NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport

Motorsport: Kiwi Brendon Hartley attempting a second outright win at seventh Le Mans 24

Eric Thompson
By Eric Thompson
NZ Herald·
19 Sep, 2020 12:00 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima in action in the Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050 Hybrid at the Circuit de la Sarthe earlier this week. Photo / Getty Images

Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima in action in the Toyota Gazoo Racing TS050 Hybrid at the Circuit de la Sarthe earlier this week. Photo / Getty Images

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

One of New Zealand's most successful motor racers will be taking on the Le Mans 24 Hour race this weekend for the seventh time in his career.

Brendon Hartley is teaming up with co-drivers Sebastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima, in an attempt to add a second outright win at the iconic twice around the clock race.

Hartley is a standout driver in the World Endurance Championship and has been a regular in the LMP1 class as a factory driver first for Porsche, and now in a similar role with Toyota. He first made his mark around the Circuit de la Sarthe in 2015 where he finished second, and two years later was standing on the top step alongside fellow Kiwi Earl Bamber and German Timo Bernhard.

After a couple of years away for the famous race, Hartley is keen to get going around a circuit he enjoys.

"I'm really looking forward to the weekend. It'll be a bit different to the normal Le Mans I'm used to," Hartley told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's strange not having any fans here but everyone's excited about getting our biggest race of the year underway. Normally we spend 12 months of the year getting ready for this race but it's been longer this time for obvious reasons.

"I'm really pumped to get going and I can't wait to get behind the wheel of the Toyota; it's the first time for me around Le Mans [in a Toyota]."

Brendon Hartley is a standout driver in the World Endurance Championship and has been a regular in the LMP1 class. Photo / Getty Images
Brendon Hartley is a standout driver in the World Endurance Championship and has been a regular in the LMP1 class. Photo / Getty Images

Taking to the Toyota Gazoo Racing's TS050 like a duck to water upon joining the Japanese team in 2019 for the WEC series, Hartley has notched up a win and five second places. He's carried this form into the Le Mans 24 Hour, setting the second-fastest time during the first qualifying hit out.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It is awesome to be back on track again, particularly here at Le Mans. Last year I got my first taste of the TS050 Hybrid in practice and you can feel that this car was made to drive here.

"It's been a real pleasure to drive the car again and to start our preparations so now I am just looking forward to the race. We've got plenty to do to be ready but we're all motivated and working hard," said Hartley.

Discover more

Sport|motorsport

'Rookie mistake' sees Dixon miss chance at clinching title

13 Sep 07:00 PM
Sport|motorsport

Hamilton could face investigation over anti-racism T-shirt

14 Sep 06:55 PM
Formula 1

Truth about 'despicable' Michael Schumacher

16 Sep 02:00 AM
Sport|motorsport

Confirmed: Scott McLaughlin to make IndyCar debut

17 Sep 09:38 PM

This is the last year of the spacecraft-like LMP1 cars as the category organisers are replacing them with Le Mans Hypercars. These are based on existing manufacturers' road-going cars.

"It's probably one of the most complicated cars in the world. I have experience in the past of driving something similar, but different in a Porsche 919 that I won Le Mans in a few years ago," Hartley said.

"They [Toyota and Porsche] both have 50-page driver manuals but are quite different in how power is delivered and handled. The speeds are similar to a Formula 1 car but we have a roof.

"It's a unique form of motorsport where you have the one race and with four different races going on. We're in the fastest car then there is LMP2, GTPros and GTM. A lot of respect has to be given by us and also by the other cars on track.

"We could be doing 300km/h overtaking someone going 70 to 80km/h slower. A big part of the job is reading the car in front and working out if they have seen us and weighing the risk versus reward.

"On top of that you throw in racing at night, not on a purpose-built track as most of it is on country roads. Plus, there's the weather to contend with."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

There are 59 cars hoping to make the grid comprising of 177 drivers from 31 different nations, all hoping to make it towards the end.

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Sport

Sailing|sailgp

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

01 Jul 06:01 AM
Sport

Fore The Record with Blair Tuke

Sport

Al Hilal stun Manchester City with 4-3 win in Club World Cup thriller

01 Jul 05:26 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

Fore the Record: Blair Tuke tees off on America's Cup and SailGP goals

01 Jul 06:01 AM

'As a sailor, I still felt like I had more to give to the team.'

Fore The Record with Blair Tuke

Fore The Record with Blair Tuke

Al Hilal stun Manchester City with 4-3 win in Club World Cup thriller

Al Hilal stun Manchester City with 4-3 win in Club World Cup thriller

01 Jul 05:26 AM
Premium
Gregor Paul: The bold All Blacks selections Razor must embrace

Gregor Paul: The bold All Blacks selections Razor must embrace

01 Jul 04:07 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP