In Le Mans Hypercar (L.M.H.), the top class, the two Toyota GR010 Hybrids (№ 7 & № 8) are solidly if not comfortably in the lead ahead of the № 709 Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH. Both the faster № 708 Glickenhaus & the solo № 36 Alpine (not a true Hypercar but a grandfathered-in L.M.P.1) have had problems are are several laps down. Those are all the entrants in Hypercar.
By next year's 24 Heures du Mans, the one hundredth anniversary of the inaugural race in 1923 but only the ninety-first running of the race (due to a minor disturbance known as the Second World War), the Hypercar class is supposed to be bustling with entries: L.M.H. from Peugeot & Ferrari, plus new Le Mans Daytona hybrids (L.M.D.h.) from Acura, B.M.W., Cadillac, Porsche. (Audi, Alpina, & Lamborghini are supposed to field L.M.D.h. by 2024.)
I have the greatest respect & admiration for Toyota & everything they have given to the World Endurance Championship (W.E.C.). They entered the W.E.C. with the L.M.P.1 TS030 Hybrid in 2012, a year earlier than they intended to enter, to give Audi some competition after the sudden withdrawal of Peugeot. They then battled against Audi & later Porsche, until they both withdrew from the W.E.C. after the 2017 season (both withdrawing as a result of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, "Dieselgate"). Toyota soldiered on in L.M.P.1, finally winning the 24 Heures du Mans, & were the first team to field an L.M.H. They entered the W.E.C. before they were ready in order to give Audi someone to race against, but no one else has paid Toyota the same courtesy; so, I have no problem with them triumphing over the "lesser" competition of non-hybrid privateer Glickenhaus & an aging, non-hybrid Alpine L.M.P.1.
No comments:
Post a Comment