24h Le Mans
Record-holder since 2005 for most victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans - and the city's hero this Tuesday, March 25th - Tom Kristensen holds an impressive track record in La Sarthe in particular and in endurance in general.
Photo : Jean - René ROGER (ACO)
On June 14th and 15th, Tom Kristensen will be on the track for a tenth victory at Le Mans. The record that seemed to him impossible twenty years ago is nonetheless within his grasp.
-In seventeen starts from 1997 to 2013, he has had nine victories, for a success rate of more than 50% (1997-2000-2001-2002-2003-2004-2005-2008-2013). He also won in his first participation.
-Tom Kristensen is the driver who has won the most consecutive victories at the 24 Hours (six from 2000 to 2005), and also behind the wheel of the same car, with five wins in the Audi R8 (2000-2001-2002-2004-2005).
-He has only retired four times and has always claimed a spot on the podium at Le Mans: to his nine wins add two second place finishes (2006 and 2012) and three third place finishes (2009 and 2010).
-The winning car driven by Tom Kristensen started three times from the pole position (1997, 2003 and 2013).
-He is also the record-holder for most wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring - another great endurance classic raced in Florida each year in March - with six wins (1999-2000-2005-2006-2009-2012).
-In 2013, Tom Kristensen added to his accolades the Tourist Trophy - one of the most prestigious trophies in British motorsports - at the 6 Hours of Silverstone, as well as the title of World Champion of endurances drivers.
Click here to learn more about the Le Mans Warm-Up this Tuesday, March 25th in downtown Le Mans. There Tom Kristensen will be accompanied by other Audi drivers who will compete in the entire FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Among them, four have claimed at least one victory at the 24 Hours: two each (2011 and 2012) for Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer, and one for Loïc Duval (2013). For Lucas di Grassi, three years have passed since his first participation, and he is aiming to become the first Brazilian to win in La Sarthe.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF MANS, THURSDAY JUNE 20 2013, QUALIFYING. Is the Warm-Up on March 25th a prelude to a tenth victory for Tom Kristensen at the 24 Hours of Le Mans? The answer Sunday June 15th under the checkered flag!
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
24 HOURS OF LE MANS - June 14 & 15, 2014
