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16 JunEndurance, WEC

Sixth for the 296 LMGT3 number 55 of Vista AF Corse

Le Mans 16 June 2024

The 92nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the fourth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, came to a close with the Ferrari 296 LMGT3s number 55, 155 and 86 posting sixth, eighth and twelfth respectively. The race was heavily impacted by rain during the night hours, which generated significant aquaplaning and reduced visibility, causing the lengthy presence of the Safety Car on track for a total time close to five hours.

In the early stages of this most anticipated endurance race of the season, the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 number 66 of JMW Motorsport took the lead with Larry Ten Voorde at the wheel, capitalising on the strong qualifying performance of his teammates, Salih Yoluc and Giacomo Petrobelli. Petrobelli had secured third place on the starting grid during the Hyperpole session. The opening part of the race was also positive for Vista AF Corse's number 55 car. The crew, consisting of François Heriau, Simon Mann, and official Ferrari driver Alessio Rovera, climbed to fourth place. However, they lost ground due to a puncture just before midnight, when the rain was heavy, and the French driver was at the wheel. The air temperature had dropped to 13.9°C, and the track temperature to 16.3°C.

Daniel Serra, official driver for the Prancing Horse, also had an excellent start. Driving the 296 LMGT3 number 86 prepared by GR Racing, he moved up to ninth place in the opening laps, despite starting from the back of the grid due to a qualifying issue that prevented him and his teammates from setting times. Unfortunately, Serra's crew had to retire less than half an hour before the end of the race. Similarly, the 296 LMGT3 number 54, driven by Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci, and official Ferrari driver Davide Rigon, was forced to retire in the third hour following damage sustained in a barrier impact during the first sector with the Swiss driver at the wheel.

The rain played a significant role throughout the night, and the prolonged Safety Car period limited on-track action and major surprises. JMW Motorsport's number 66 was out of contention due to a technical problem around the ninth hour. As dawn broke, bringing the first rays of sunlight, the Safety Car left the track at around 8 a.m., and all teams gradually switched to dry tyres. However, the rain returned during the 22nd hour, with the air temperature at 16.7°C and the track at 17.5°C. The final stages of the race saw no major changes: on a wet track, the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 number 55 finished in sixth place with Alessio Rovera driving. The 296 LMGT3 number 155 of Spirit of Race, with Taylor at the wheel, and the number 86 of GR Racing, completed the race in eighth and twelfth place, respectively. The focus now shifts to the fifth round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, scheduled from 12 to 14 July in São Paulo, Brazil.

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