James Calado had a score to settle on the Le Mans podium. A minor incident occurred on the top step of the podium after his triumph in 2019, that rendered the traditional celebratory photos somewhat “unique”. The upper part of the trophy had come unstuck, leaving a bit missing from the winning prize of the legendary race. The score has now been settled after sealing another win, the second at Le Mans, that the English driver had so much desired, having shown great pace and speed over the eight stints, proving what an undeniable asset he is. Calado had earlier driven past the stage from which Ferrari Chairman John Elkann, the honorary starter, had waved the race off, managing the car in the period where visibility and grip were minimal due to the rain. “The final four hours were even more difficult than the previous ones,” commented the driver of the #51 488 GTE, “despite the challenging conditions in the early stages. At that time the air conditioning wasn't working very well and the windscreen fogged up, reducing visibility a lot, so I unintentionally clipped the Corvette. The race was all about the battle with the crew of the American car and it wasn't always easy because they kept us under constant pressure. Alessandro [Pier Guidi, ed.] and Côme [Ledogar, ed.] did an excellent job, especially the latter because he wasn’t able to spend much time in the car during free practice and doesn't usually drive the GTE.”
It's a win that Calado wishes to share with the whole team, as the Le Mans is never won alone. “It’s an incredible feeling for me and for the team and I have to thank Ferrari and AF Corse, as well as everyone who made this possible. It's not just us drivers who are on this podium, but the whole team."