Having been in operation since 1923, the Le Mans 24 hour endurance race is the oldest, active sports car race worldwide. Held annually near Le Mans, France this race is not just a race for speed but is a chance for manufacturers to show off their technological advances also and give the public a sneak preview of what is to come. Of course, everyone wants to be the champ and get first prize, but even those that just manage to complete the race are seen as winners. With it being a 24-hour race, no one is expected (or allowed) to finish it alone, and teams are normally made up of 3 people to give everyone sufficient time to recoup before getting back out there again.
Unfortunately, for the cars, there is no rest period, and the manufacturers skills are put to a test. The two leading car parts that take the brunt of the race is the engine and the tires. Over a 24 hour driving period, it is not uncommon to see a double figure amount of tire changes, and Michelin has been a very big part of that in the Le Mans race for quite some time. In this year’s race, 33 out of 60 cars were using Michelin tires, including the Corvette C7 and the Ford GT. Although this brings in a lot of free advertising and an increase in revenue for Michelin, they also have the work cut out in ensuring their tires are fit enough to last the endurance as well as being able to cope with any weather that may come to the race. But, they must know what they are doing as every car that has won the Le Mans since 1998 has done so with Michelin tires.
The engines are another factor that comes under scrutiny during the race as a good, strong, reliable engine is needed just to finish, let alone win it! Between the years of 2006-2014 Audi were the champions almost continuously, with Peugeot slipping in there in 2009. For three years running, their incredibly reliable R18 won the FIA World Endurance Championship. But, for the past two years, it has been Porsche that has come through fighting the fittest!
So, car manufacturers do have it tough when competing for the championship title of the Le Mans, but it is also great advertising of their vehicles and a chance to show their fans just what they can do. And, with it being one of the most popular car races there is, you can be sure they will all receive a lot of attention from not just fans, but investors too.
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