Race Weekend Central

Toyota Claims Nürburgring Pole With Consistent Laps

2017 Le Mans Wec Kamui Kobayashi Car Joao Filipe Alves Beato Adrenalmedia

(Photo: © Joao Filipe Alves Beato - AdrenalMedia.com)

In the FIA World Endurance Championship, two drivers per car qualify and the average of each driver’s best lap determines their time.  Porsche LMP Team’s André Lotterer turned in the fastest lap of the whole weekend during his time in the car, but it was not enough to give Porsche the pole. Toyota GAZOO Racing …

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Porsche Tops Free Practice Charts at Nürburgring, Brings Challenge to Toyota

2017 Nürburgring Wec Earl Bamber Car Marcel Langer Adrenal Media

(Photo: © Marcel Langer - AdrenalMedia.com)

For the FIA World Endurance Championship, this weekend’s action at the Nürburgring in Germany is the first time that all teams are on the high-downforce aero package.  With Porsche debuting their high-downforce package Friday, they are now on par with Toyota. Porsche LMP Team’s Brendon Hartley was fastest overall on Friday with a lap of 98.663 …

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Entry List: Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen

2016 Watkins Glen Iwsc Larry Degeorge Car Credit Phil Allaway

(Photo: Phil Allaway)

The entry list for Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen has been by IMSA.  39 cars in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s four classes will battle on Watkins Glen International’s 3.37-mile long course. In Prototypes, Olivier Pla will be in the No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Ligier JS P217-Gibson this weekend alongside José Gutierrez.  That …

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Vaillante Rebellion’s No. 13 DQ’d Due to Bodywork Modification

#13 Vaillante Rebellion / Che / Oreca 07 Gibson Le Mans 24 Hour Circuit Des 24h Du Mans Le Mans France

(Photo: © Marcel Langer - AdrenalMedia.com)

On Monday afternoon, the FIA announced that the No. 13 ORECA 07-Gibson for Vaillante Rebellion has been disqualified from last weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans as a result of infractions found post-race.  As a result, the team of Mathias Beche, Julien Canal and David Heinemeier Hansson will lose their second-place finish in LMP2 (third …

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Porsche LMP Team Takes Very Unexpected Le Mans Victory

2017 Le Mans Wec Timo Bernhard Checkered Flag Dirk Bogaerts Adrenalmedia

(Photo: © Dirk Boagerts - AdrenalMedia.com)

On Sunday morning, Porsche LMP Team’s No. 2 Porsche 919 Hybrid of Earl Bamber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley claimed overall victory in the 85th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  The victory was somewhat improbable due to the amount of time that the team lost in the first quarter of the race. …

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Toyota’s Le Mans Charge Falls to Pieces at Night

2017 Monza Wec Mike Conway Car Credit Marcel Langer Adrenalmedia.com

(Photo: © Marcel Langer - AdrenalMedia.com)

Leading into the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota GAZOO Racing had a near flawless weekend. Toyota TS050s were at the top of the charts for Free Practice and all three Qualifying Practice sessions, usually with quite a gap over the Porsches.  Kamui Kobayashi set an all-time lap record to win the overall pole on …

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Risi Competizione Out of Le Mans Due to Pierre Kaffer’s Crash

2017 Daytona Iwsc Toni Vilander Car Phil Allaway

(Photo: Phil Allaway)

Last year, Risi Competizione finished second in GTE-Pro at Le Mans but was every bit as fast as the class winners.  In 2017, we’ll never know if that is true or not since the day ended for the team prior to the one-quarter mark. Pierre Kaffer, driving the No. 82 Ferrari 488 GTE (the car …

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Records Fall as Kamui Kobayashi Takes Le Mans Pole for Toyota

2017 Le Mans Wec Kamui Kobayashi Car Joao Filipe Alves Beato Adrenalmedia

(Photo: © Joao Filipe Alves Beato - AdrenalMedia.com)

The general expectation was that times were going to be quick this year at Le Mans, especially in the LMP2 class where teams have roughly 100 extra horsepower to play with.  All-time records were not necessarily expected, but that is what happened. Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Kamui Kobayashi entered Thursday as the provisional pole-sitter after being fastest …

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Entry List: 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans

2017 Monza Wec Nicolas Lapierre Car Marius Hecker Adrenalmedia.com

(Photo: © Marius Hecker - AdrenalMedia.com)

This weekend, the FIA World Endurance Championship has their marquee event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  The 8.469-mile Circuit de la Sarthe will be alive with activity all week.  The activity will be focused on the 60 teams that are entered. The headlining LMP1 class is a bit smaller in 2017.  Audi pulling out …

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Kamui Kobayashi Fastest at Le Mans Test Day

2017 Monza Wec Mike Conway Car Credit Marcel Langer Adrenalmedia.com

(Photo: © Marcel Langer - AdrenalMedia.com)

On Sunday, the Automobile Club d’Ouest (ACO) hosted the annual Le Mans Test Day at the Circuit de la Sarthe.  Attendance for those intending on racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is mandatory with only one exception.  That exception is a race conflict.  Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan, who will be racing for …

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Tony Kanaan to Replace Injured Sebastien Bourdais at Le Mans

2017 Daytona Iwsc Billy Johnson Car Credit Phil Allaway

(Photo: Phil Allaway)

Ford Performance announced on Wednesday morning that Verizon IndyCar Series regular Tony Kanaan will replace Sebastien Bourdais in the No. 68 Ford GT at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Bourdais, as you remember, suffered leg and pelvis injuries in a crash during the first day of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and is currently …

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Toyota Overcomes Pit Strategy to Win 6 Hours of Silverstone

2017 Monza Wec Nicolas Lapierre Car Marius Hecker Adrenalmedia.com

(Photo: © Marius Hecker - AdrenalMedia.com)

On Sunday at Silverstone Circuit, Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Sébastien Buemi barged his way past Porsche LMP Team’s Brendon Hartley with 13 minutes to go.  From there, Buemi pulled away from the young Porsche racer to take the overall victory in the season opening 6 Hours of Silverstone. Afterwards, Buemi was overjoyed. “I’m really happy.  It’s …

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