It is about the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is considered the most iconic race in motorsport history. The race took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe from June 17 to 18, 1995. This was the time when the McLaren F1 GTR made its first debut in this format and became the winner of that season in its debut itself. This race was not a normal race, the reason being that the weather was completely bad that day, the track was soaked in rain, and in the meantime a dangerous accident also occurred on the track.
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| 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans |
So in today's blog post, we are going to talk about the 1995 Le Mans winner, the cars, and the dramatic conditions due to which this infamous 1995 Le Mans disaster took place.
A Historic Victory for the McLaren F1 GTR
The 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans was also a special race for McLaren. It was a debut race and an iconic victory. McLaren F1 GTR—This car was actually one of the road-driven cars, not that compatible for racing. It was driven by JJ Lehto of Finland, Yannick Dalmas of France, and Masanori Sekiya of Japan. This car ran for the full 24 hours and covered a total of 298 laps, i.e., a distance of almost 4,055.8 km, and won the 1995 title. At the time, McLaren had four cars in the top five.
It was not easy to win a race like Le Mans at the very beginning of its debut, especially when many legends of racing were already present. But Ferrari was the first to achieve such a feat in 1949, and after that, the McLaren F1 GTR Le Mans 1995 also repeated the history.
1995 Le Mans Results: Top Finishers
Now that we've talked about history, let's talk about the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans results, in which the McLaren F1 GTR won. This car, number 59, finished in the first position, while the second place was finished by Courage C34, which was a prototype car but was almost 1 lap behind the GTR. Be it the McLaren F1 GTR or the other models, all had performed well despite the rain as compared to the other prototype cars.
So, let's look at the 1995 Le Mans results. A table of finishing positions is given below, which will give you clarity.
A total of 76 cars were invited to the 1995 Le Mans race, but only 48 cars competed. Most of these were GT1s, which were high-performance grand touring cars; some cars were World Sports Cars, which were the most powerful but were prototype models. And some cars were GT2, which were among the cars with slightly less performance. In this, the McLaren F1 GTR performed the best, as its reliability was quite strong and it performed well even in wet conditions. While some cars were very fast, they were not that reliable, due to which they did not have much impact on the race. Although WSC's Courage finished in second position, the remaining top 4 cars were McLaren models.
The 1995 Le Mans Disaster: A Tragic Moment
One major incident is always remembered in the 1995 Le Mans disaster. None of the drivers suffered any serious injuries, but the crash was a little dangerous.
When the race was in its fifth hour, car no. 8, a Welter Racing WR LM95 driven by Patrick Gonin, experienced a problem and skidded at the Mulsanne Kink, leaving the track. Mulsanne Kink is a small, slight left-turn curve in Le Mans. Because of this curve, the car spun completely and did a somersault and fell away. But Gonin did not suffer any serious injuries in this.
This crash shows that the track had become completely slippery and risky because of the rain. But McLaren's design gave them an advantage as it was more stable.
1995 24 Hours of Le Mans Drivers: A Star-Studded Lineup
All the big names were included in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers. Some drivers had already competed in Formula 1, others had multiple Le Mans titles under their belts, and some were seasoned professionals. However, there were some new drivers in the mix as well.
The drivers for the winning team in the 1995 race were Lehto, Dalmas, and Sekiya. They displayed outstanding driving even in the rain with their skill and strategy. J. J. Lehto drove the car with such speed in wet conditions that he was going 10 seconds per lap faster than every other car. At this speed many prototype cars and even Ferraris were left behind. Apart from this, some other notable drivers are also included in it:
1) Mario Andretti (2nd place—Courage C34)
He is a motorsport legend. Yet this race seemed the worst race of his life to him. Because the rain made everything difficult for him.
2) Derek Bell and Justin Bell (3rd place—McLaren F1 GTR)
These two were a father-and-son duo. Derek Bell, the father, was a Le Mans racing legend. He had won Le Mans about 5 times and retired. But he came to race alongside his son. It was an emotional race for him.
3) Andy Wallace (3rd player of McLaren F1 GTR trio)
His driving was amazing. Despite rain and a slippery track, he drove well on slick tires and took his team to the top 3.
4) Mark Blundell (4th place—McLaren F1 GTR)
He had a lot of experience in endurance racing, so his performance was better. He was an ex-Formula 1 driver who had participated in many Formula 1 races.
Overall, the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers were a deadly combination of legendary drivers and young talents. All the drivers who finished in the top 5 in this race were super experienced and highly skilled players. This is why the entry list for the 1995 Le Mans Race is considered the most competitive in the history of motorsports.
1995 Le Mans Cars: A Diverse Field
The 1995 Le Mans cars grid was a great mix. It included sports cars, touring automobiles, and some prototype cars as well. There were a total of 48 entries, and McLaren's F1 GTR stole the spotlight. There were 7 more GTR cars as well. Apart from this, models like Courage, Ferrari, Honda, and Nissan were also included in it. Know each one of them.
- McLaren F1 GTR: had a total of seven cars.The BMW V12 engine supported all these cars. That's why it did wonders even on slippery roads.
- Courage C34 (WSC): It came in second position. Although it was a prototype model, it still performed well; however, it struggled in the rain.
- Ferrari 333SP (WSC): Ferrari was absent from Le Mans for nearly 23 years. This was their comeback race after so many years. For the event they used this prototype model of Ferrari, but due to engine failure they had to retire early from the race.
- Honda NSX GT2: It won the GT2 class and finished 8th overall. It was driven by drivers Keiichi Tsuchiya, Akira Iida, and Kunimitsu Takahashi.
- Nissan Skyline GT-R LM (GT1): This model put in a lot of pure effort and performed well too. It finished in 10th position.
These were some of the cars that were able to attract the fans, while there were some other notable cars in the 1995 Le Mans entry list, like Toyota, Mazda, Porsche, etc. But 1995 was all about McLaren; its reliability to drive in the rain made it unbeatable.
The Impact of Rain on McLaren's Victory
The 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans saw rain for almost 17 hours, with the track still wet after the rain. This was the first time this had happened, but the race was a complete success.
The rain brought even more excitement to the fans, but it was very tough for the drivers. The McLaren GTR was stable even on slippery roads, as its Michelin tires were designed for such conditions. But the new Courage prototype, which came in second position, had a tough time on the slippery track.
But this not only resulted in victory for McLaren but also the main role played by JJ Lehto's super-speed driving; he was 10 seconds per lap ahead of the other cars even in such heavy rain, which gave the team a lead. The car, originally in the #59 position, moved to the lead due to JJ's speed.
While the other car was stuck due to slippery, aquaplaning, and mechanical problems.
Legacy of McLaren F1 GTR Le Mans 1995
The McLaren F1 GTR created history by winning Le Mans in 1995, which is considered part of the unofficial Triple Crown of Motorsport that also includes the Indy 500 and Monaco GP. After this race, McLaren retired the car and now displays it at their UK-based museum. Dedicating this victory, McLaren also launched some new models like the 650S and 720S Le Mans editions. The race drew attention to the McLaren GTR, cementing its place in history forever.
Conclusion: A Race for the Ages
The 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans race was a thrilling event. It is commendable that the McLaren F1 GTRs accomplished the impossible task despite 17 hours of rain. The 1995 Le Mans results impressed everyone; a total of 7 models entered the race, and the top 4 cars at the finish were McLaren cars. They performed well despite the rain and slippery track.
See race reports, driver interviews, and historical footage to revisit this legendary event for more on the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. This race presents an exciting chapter in motorsport history, whether your interests are in the 1995 Le Mans winner, the McLaren F1 GTR, or the 1995 Le Mans cars and drivers.
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