24h Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is special in that it pitches the world’s greatest motor manufacturers against each other, while at the same time retaining a very human element…and it’s even a family affair!
There may be no 100% family line ups amongst the teams taking the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, but several well-known names will nevertheless leap out at connoisseurs of the sport.
• Sébastien Bourdais, who will be making his 10th appearance, is the son of Patrick who has himself competed 9 times in the great Le Mans classic.
• Alex Brundle is the son of Martin, who has appeared 7 times at Le Mans in a Jaguar, Nissan, Toyota and Bentley and was winner of the 1990 race. They will be together at the wheel of the No. 42 Greaves Motorsport Zytek.
• Sean Edwards is the son of Guy, who raced at Le Mans 9 times between 1971 and 1985, in a Lola, Ibec and Porsche, finishing 4th in 1985.
• Olivier Lombard, LM P2 winner in 2011 and present this year in the No.23 Signatech Oreca, already has a richer CV than his father, Jean Messaoudi, seen in 1988 and 1990 in an Argo and Cougar respectively!
• Belgian driver Maxime Martin, in the No. 35 Oak Racing Morgan has had a good schooling from both his father Jean-Michel and his uncle Philippe. The Martin brothers were seen at Le Mans from 1980 when they finished 3rd at the wheel of the Rondeau-Belga. They drove together until 1985 (Rondeau, De Cadenet, Joest Porsche and Mazda) while Jean-Michel took part in the 1986 race with a Spice (13 entries for the two together).
• Kazuki Nakajima, behind the wheel of the No. 7 Toyota, is the son of Satoru who raced a Tom’s Toyota in 1985 and 86.
• Jordan Taylor, who is making his debut at Le Mans this year in the No.73 Corvette is the son of Wayne Taylor, 13 time entrant at Le Mans between 1987 and 2002 (Porsche, Spice, Nissan, Ferrari, BRM, Riley & Scott and Cadillac).
• Sebastien Buemi, driver of the No. 8 Toyota is the grandson of Georges Gachnang, seen in 1960 in an AC Bristol, and is the first cousin of Natacha Gachnang who raced with an all-female line up in a Ford GT in 2010.
• Romain Iannetta, driver of the No. 30 Status Grand Prix Lola is the nephew of Alain Iannetta, at Le Mans 4 times between 1988 and 2005 in an Argo, Porsche and Courage.
And more…
• Jeroen Bleekemolen, driving the No. 13 Rebellion Racing Lola Toyota, is the son of Michael, who drove in F1 in 1977 and 1978, and the brother of Sebastiaan who raced in the 2011 ALMS.
• Marino Franchitti, part of the No. 0 DeltaWing line up, is none other than the brother of Dario - three time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (2007, 2010, 2012).
• Nelson Panciatici, driver in the No. 26 Signatech Oreca is the son of Jacques Panciatici, storied rally driver of the 70s and 80s and of Bernadette de Sacy, a racer in the Mini Trophy, the Paris-Dakar Rally and the Andros Trophy.
• Alain Prost might only have been as a spectator, but his son Nicolas already has 5 participations to his credit. He will be present once again this year behind the wheel of the No. 12 Rebellion Racing Lola Toyota.
…plus Royalty
This isn’t the first time that members of a royal family have participated at Le Mans and this will be the second time that Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal will drive the No. 75 Prospeed Porsche.
