Rubens Barrichello was invited to Le Mans this year by former winner Jan Lammers, the Dutchman who triumphed in a Jaguar in 1988. Tony Kanaan’s appearance was decided two short weeks before Test Day, following Sébastien Bourdais’s accident during qualifying at the Indy 500.

Childhood friends rise to the Le Mans challenge together - Kanaan grew up with the Barichello family after his father’s death and the two friends had both had their eye on a 24 Hours appearance for several years. Being able to compete in the world’s greatest race together no doubt made the experience all the more special. Together – but not as teammates: Barrichello drove a Dallara P217 (LMP2) while Kanaan took to the wheel of the Ford GT that triumphed in the LMGTE Pro class in 2016.
Our seasoned rookies both have an impressive track record: Barrichello has been the fastest polesitter in Formula One since 2004, while Kanaan was victorious in the fastest ever Indy 500 race in 2013, at an average 300 kph. Nonetheless, the two drivers unpretentiously negotiated the Le Mans learning curve via the simulators and required minimum number of laps.  On race day, they put in a solid performance, with Barrichello 14th past the chequered flag (12th in LMP2) and Kanaan 23rd (6th in LMGTE Pro). And both are now keener than ever to return to La Sarthe!

Fernando Alonso looking to 2018? - In 2014, Fernando Alonso became the first active Formula One driver to start the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Who knows... as he lowered the flag, perhaps the two-time F1 champion was already thinking about taking part in the French endurance classic himself?   Either way, having already won the Monaco Grand Prix twice (in 2006 and 2007), Alonso moved a step closer to his ambition of adding his name to the winners’ lists of two other iconic motorsport events when he took part in the Indy 500 in 2017 (although he was forced to abandon after 27 laps).  And things have gathered pace since then. At the end of November, the Spaniard took to the wheel of a Toyota TS050 Hybrid (LMP1) in Bahrain during the World Endurance Championship Rookie Test, then a couple of days later, drove a Ligier JS P217 at the Motorland Aragon circuit. He will be driving that car at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January. Good training for Le Mans next June?

Photo: The last Brazilian to win a Grand Prix, Rubens Barrichello debuted at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. He holds the record for the most starts in Formula One Grand Prix history (323).