to give in.
50:32Refused to let the odds give to you.
50:34But in the end, Jason and his car got what they wanted.
50:37They've got what they wanted.
50:38They've got the car to the finish.
50:39And there was class one.
50:40They wanted entirely of material.
50:43They beat the car after the race.
50:46And here, Audi have done exactly the same.
50:49They have managed to do what they do and refused to take no for an answer.
50:54And somehow, it's ended up with just the most powerful result of the Toyota team.
51:00The race director of this race.
51:03No longer the porting director of the ACO.
51:05But he comes here every year to continue to run this race.
51:09It's his pride, his joy.
51:11And what a good job they've done this year.
51:13Despite the safety car.
51:15Everything's really planned out.
51:16Other than that, they've done a fantastic job.
51:18This has been a brilliant race.
51:19I'm just feeling quite emotional myself.
51:21Because I really do like all these guys at Audi.
51:23I've been doing virtually all of them.
51:25You know, throughout the years.
51:26And it's just such a great finish for them.
51:28And they've worked so hard.
51:30And I do believe they deserve it.
51:31I feel very sad for the show.
51:33I think it's been a horrible race for them.
51:35And nothing that should have come their way.
51:37But at the same time, this is a magical result for Audi.
51:40And a lot of hard work has come to fruition.
51:43You can see the tears as well.
51:45Joy and relief, I'm sure.
51:47And I don't think you can be a racing fan without feeling both sides big.
51:51Without feeling so thrilled for the guys that win.
51:53And so heartbroken for the guys.
51:55Because you can, whether you're a driver or a fan or a mechanic or none of the above.
52:00You can imagine yourself in both those positions.
52:02And it's very evident the outpouring of emotion at the end of this race.
52:06And this race perhaps more than any other.
52:08Just because everybody is so run out.
52:11Win, lose or draw.
52:12You've got nothing left at the end of this.
52:14It's such a big build up at the more 24 hours.
52:16You've got the whole week here.
52:17And so much going on.
52:19And such a huge fan base.
52:21It's just, it's such a wind up of emotion up to the top.
52:24That like you said Martin, you're absolutely wrung out at the end.
52:28Win, lose or draw.
52:29And there's just no other race in the world like it.
52:32I mean, I'm feeling a little bit like I'm struggling forward to.
52:35That's just awesome.
52:36Motion creeps in the cabin.
52:38I have to say, not the most beautiful car in the cabin.
52:40There were heads so badly on there.
52:42If it doesn't like it, it won't go right.
52:43But there's just completely so wide.
52:45Who is inside?
52:48I can't remember who said a few years ago a winning car is always a beautiful car.
52:52And you know, you know, you've got to give them a little bit of credit for that.
52:56It may have been a touch on the button chop side of the line.
53:00Do the chop.
53:02The final moments of note comparing.
53:15And that's always interesting.
53:16Do you remember when immediately it starts?
53:20And especially with other drivers of other cars of other classes.
53:23And so many of the thoughts will be shared.
53:28What a moment, you know.
53:38Will they ever have a more dramatic race than this?
53:41You know, one that's come from nowhere and produced such a result?
53:46I'm not sure if they will ever have a moment like this again.
53:50I mean, even if they win again one, two, three, I'm not sure if they will ever have the experience that they've had.
53:56Where they truly didn't believe they could do it on pace alone.
54:00And I think somewhere deep down inside the hearts of all the Audi drivers, they knew they had a good car.
54:04And they knew that that they could bring it.
54:06But they didn't need something like this to happen to person.
54:08They knew they couldn't do it on speed alone.
54:10And I'm just remembering speaking to Timo Bernhardt right before the start of the race action.
54:14He was being very positive.
54:16And very perky, but he just said, you know, the car isn't as fast.
54:19And all we can do is our best.
54:21And I think it's quite cool to now see him about ready to stand up on the top bit of that podium.
54:25And they have done their best and it's been enough.
54:28Well, how they come then, the Audi drivers that have won here.
54:31We said to Tom Christensen at the official reception with all the team to welcome to Le Mans.
54:36Are you comfortable with the car?
54:38He said, yes, of course.
54:39But we were comfortable with last year's car.
54:42And that question mark has hung in the air until right now, Jeremy Shaw.
54:47And now they come out, not just with a podium, not just with two podiums, but with a clean swing.
54:54Something utterly unimaginable all day to go.
54:58They worked so hard on this program.
55:00In this car they came, as you said, they came here largely thinking they were going to be in contention to win.
55:05They weren't.
55:06They came here on Wednesday for the first qualifying, expecting to be in contention for the pole.
55:11They weren't.
55:12In fact, they were miles off Wednesday, four seconds off the pace they were on Wednesday.
55:16On a consistent basis.
55:17So what they do, they hang their heads.
55:19Do they, do they go home or do they fight?
55:22They fight.
55:23They fight.
55:24They're dangerous.
55:25Every little bit of data they've done.
55:27They've done a huge amount of preparation.
55:28They've done 24 hour tests.
55:30They've done a lot of, they've done up to 24 hours.
55:34They've done everything they can possibly do.
55:36They all put their heads together.
55:37And they come back on Wednesday.
55:38And the car is significantly, not only faster, but more comfortable and more consistent to drive.
55:44And that was happening when it takes to win the 24 hours of Le Mans.
55:48A consistent, comfortable car.
55:50It does.
55:51And also having consistent drivers that just keep putting in the times, do what they're told, follow team orders.
55:56And just constantly believe that they have a car that's good enough.
55:59And that they know that if they drove that car the way they were told they could, that it would keep running.
56:03And I think ultimately that's what's won the beast of Le Mans.
56:06The beast of Le Mans.
56:07Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
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