2011

Bernard Warain brought Wolfgang Ullrich, director of Audi Sport, and Olivier Quesnel, his counterpart at Peugeot together on the pit lane on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the concept of driver fingerprints. The object is unique and… daring: joint fingerprinting while their rivalry on the track promises to be flamed once again.

The men and crews remained the same as in 2010 at Peugeot just like they did at Audi. The mechanics were evolving. The duel seemed balanced but the top speed of the new Audi allowed them to get two cars on the front row while Peugeot has remained on four pole positions on one row since 2007.

Will the three Audis keep the four Peugeots at bay in the race to seek a tenth victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours?

The danger however is not only posed by Peugeot. Allan McNish launched into a reckless overtaking manoeuvre on the 14th lap, which resulted in a spectacular accident, fortunately though, without any injuries. 

There was only one Audi and the four Peugeots in his tracks with the race at the half way stage. Tréluyer, Fässler and Lotterer then adopted a risky strategy. They decided to keep their set of tyres on for longer to avoid an additional pit stop. The Audi therefore completed a five-fold stint (55 laps), or travelled 750 km travelled with the same tyres. This is a historic record at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The Audi No. 2 and the Peugeot No. 9 were the same lap just half an hour from the finishing line. The Audi however held firm and won with 13 seconds to spare.

The 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours provided a sensational scenario. The winning Audi will have spent a total of 23 minutes 56 seconds in the pits while the Peugeot, which came second, spent 24 minutes and 18 seconds there: proof that the race can also be won in the pits.

The flag for the start of the 2011 24 Hours was sold for the benefit of the victims of the Fukushima disaster as a sign of solidarity and to aid victims of the disaster.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest offered a lap and organised a special prize as a tribute to Johnny Herbert. The British driver who won in 1991 was a victim of severe dehydration, and was unable to join his teammates on the podium.

He was at the wheel of one of the mythical cars of the Le Mans event. The first Japanese car (and the only one until 2018!) to win the event. This Mazda 787B with its tangy green and orange colour did not go unnoticed, but it is above all the screeching sound of its rotary piston engine that is unforgettable.