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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
The hour after dawn Le Mans is often referred to as "Happy Hour," but while some found things to smile about, others assuredly were not giddy. Count Rahel Frey among the latter, after her Iron Dame Porsche 911 GT3R got dumped by the No. 87 Akkodis ASP Lexus RC F GT3 driven by Clemens Schmid in the second Mulsanne Chicane. The Porsche got stuck in the gravel, bringing out a full-course caution while it was retrieved.
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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
The sun is rising over Circuit de la Sarthe and the race is about to get intense with 10 hours left. The soft tires that several Hypercar teams have run during the night will give way back to the medium Michelins as the track warms up.
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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
While the hour began with new hope for Toyota, Ryo Hirakawa leading most of it in the No. 8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid after a slow pit stop for the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsports 963, it ended wtih Yifei Ye back at the front in the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P. In between was a highly entertaining battle that ebbed and flowed with traffic. It culminated with Ye taking the lead in the second Mulsanne chicane and Hirakawa taking station in second.
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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
The twelfth hour of the 24 Hours of Le Mans brought the race's first safety car period when Cem Bolukbasi left the circuit in the No. 24 Nielsen Racing ORECA LMP2 and hit the barrier in the Tertre Rouge Esses. The impact triggered the medical light, but Bolukbasi exited the car under his own power. He was checked and released from the medical center. The incident marked the first retirement of an LMP2 car in the race.
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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
Disaster struck for the No. 46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 that had been leading LMGT3 for much of the race. Kelvin van der Linde appeared to have a mechanical problem at the entry to the Porsche Curves and slid straight off the track and became mired in the gravel, almost certainly putting an end to the team's hopes for victory. The diagnosis was a technical issue that shut all the power down and affected the power steering.
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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
Between Porsche Penske Motorsports pushing longer stints and Ferrari hurting itself with penalties, the No. 6 PPM 963 leads the 24 Hours of Le Mans after 10 hours. Kevin Estre is enjoying the unobstructed view at the front having been in the car for three hours. It's been a redemption run so far for the No. 6, which was disqualified from the first qualifying session for being underweight and started at the rear of the Hypercar field.
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1 week ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
After being told to cede the lead to James Calado in the No. 51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, Philip Hanson ran off track and through the gravel in the No. 83 AF Corse 499P, unintentionally fulfilling the request. That promoted Calado to first, where he continued to run ahead of Hanson. The No. 83 now looks to be attempting longer stints, but the Ferraris are largely doing 12-lap stints, while several of the other contenders are able to go a lap further.
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1 month ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
ShareThis is disabled until you accept Social Networking cookies. By Richard S. James - May 16, 2025, 4:49 PM UTCFrom its entry into Pirelli GT4 America in 2021, it was clear that Random Vandals intended to have fun with this racing thing. The team name; the raccoon mascot (if you're wondering, its name is Gizmo, according to the Vandals' website); the raccoon-appropriate slogan, "There is no trash cannot, only trash can!” emblazoned on the pit cart…all signs that this wasn't all serious business.
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2 months ago | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
Tyler Gonzalez has been at this long enough to know that it’s too early to start thinking about a championship. But it’s hard not to notice that the only two drivers to win a Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup race so far this season, after two double-header rounds, are two-time champion Jared Thomas… and Gonzalez. Gonzalez took the first victory of the season at Daytona International Speedway and the fourth race of the year on the streets of St. Petersburg with a late-race pass for the lead.
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Mar 26, 2025 | 
racer.com | RICHARD JAMES
In any form of endurance racing involving multiple drivers, there will always be differences in pace between them, whether that comes from the nature of the track, the car setup, or even a driver being just a little off that day. The best teams recognize that and build strategies to maximize results given the strengths, or weaknesses, in their lineup.
