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Audi wins Le Mans after driver tragedy
Source: Agencies |
June 24, 2013, Monday
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AUDI'S Tom Kristensen won the Le Mans 24 Hours for a record ninth time yesterday in a victory dedicated to fellow-Dane Allan Simonsen, the friend whose death cast a pall over the race's 90th anniversary.
With Danish flags at half-mast over the podium, a standing ovation was held before the victory ceremony in memory of the Aston Martin driver who died after crashing only minutes into the race on Saturday.
Kristensen, Denmark's greatest racing driver, told the crowd he had intended to pay tribute to his father but the first race fatality in 27 years at the Sarthe circuit had forced a change of plan. "He can wait for the next victory of mine," he said, voice laden with fatigue and emotion after the final stint to the checkered flag. "This victory today I dedicate to Allan Simonsen, a great fellow Dane."
The muted win, after a race littered with safety car periods on a wet weekend in western France before the sun came out at the finish, was Audi's fourth in a row and 12th in 14 years.
Kristensen, whose last Le Mans success was with Audi in 2008, shared the No. 2 car with Britain's Allan McNish - now a three time winner - and local man Loic Duval making his first appearance on the top step.
"Three's a much nicer number than two, especially when it's at Le Mans," said McNish, whose Audi R18 e-tron quattro had started on pole position.
Toyota finished as runner-up in the 81st running of the endurance classic with its No. 8 car driven by France's Stephane Sarrazin, Britain's Anthony Davidson and Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi.
The most recent fatality at the race was Frenchman Sebastien Enjolras, killed during pre-qualifying in 1997, but the last to die during the race was Austrian Jo Gartner in 1986.
With Danish flags at half-mast over the podium, a standing ovation was held before the victory ceremony in memory of the Aston Martin driver who died after crashing only minutes into the race on Saturday.
Kristensen, Denmark's greatest racing driver, told the crowd he had intended to pay tribute to his father but the first race fatality in 27 years at the Sarthe circuit had forced a change of plan. "He can wait for the next victory of mine," he said, voice laden with fatigue and emotion after the final stint to the checkered flag. "This victory today I dedicate to Allan Simonsen, a great fellow Dane."
The muted win, after a race littered with safety car periods on a wet weekend in western France before the sun came out at the finish, was Audi's fourth in a row and 12th in 14 years.
Kristensen, whose last Le Mans success was with Audi in 2008, shared the No. 2 car with Britain's Allan McNish - now a three time winner - and local man Loic Duval making his first appearance on the top step.
"Three's a much nicer number than two, especially when it's at Le Mans," said McNish, whose Audi R18 e-tron quattro had started on pole position.
Toyota finished as runner-up in the 81st running of the endurance classic with its No. 8 car driven by France's Stephane Sarrazin, Britain's Anthony Davidson and Swiss driver Sebastien Buemi.
The most recent fatality at the race was Frenchman Sebastien Enjolras, killed during pre-qualifying in 1997, but the last to die during the race was Austrian Jo Gartner in 1986.
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