24h Le Mans
Throughout the last 25 years, drivers, manufacturers and competitors from Asia have added nicely to the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
While waiting to find out if Kazuki Nakajima (No. 8 Toyota TS040) will become the first Japanese driver to win the 24 Hours at the wheel of a Japanese car, if the Chinese team KCMG will claim a podium finish in the LM P2 class, or if the Nissan ZEOD RC will be the first prototype to complete a lap of the 24 Hours circuit in 100% electric mode, a revisit of 10 dates and a quarter century of history.
1990 – Nissan is the first Japanese manufacturer to clinch the pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, thanks to British driver Mark Blundell.
1991 – The victory of Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler makes Mazda the first (and only to this day) Japanese manufacturer to win at the 24 Hours.
1995 – JJ Lehto's and Yannick Dalmas' teammate, Masanori Sekiya, is the first Japanese driver to win in La Sarthe, at the wheel of a McLaren F1 GTR.
1999 – Third at the wheel of the Toyota GT-One, Ukyo Katayama, Keiichi Tsuchiya and Toshio Suzuki comprise the first 100% Japanese driver line-up to claim a podium finish at the 24 Hours.
2004 – Japanese driver Seiji Ara wins the 24 Hours in an Audi R8, along with Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen.
2008 – Cong Fu Cheng is the first Chinese driver at the start of the 24 Hours, at the wheel of a Pescarolo of the Saulnier Racing team (today Oak Racing) shared with Pierre Ragues and Matthieu Lahaye. The trio finished third in the LM P2 class (18th overall).
2010 – Fifth overall, the Honda HPD of the British team Strakka Racing won in the LM P2 class. Driven by Jonny Kane, Danny Watts and Nick Leventis, it became the first car in the class to travel more than 5,000 kilometers at Le Mans.
2012 – DeltaWing project partner, Nissan inaugurated Garage 56, dedicated to innovative prototypes outside of classification.
2012 – The Thai driver Tor Graves is the first citizen of his country to pass under the checkered flag at the 24 Hours (6th in the LM P2 class in an Oreca Nissan).
2013 – KCMG is the first Chinese team to take the start of the 24 Hours.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
