Earl Bamber, Nick Tandy and Nico Hulkenberg celebrate after winning the 83rd 24-hour Le Mans endurance race. Photo / AP
Earl Bamber, Nick Tandy and Nico Hulkenberg celebrate after winning the 83rd 24-hour Le Mans endurance race. Photo / AP
New Zealander Earl Bamber has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and in doing so emulated the last great Kiwi victory of Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren in 1966. This event is regarded as one of the hardest and most difficult long distance endurance races to finish, let lone win.
Not only did Bamber emulate a great win at the oldest sports car endurance race in the world, fellow Kiwi Brendon Hartley, along with Mark Webber and Timo Bernhard, crossed the line in second. When Amon and McLaren won, another Kiwi Denny Hulme too followed them home.
Bamber and co-drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Nick Tandy took command of the race around midnight, and were never seriously challenged from then on in.
The only driver who had any experience of racing in the 24 Hour events was Hulkenberg (GT category), so it was knew territory for all three drivers.
"The car ran perfectly all race long," said Bamber. "The car was so quick and yeah, we won this thing. I still can't belief what's happened.
"We gelled really well as a team and anytime I get the chance to drive such an amazing racecar I'll take it.
"It's also great that we were able to emulate some of the greats who came here and raced in the past. They are real legends and it's cool Brendon and I could be on the podium at the same time."
Bamber and company were in the works Porsche Team's third 919 Hybrid. They weren't supposed to steal any thunder from World Endurance Championship regulars Brendon Hartley, Mark Webber, Timo Bernhard in car 17, and Neel Jani, Ramon Dumas, Marc Lieb in car 18.
However, as much as Hartley's team tried they just couldn't get close enough to mount a challenge over the closing laps if the race.
"I would have loved to be on the top step but it wasn't to be," said Hartley. "At the beginning of the race we had the pace and were looking really strong, but during the night they had more pace than us during the remainder of the race.
"There was nothing we could do to take the victory from them. It hasn't really sunk in yet the significance of what happened today {Kiwi one-two) but I know in a few years time I'll be able to look back on today and know today will be a proud moment in my life."
The Porsche 919 Hybrid No17 of the Porsche Team drivers' Mark Webber of Australia, Timo Bernhard of Germany and Brendon Hartley. Photo / AP
There was even more to celebrate after the chequered flag was waved with GP2 racer Mitch Evans bringing the Jota Sport car LMP2 entry home in second place in the category.
Evans, Oliver Turvey and Simon Dolan started well from P2 on the grid, but soon came unstuck with gearbox dramas that at one point had them back in 51st overall and 19th (last) in class. Some great driving, especially through the night, saw them haul themselves up the leader board to eventually cross the line second in class.
"After the dramas at the start of the race we all just had to keep our heads down and get on with the race," said Evans. "From a driver and team's point of view we couldn't have done anything more.
"Having been on the back foot from word go, we decided to just go for it. During the night we smashed everyone.
"On top of everything else this weekend, it was incredible to have four Kiwis racing and doing really well."
5 key points about the 24 Hours of Le Mans - It's the world's oldest endurance sports car race and it's been held annually at the Circuit de la Sarthe in the French town of Le Mans since its inception in 1923.
- Also known as the "Grand Prix of Speed and Endurance", the race requires teams to effectively balance speed and the ability to maintain their car's durability for 24 hours.
- 24 Hours of Le Mans is the premier event in the FIA World Endurance Championships with approximately 50 competitors and the vast majority of teams have three drivers for the event.
- Tom Kristensen from Denmark holds the record for the most individual wins with nine between 2000 and 2013 while German team Joest Racing have won 13 events making them the most successful team.
- The entire race is broadcast live in 190 countries with more than 800 million potential spectators worldwide.
