The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a test of endurance. The hallmark event of the FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans is a motorsport event like no other. Man and machinery get tested to the hilt and finishing the race remains an achievement in itself.
My friend and I had decided to soldier on and stay awake for the entire duration of the race and as we headed into Sunday and the critical hours of the morning, our eyes began to feel heavy & we began to get drowsy.
The only way to beat this lethargy was to do some activity and we decided to head to Casa Ferrari from the Paddock and watch the racers and their rides navigate through the circuit at night!
Driving through the night, relentless endurance displayed by the drivers and the teams :
The AF Corse Ferrari Hypercars operating in tandem :
After an hour, we decided to head back to the Paddock again and this time, we took a different route.
The Ferris Wheel was fully illuminated as we walked back to the Paddock :
Once we made our way back to the Paddock, we took a short stop outside the Porsche Hospitality. The Hospitality had a large screen outside with the race feed being relayed live.
Incidentally, the broadcaster was showing onboard footage from Car Number 51, a lap around Circuit de la Sarthe!
Onboard with Ferrari Hypercar 51, for almost a lap ( Video Link ) :
As we headed back to the Ferrari hospitality, we got invited to spend some time in the garage. As the only guests present with the team overnight, we had the liberty and the luxury to spend as much time as we wanted, to see the team perform up close!
Spending a couple of hours in the garage was a special experience. The views from the box were amazing. The Pit crew tried to get some rest, as and when the opportunity arose.
After we exited the garage, we went up the stairs to the highest level of the Pits building. The views rivalled that of the Pit Grandstand, and we could see the cars go full throttle down the start-finish straight!
Some Stills from the highest viewing gallery above the Pits Hospitality :
The drivers continue driving as the dawn breaks :
The Ferrari Hypercars racing in the early hours of Sunday morning :
Video Link of the drivers racing with dawn arriving :
The light kept improving as dawn approached and we were slowly feeling hungry again!
Dawn breaks over the circuit :
Breakfast in the Hospitality, always been a fan of Lotus Biscoff! Healthy grub is always available in the Ferrari Hospitality, after all they are catering to the drivers and the team personnel!
As the morning hours crept in on us, people started returning to the paddock from their overnight slumbers.
The light improves as the Paddock begins to become a busy place again :
We decided to head to Casa Ferrari and enjoy the early morning views of the track from the penultimate corner, along with some more indulgent breakfast treats!
Some breakfast treats at Casa Ferrari :
The cars navigating through the penultimate chicane, on a glorious Sunday morning :
The AF Corse Ferraris soldiering on. Car number 51 was in contention for victory :
The guests of Casa Ferrari had the opportunity to watch the action from other parts of the circuit at appointed times. We too enrolled for one such tour and this tour took us to Hunaudieres, a high-speed section followed by an S-chicane that opened up to the legendary Mulsanne Straight!
Shots of the cars through the high-speed Hunaudieres-Mulsanne section :
After we returned from Hunaudieres, we decided to head to Casa Ferrari for the final time. Car Number 51 was leading the race and we hoped to be in the garage for the celebrations.
Walking from the Paddock to Casa Ferrari for the final time on the weekend :
En route, I met an ex-F1 Driver!
Will Stevens, Hertz Team Jota, Hypercar :
Grabbing some stills for the final time from Casa Ferrari!
Back in the hospitality, and lunch was ready!
A quick lunch but a tense one too!
Car Number 51 had been leading from the Toyota Car Number 8 comfortably. The final pit-stop was completed but an electrical shutdown ( due to a malfunctioning steering ) caused number 51 to stall in the pits. With Alessandro Pier Guidi frantically trying to re-activate all systems, all of us in the hospitality were reciting our prayers and gasping with fear. Finally, the car roared back to life and the Italian emerged from the pits, still in the lead, but the gap truncated considerably. Thankfully, that was the last stop and we hoped for no more hiccups in the final hours of racing.
As the clock ran down, we headed to the garage to get ready for the celebrations ( once car number 51 took the chequered flag of course ).
The agonizing wait!
Finally, Victory!! There were jubilant celebrations, tears of joy, hugs and ecstasy as we celebrated this victory for Ferrari AF Corse, on Debut!!
It was time for the drive of honour through the pit lane for the winners of the Centenary Edition of Le Mans.
We lined up on both sides of the pit lane to get a good view of the winners :
Getting a glimpse of the Le Mans winners as they drive through the pit lane!
Drive of Honour through the Pits ( Video Link ) :
Like in F1, we then ran towards the Podium for the celebrations!
As we waited for the podium finishers to come onto the stage, Charles Leclerc got invited for a quick interview.
Charles Leclerc talks about attending the race and his experience as a spectator. The Monegasque expressed his desire to race in the future :
Video Link of the Interview :
The podium finishers from the Hypercar Category make it to the podium :
2nd and 3rd Place Finishers ( Video Link ) :
Winners of the Centenary Edition of Le Mans ( Video Link ) :
The trophy and wreath presentations begin :
Ferrari AF Corse car number 51 finished ahead of Toyota Gazoo Racing car number 8 and Cadillac Racing car number 2.
Well done to James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi ( Ferrari AF Corse ), Sebastien Buemi, Brendan Hartley, Ryu Hirakawa ( Toyota Gazoo ) & Earl Bamber, Richard Westbrook, Alex Lynn ( Cadillac Racing ) for finishing on the podium!
The winners of the Centenary Edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, AF Corse Car Number 51 :
Trophy Presentation & Podium Celebrations ( Video Link ) :
Walking back to the Hospitality after the Podium celebrations :
Time to add 2023 to the list of victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ferrari AF Corse :
The team personnel brought the constructor trophy to the hospitality.
The Winning Constructor Trophy :
This got shortly followed by the drivers of Car Number 51 - James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi and Alessandro Pier Guidi, who took the Chequered Flag at the end.
The drivers of Car Number 51, returning to the Hospitality amidst some applause!
Video Link :
Signatures of all 6 Ferrari Hypercar drivers, mission accomplished!
My friends bid adieu as they had a train and plane to catch! I decided to loiter around the Paddock for one last time!
As I made one final round of the Paddock, I had the opportunity of meeting two more drivers!
Neel Jani, former Le Mans Winner & P3 in LMP2 this year with Oreca-07 Gibson :
Sebastien Buemi, Great P2 for Toyota Gazoo Racing in the Hypercar Category :
Having said my farewells to Ferrari, I headed back to the tram station, via the same entrance that I had come through the previous day.
The circuit and the fan zones bear a deserted look a few hours after the race finished. It was a long walk back to the tram station, but also a memorable one, as I bid goodbye to this iconic circuit.
The sun sets over the town of Le Mans. What an end to a beautiful weekend!
I have also compiled a Vlog on my YouTube Channel about my Sunday Experience.
Video Link :
This was a special special weekend for me, personally. As an ardent motorsports fan, attending the 24 Hours of Le Mans was on my bucket list for quite some time, and what better way than to attend the Centenary Edition and see the Ferrari AF Corse Hypercar win on debut!
A big thank you to the team for the amazing hospitality over the weekend, and for an all-access experience that allowed me to enjoy all that this event had to offer!
It was great to have my friend Raul and his son for company the entire weekend and as guests of Antonio Giovinazzi, we got treated like Royalty.
Always thankful to God, truly blessed! Motorsport Weekends will return, from another event in 2023 that I had the privilege of attending, so watch this space!