Jalopnik: Le Mans

National Geographic Ranks Le Mans As World's Greatest Sporting Event

Raphael Orlove — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:30:00 EST

In a recent list of the world's Ten Greatest Sporting Events, National Geographic ranked the 24 Hours Of Le Mans at number one. That's above the Super Bowl, the Olympics and the World Cup. More »

This Sound Is The Future Of Racing

Raphael Orlove — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST

This is the Toyota Le Mans prototype pulling out of the pits in hybrid mode before then exploding with a mighty V8 roar. It might sound like something out of Star Wars but it's the future of racing. More »

Toyota Le Mans Hybrid Prototype: First Photos

Wes Siler — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST

Audi may have diesel, guaranteeing it victory after victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but you know what Toyota has? No, not old people. No, not beige, take this seriously. No, unintended acceleration won't win races. Toyota has a hybrid! Maybe that's why Peugeot surrendered. More »

Peugeot Pulls Out Of 24 Hours Of Le Mans

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:12:12 EST

The ongoing battle between Audi and Peugeot at Le Mans and in other international endurance events has defined the sport, but the company says they're ending the program effective now. This means no 2012 Le Mans showdown. More »

Audi R18 Hybrid tests new tech at Sebring

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST

Last year's menacing Audi R18 TDI Le Mans racer brought with it the radical addition of a closed roof. If spy photos from QuattroWorld are any indication, the next R18 might feature a diesel-hybrid power train. More »

$1.3 million for a death wish

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:30:00 EST

Like all racing accidents, the most horrific crash in the history of motorsports happened in a single, chaotic sequence. When Jaguar driver Mike Hawthorn dove unexpectedly into pit lane, Lance Macklin swerved his Austin Healey into the trajectory of Pierre Levegh's Mercedes 300SLR. More »

No more Ford GTs in Le Mans?

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EDT

American Le Mans Series privateers Dave and Andrea Robertson are apparently ready to pack it in. That means we may have seen the last of the Ford GT, a car Ford never intended to go racing, on a competitive racetrack. That's just sad. More »

1967 Pontiac LeMans that was victim of brutal Lexus attack turns up at auction

Tom Joslin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EDT

We showed you the painful aftermath of an asshat in an out of control Lexus flying into a classic car show back in June. While a 1940 Ford Roadster was damaged in the incident, it was the 1967 Pontiac LeMans seen here that took the worst of it in this random attack of the beige. Now the destroyed LeMans has showed up on insurance auction website Copart.com, offering a sad epilogue to this story. More »

The Ford GT40's dirty little Chevy secret

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:30:00 EDT

When the Ford GT40 cruised to victory at Le Mans in 1967 it was the first all-American car with all-American drivers to win. But the car was more American than people realized — thanks to a few lightweight Chevy parts. More »

Porsche returns to LeMans' top class in 2014

Justin Hyde — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EDT

After 15 years away from the top class at the 24 Hours of LeMans, Porsche says it will return in 2014 to the race its won 16 times with a factory-built prototype. Will Porsche go wheel-to-wheel with corporate cousin Audi? UPDATED More »

Toyota considers return to top class at 24 Hours of Le Mans

Justin Hyde — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EDT

Toyota has built a prototype of a Le Mans prototype — complete with hybrid system — and may return to the top class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012. More »

How Audi uses race crashes to make cars safer

J.F. Musial — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EDT

Dindo Capello's face turns from joyful to terrified. His friends are peppering him with questions, but his eyes are fixed on a video monitor, where a helicopter-borne camera is panning over the scene of an accident. Capello's trying to gain as much information as possible on the health of his friend and Audi teammate, Mike Rockenfeller. More »

Audi, Corvette win insanely close 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans

Matt Hardigree — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 09:01:00 EDT

Endurance races are typically won by laps, but this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans was won by seconds after Audi and Corvette held of fierce competition despite crashing down to their final cars. The best racing, the biggest crashes, the closest times, and a very special victory for the Americans and Germans. More »

The intoxicating beauty of Le Mans cars at sunset

Matt Hardigree — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 01:10:00 EDT

The sun is already rising on Le Sarthe, but the cars looked amazing as twilight gave way to no light. How is it that Gulf Oil livery looks better as the sun goes down? More »

Hear the glorious sound of the Mulsanne Straight at 2 am

Matt Hardigree — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 00:03:00 EDT

Our man in France J.F. Musial trudged out to the Mulsanne Straight in the wee hours of the morning just to snag this video of the cars running around the track at night. The sound. Oh Lord. The sound. More »

Second Audi crashes at 24 Hours of Le Mans

Ray Wert — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 17:20:00 EDT

Another massive accident has marred Audi's 79th running of the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Just hours after Audi's Allan McNish suffered a heavy shunt, the sister R18 of Mike Rockenfeller, who had been running second at the time, was involved in an enormous crash between Mulsanne and Indianapolis. More »

2011 24 Hours of LeMans: The starting grid

J.F. Musial — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:05:00 EDT

Half a second was the time difference in qualifying between the first starting position and the sixth for the 2011 24 hours of Le Mans. The big story ahead of the race: Audi's R18, the car designed specifically for winning at the legendary La Sarthe circuit. More »

If you missed Le Mans in 1969 this excellent vintage movie is the next best thing

Tom Joslin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT

Even if you can't go back in time to 1969, you can watch this excellent "Found on Youtube" 4 part movie highlighting Le Mans that year. Hearing the sounds, entertaining the prospect of Ford GT40s battling with Porsche 917s and dreaming about hitting 240+ MPH on the Mulsanne straight—what more could you ask for from vintage Le Mans footage? More »

First amazing Audi R18 Le Mans post-crash photos

Matt Hardigree — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:01:00 EDT

The first detailed accident photos of Allan McNish's R18 crash moments after it happened, showing what's left of the vehicle after it crashed into a Ferrari 458 and spun itself into the wall. More »

Watch Allan McNish destroy his Audi R18 in horrific crash

Matt Hardigree — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 10:06:00 EDT

The first major accident of the day with the #3 Audi R18 of Allan McNish crashing into the #58 Ferrari 458 Italia in ridiculous fashion. McNish went in too fast, smashed the Ferrari, and went tumbling into the tire wall. Everyone's ok but, warning, it's horrific. More »

How to watch an unbroadcast live sporting event

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EDT

Most sports, including Icelandic youth soccer, are televised. Unfortunately, American broadcasters dictate we get 900 hours of NASCAR for every one hour of something we actually want. Here's our guide to watching live sports when the powers-that-be won't let you. More »

Follow the 24 Hours of Le Mans on your iPhone

Peter Orosz — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EDT

If you can’t make it to Le Mans this weekend and don’t have good TV coverage, you can follow the action on your iOS device courtesy of this free app from ACO, the organizers of the race. More »

Your 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans Day One über gallery

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EDT

The first day of practice and qualifying at Le Mans was a busy one yesterday with Audi and Peugeot battling out it, people flying off the track, and red flags galore. Here are photos of the exciting opening to the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. More »

The 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans Spotter Guide

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:30:00 EDT

With practice under way for this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans it's time yet again to feature the awesome 2011 Le Mans Spotter Guide complete with every car, team, driver, and livery. How else will you be able to tell the light blue Evoras apart? More »

The Audi R8 cop car of our dreams

Justin Hyde — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EDT

Regardless of how well the Audi R18 does at this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi will be guaranteed to lead a few laps thanks to its role as safety car provider. Afterwards, Audi should sponsor a cop show featuring Lt. Aluminium and Sgt. Schteel. More »

Audi's Le Mans driver dares you to do his job

Justin Hyde — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:30:00 EDT

In case you were somehow doubting the skill needed to win a 24 Hours of Le Mans, or believed that Audi winning 9 of the past 11 races could have happened with anyone behind the wheel, Allan McNish takes a few minutes to explain his day job. More »

Dream MILF auctions road trip in Porsche — and herself

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 18 May 2011 10:30:00 EDT

Well now, chaps, this is a tempting offer. A woman is auctioning herself and a roadtrip from the UK to LeMans in her 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. Don't all run to the phones at once. At least read it first. More »

Audi R18 TDI gets a carbon fiber paint job

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EDT

The gorgeous Audi R18 TDI's prepping to take on Peugeot at the 24 Hours Le Mans, which means it needed a racing suit. What do you think of the new livery? Is the silver-on-carbon a nice evolution of the old R15 look or is it forgettable? More »

Before he crashed his Enzo, Stefan Eriksson raced a Ferrari 360 at Le Mans

Peter Orosz — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EDT

You may remember a certain Swede named Bo Stefan Eriksson. He’s the Swedish criminal-masquerading-as-tech-executive at the smoke and mirrors company Tiger Telematics, makers of the Gizmondo game console, and who, on a fateful day in February 2006, propelled a Ferrari Enzo at 200 mph into a pole on the Pacific Coast Highway, an event which resulted in a criminal investigation that unraveled his illicit empire and launched a thousand internet memes, amongst them our very own Save The Enzos campaign. More »

Steve McQueen’s Le Mans Porsche 911T goes up for auction

Tom Joslin — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST

The Slate Gray 1970 Porsche 911T that appeared in Le Mans and was owned by the movie's iconic star will go up for auction in August. Steve McQueen used the car for personal transportation during the filming of the movie in France and had the Porsche shipped back to the United States after filming. More »

Videogame hot shoe to race in real 24 Hours of Le Mans

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST

Lucas Ordoñez won the first GT Academy time-trial contest, giving the gamer-racer his start in the FIA GT4 series. Now he's signed to Team Signatech Nissan, and will compete in the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mind-blowing. More »

Le Porsche

Tom Joslin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 16:30:00 EST

Everything about this Porsche 917 seems right. Painted in classic Gulf livery, the car is shown on the race track, where it belongs. These flat 12 equipped beasts brought Porsche back to back overall wins at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. 40 years later, the 917 looks (and sounds) even better with age. More »

Ridley Scott's New TV Show Will Be Like Mad Men For Racing

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

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Movie-director brothers Ridley and Tony Scott know their way around action movies. Now the two are working on a TV series about the glory days of Le Mans racing. Think Mad Men with sports cars and Stirling Moss. Holy crap. More »

Watch Steve McQueen's Le Mans Saturday On TCM

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:00:00 EST

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At the time, Le Mans nearly bankrupted Steve McQueen. Even his buddy Stirling Moss called it dreadfully boring. But like Tron, it's aged so well. Watch a clip above, watch it in full on Turner Classic Movies at 12:00 EST. More »

Hot, Wet Aston-on-Aston Action

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:30:00 EST

Aston Martin wants to assure you the same V12 powers not only the V12 Vantage, but also its LMP1 race car. So it brought both of them out on a typically rainy afternoon. They can't all be sunny days, right? More »

Say Oink To The Trufflehunter of Zuffenhausen

Peter Orosz — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

One of Porsche's entries for the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans was a racing pig. Developed with French help in a quest for harmony between downforce and drag, it was the fastest thing on track. Until dawn on Sunday. More »

Ten Quirky Motoring Gifts For the Petrolhead You Love

Peter Orosz — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST

Do you know car people? Are you a car person? There is a world of awesome holiday gift opportunities out there beyond Porsche watches and Nascar cufflinks. Here's our selection of the weird and wonderful. More »

Audi R18 Le Mans Prototype Slams The Roof

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:50:00 EST

Audi's new Le Mans LMP1 racecar will be a closed-cockpit model, like rival Peugeot's. The company's R18 debuted earlier today in Ingolstadt and is the key to Audi's bid for a 10th Le Mans 24 win. More »

Sir Moss, Your Chariot Awaits

Ray Wert — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST

A close-up shot at La Chartre of the Moss/Fairman Aston Martin DBR1 that retired three hours into the 1959 Le Mans isn't the only amazingness found in a killer set of atmospherics from the race. [10Tenths Motorsport via Hemmings] More »

When F1 Drivers Were Teen Sitcom Stars

Peter Orosz — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:00:00 EST

For two years, Jenson Button and Mark Webber have been fierce rivals for the F1 world title. But reverse back to early 2001 and you’ll find awkward-charming photos of two boys doing fitness training on a volcanic island. More »