2011 Le Mans - LM GTE Am Race - Race Statistics and Analysis

79^e 24 Heures du Mans

Practice and Qualifying
LM GTE Am LM GTE Pro
LM P1 LM P2

Pos	#	Team	Car	Lap	Gap
1st	50	Labre Competition	Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1	302
2nd	70	Labre Competition	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	301	1 lap
3rd	68	Robertson Racing LLC	Ford GT-Doran	285	17 laps

Two Marques, One Team

It was a battle between the Labre Corvette and the Labre Porsche. Many others starred at some point in the first two thirds of the race, but by lap 212 they had fallen out of contention and Labre were 1-2, #50 Corvette – #70 Porsche, and they would stay in that order until the end. They finished one lap apart. #81 was the last other car to lead and the last main challenger to the top two.

Gaps are relative amongst only these three cars.

The following all led at some point;

#61 AF Corse Ferrari (laps 1-11, 14-30, 33, 35, 148-152): Led from the start until its first stop. After the stops it led during the McNish safety car, circulating in what would have been 5th in LM GT PRO. Cioci was swamped on the restart, but continued to lead LM GTE Am until his stop. Got the lead back when #63 pitted, but was then overtaken by #60, repassed the next lap, but lost out finally on lap 35. #61 had another spell out front in a period when #61, #81 and #50, #70 all took turns during pit stop cycles. Its final action was when Perazzini spun and hit the wall on lap 188 when it was on for a podium.

#70 Labre Porsche (12-13, 89-92, 102-114, 119-131, 160): A taste of the lead for Labre in the early running until many of the GT cars stopped under safety car. It overtook its sister car on lap 89 and held it for half a stint until it pitted as they were out of sync. They swapped during stops until #50 asserted its advantage.

Team mates #70, second in LM GTE AM, and #76, fifth in LM GTE Pro, cross the line together. #76 getting a finish after a crash started the race week. #44 Norma finishes the race, but isn’t classified.

#63 Proton Porsche (31-32, 46, 56-60): Led for a couple of laps through pit stops and then had a stint at the front. Briefly led again during pit stops, before overtaking #60 on lap 56. Taken out by Magnussen on lap 200 exiting Maison Blanche while in fourth.

#60 Gulf Aston Martin (34, 36-45, 47-55, 71-73): Initially led after #63 pitted, Had a decent spell battling with #50. A quick spin in the middle of all this didn’t help, but on lap 93 it was in for a long stop, and again on lap 94. It retired on lap 142 after spinning in to the barrier.

#57 Krohn Ferrari (56-65, 99-101): A new leader on lap 56, having a go for half a stint. Stayed with #50 and #70 for a period and took over the lead during pitstops. It retired on lap 124.

#50 Labre Corvette (66-70, 74-88, 93-98, 115-118, 132-133, 145-147, 161, 201, 204-302): First got the lead on lap 66 for half a stint before pitting. Asserted itself in the lead for over a stint until its sister car #70 overtook it on lap 89. On lap 204 it regained the lead and kept it to the flag.

#81 Flying Lizard Porsche (134-144, 153-159, 162-200, 202-203): Was the last to lead before #50 took over for the last time. It’s run at the front was briefly halted when on lap 147 it had to pit only three laps after its last, but it remained in contention. After a period #50 and #70 had been swapping the lead when each stopped #81 took over – it had slowly been closing on the two Labre cars for several laps. On 162 it took over the lead and, aided by the safety car, it managed to have three pit stops without relinquishing it. On lap 204 Pumpelly was passed on track by Gardel for the lead. On lap 212 it stopped on the side of the road.

The Podium

Andrea and David Roberston supported by David Murry became the first married couple to secure a Le Mans podium in the Robertson Racing Ford GT-Doran #68.

Stint lengths

#70 had the advantage over #50 in fuel consumption and could do one more lap in a stint.

Relative Pace

Looking at only the top 10 averages the Corvette paces is well off the Porsche of both its sister car and that of Flying Lizard. This is endurance racing. You have to get to the end and reliably.