Last year, the #50 came close, and although there was a great sense of happiness for the #51 within Ferrari, as it brought the most prestigious trophy back to Maranello in the centennial season of its return to the WEC in the top class, the #50 crew had the same ambitions. What was learned in that edition laid the foundation for today’s triumph, born and achieved amid numerous difficulties, especially due to the weather uncertainty.
The 2024 Le Mans edition was characterized by uncertain weather, with rain that was sometimes very light but enough to wet the track, and sometimes short-lived, making the switch to wet tires a risky move that did not pay off, especially in the early part of the race. Understanding the weather and anticipating potential changes at the right moment was crucial due to the difficulty in interpreting an extremely variable sky.
This was evident from the various tire changes during the race, both when switching to wet tires and choosing slicks, often soft to ensure more grip on occasionally still damp asphalt. The long period behind the Safety Car at night added another level of difficulty: maintaining concentration during a “waiting” phase of the race, with no clear indications of how the race directors would proceed.
Due to the “volatility” of the race with countless variables, it is hard to pinpoint a moment when the drivers realized that the 2024 24h of Le Mans was going Ferrari #50’s way: “Honestly, I don’t think there was a particular moment in the race where we said ‘we’ve won’. At Le Mans, anything can happen until the very end. With the conditions in the last part of the race, it was very variable, but I think from the start we did an excellent job, everything was perfect,” said Antonio Fuoco during interviews with the media after the race.
“We had some minor misfortune in the pit stops, but we put all our effort into this race, especially after last year, which left a bit of a mark… We worked all year to come back here and do our best, and in the end, we made it. Le Mans is always special. I think Miguel [Molina] and I realized we had done it at the last chicane,” added the Italian driver, particularly mentioning the work done over the past year to understand what hadn’t worked the previous year and how to improve those final small aspects to turn the dream into reality.
While there were moments of absolute joy, there were also difficult and tense phases, requiring the necessary calm to manage problems and strategic choices that could significantly impact the rest of the race. One such moment occurred about two hours from the end when the right front door of car #50 remained slightly open, just enough for the race direction to call for a pit stop for safety reasons. Unable to close the door, Nicklas Nielsen had to return to the pits, and this tense moment was experienced on three different levels: inside the car, in the Ferrari garage, and in the hearts of fans in the stands and in front of the TV.
It was a moment Antonio Fuoco also experienced with some tension in the pits, though he wanted to thank the mechanics who were very quick to understand and resolve the problem: “Yes [I broke out in a cold sweat], but I think it wasn’t just me! But the pit stop guys were really quick, we had a bit of an advantage over the opponents. Then we did an excellent job with the strategy this weekend, especially in the last hour, and this allowed us to win the race.” – the Italian pointed out.
The feeling with the car was excellent since last Sunday, the day of testing on the French circuit. This was a key factor for both Antonio Fuoco and the #50 crew: “We felt good with the car since Sunday. We worked perfectly during the weekend, focusing only on ourselves to understand which direction to go with the variable weather. I think this paid off in the end; as a team, we did an excellent job,” explained the Italian driver, although he noted some areas for improvement, such as the grip with the wet tires, where the #51 drivers felt a lack of traction.
“During the night, yes, I felt the lack of grip, but the track was drying, so it was difficult to keep up with the track because conditions changed a lot from one lap to the next; in some parts, it was practically slicks, and we were on wets. The feeling wasn’t great, but we tried to survive until the end. Then during the last stint with wets with Nicklas [Nielsen], it seemed that everything was working well and the pace wasn’t bad.” – Antonio Fuoco added.
It was Nicklas Nielsen who brought the car under the checkered flag, securing Ferrari’s second consecutive win at Le Mans with a perfect final stint, managing energy and fuel to cross the finish line just in time not to run out. Nielsen’s was a skilled teamwork effort, both from the driver and the remote team.
“To be honest, it was a very long race, especially after the door problem that made me think everything was lost. Then, I realized that the pace on the wet was good. So yes, it was a very long final stint, and even the last lap felt very long,” Nielsen explained.
“I don’t even know what to say. It’s fantastic to be here and finally win a race I’ve always wanted to win. Seeing the sister car win last year was obviously a proud moment for all participants. And I think winning it this year is an even greater achievement for us. Doing it in succession.”
Similar feelings were shared by the third member of the winning crew, Miguel Molina, who emphasized the importance of some strategic choices at the right moments, overcoming critical phases that could have compromised the result.
“Well, actually, at a couple of points in the race, we risked staying on slicks, and even for the last call to switch to wets, it was the right moment. It’s incredible. We’ve worked long for this result and are really proud. Today was our day; we had some tense moments, but we managed to overcome them, and in the end, the result came. I’m really proud of everyone involved in this project,” said the Spaniard, the third Iberian to win the 24h of Le Mans after Marc Gené and Fernando Alonso.
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