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©1999-2023 Crash Media Group
The total or partial reproduction of text, photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form.
24 Hours of Le Mans 2022 | Toyota claim victory - as it happened
Toyota have claimed victory at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Crash.Net have been awake for the entire round-the-clock endurance classic - now in its 90th year - for the whole 1440 minutes /86,400 seconds!
Stay right up to date with all the reaction here...
Buemi, Hartley, Hirakawa take fifth Le Mans win for Toyota
Full report here
The #8 Toyota of Brendon Hartley, Sebastien Buemi, Ryo Hirakawa WINS THE 2022 24 HOURS OF LE MANS
Last stop for the Toyotas... next stop, chequered flag!
This won't just be the final hour for the race... it will also arguably close an era at Le Mans to make way for a new one in 2023 when Toyota's status as the lone big budget manufacturer will be no more.
Next year, the transition to Hypercar regulations will be almost complete with Peugeot and - excitingly - Ferrari (preview below) set to enter the fray. Better still, the new LMDh spec that will head up the US-based IMSA series will see entrants from Cadillac, Acura, BMW and Audi built to those regulations.
These cars will be eligible to race at Le Mans depending on the Balance of Performance measures... meaning there could be as many seven manufacturers alone competing, plus privateers
We're heading into the final hour - no change at the top but the Glickenhaus is up to fourth again.
A great result looming for the US team in what will be its first podium result at Le Mans
We're heading into the final hour - no change at the top but the Glickenhaus is up to fourth again.
A great result looming for the US team in what will be its first podium result at Le Mans
Any team that might be thinking they can take it easy as we enter the final two hours might do well to remember last year's Le Mans when the leading WRT came to a stop on the very final lap.
An agonising outcome for the Belgian squad reminiscent of Toyota in 2016, while WRT still went on to win with its other entry, that was of little consolation for drivers Louis Deletraz, Yi Yifei and Ferdinand Habsburg.
Deletraz, however, remains on course for a podium with the second place Prema Orlen car. He'll be crossing everything around 15:56...
Three hours to go!
#8 Toyota, driven by Buemi, leads his teammate Conway by 2m 52s.
The #91 Porsche, driven by Bruni, is leading the GTE Pro class, 56s ahead of the #51 Ferrari.
Yellow flag!
Mark Kvamme's JMW Ferrari is stuck in the gravel.
The gap between first and second has been lowered to just 55s - impressive effort from Colombo to edge closer to Gonzalez.
Jonathan Aberdein now takes control of the #28 Jota - meanwhile Gonzalez has received physio ahead of jumping into the race-leading #38 Jota.
Things are getting a touch ragged out there as the finishing straight nears... well, 4 hours seems like a finishing straight in the context of such a long race.
But the class leaders remain fairly steadfast, not least the #8 Toyota which is managing its pace well, just under three minutes back to its team-mates.
The #38 Jota continues to lead LMP2, the #91 Porsche has taken the initiative in GTE Pro, around 40secs up on the AF Corse Ferrari, and the TF Sport Aston Martin is now a comfortable leader in GTE Am.
SAFETY CAR - Remarkably the first of the race!
The #31 WRT is in the barriers after Robin Frijns dropped it out of Indianapolis. That barrier has taken a fair few whacks already, so it would appear the SC is a reaction to it needing some proper shoring up now
The #64 Corvette suffers a big impact into the barriers after being clipped by the AF Corse LMP2 car through traffic. Alex Sims was in the car at the time but now both of the Corvettes are out of this race
As we near the 18H mark, the #8 Toyota now leads by a comfortable margin over the #7 sister car which faces an uphill task to get back into the lead fight after hitting electrical issues, prompting a stop on track and forcing an unscheduled pit-stop.
It is still running though, well ahead of the third place Glickenhaus, but no doubt with some nervy engineers keeping a close eye on the data with six hours now to run.
The #36 Alpine's race hits the skids again after a hefty crash at Porsche Curves, caused by running wide while attempting to lap a GTE Am Porsche
The car has made it back to the pits for some necessary repairs. It's a long way down but its race - remarkably - isn't over yet!
We're seeing a few cars having trouble under braking as temperatures begin to rise through the morning. It has been a long race but still 8 hours to go
The #75 Iron Lynx 'does a Porsche' with lock-up, off and subsequent tyre failure, leaving a nice spread of debris on the Mulsanne. The Slow Zone is back on
8 Hours to go - here is your timely recap in each class
Hypercar
- #8 Toyota leads by almost two laps after the leading #7 hits electrical issues, briefly stopping it on track before a Hybrid system reset in the pits gets it back in the race
- #709 Glickenhaus holds solid but lonely third in class and overall, two laps off second place
- #708 Glickenhaus creeping back up overall order, closing on fourth place held by leading LMP2 car
- #36 Alpine in 17th overall and 11 laps down
LMP2
- #38 Jota Sport still in lead of class, its advantage teetering on just under or just over a lap to its closest challenger
- #9 Prema Orlen [pictured] leads the chasing pack having moved clear in the battle for second place, as #38 Jota holds down third
- #37 Cool Racing, the #22 United Autosports and #13 TDS Racing fifth, sixth and seventh in class, completing the top ten overall
GTE Pro
- Just 20secs split the leading #64 Corvette from the #51 AF Corse Ferrari up front
- #92 Porsche is out of the battle after sustaining damage in a tyre blow out
GTE Am
- Long-time leaders WeatherTech Porsche cede its advantage after an off and pit-stop
- TF Sport Aston Martin [pictured] and Hardpoint Porsche assume the fight for the class lead
- Northwest Aston Martin is also well in contention in third
Well that was a nasty wake-up call for Toyota after almost 16 hours of completely trouble-free running.
The #7 Toyota is back up and running after the team elected not to pull it back into the garage, suggesting it is confident it knows what the problem is and the fix - essentially a full Hybrid reset - will work.
It has also been an abrupt wake up for Porsche with the #92 Porsche shedding its tyre and a lot of its front bodywork after its wide moment at Arnage.
It has dropped from the GT Pro lead to four laps down on the #64 Corvette and #51 AF Corse Ferrari
Lopez is in the pits but no-one is touching it... a sure sign of a problem with the Hybrid system.
After a frustrating wait in the pit lane as Lopez attempting to get the power cycle going again, the red light goes green again, prompting a re-fuel before he is sent back out on track
It has cost the #7 Toyota the lead and a lap, but it is still running and still second
Jose Maria Lopez starts coasting before stopping altogether. Ctrl Alt Delete and the car gets going again before stopping once more... another reset and Lopez is on his way but now on his way to the pits.
The #8 Toyota is now in the lead with four laps back to the Glickenhaus in third.
THE LEADING #7 TOYOTA HAS STOPPED ON TRACK!
Wow, the #92 Porsche has suffered a big tyre blow out after running off course at Arnage and seeminglu picking up damage