Two 24 Hours of paradise-like experience in two years in a row, plus the return to this grueling marathon after 50 seasons of absence: at this point, who still marries the interpretation of this sidereal Ferrari in the number one endurance race to luck or chance? 1 in the story is blind, or in bad faith.
Let’s start with the numbers now because then we abandon them and try to delve into other considerations. This victory for the 499P is the Cavallino’s eleventh at Le Mans. The second in a row, as we were saying: after Pier Guidi, Giovinazzi and Calado a year ago, here is now the triumph of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Niklas Nielsen.
Jubilation with thrill: the last two laps of Nielsen, now empty of energy, were heart-pounding for Antonello Coletta and his collaborators, crammed into a cubbyhole in the backbox for a day, a night and another almost complete day following screens, radio signals and information of any kind. Stuff from Hitchcock, while the data on the screen showed 5%, then 3%, then 2% which resisted until the checkered flag. In the end the one-two of paired Ferraris, a result made even gigantic by the third place with Pier Guidi-Giovinazzi-Calado, rightfully ends up in the vault of images engraved in the stone of this red symbol which, regardless of history, of its opponents, continues to write the history of racing. Not to mention the 499P number 83, the one driven by Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye, which barely attended the party.
Two victories in a row: a lot, a lot, even though the endurance Reds won the 24 Hours six times in a row between 1960 and ’65. But these are other times. These are times that require immense economic efforts; technological supremacy; movement of men and brains by the hundreds for very long periods of study, preparation, tests, ideas to change; complex business choices. Corporate and not just teams, this is why we call John Elkann into question: a man about whom dozens of articles have been written, pointing the finger at his (alleged) disinterest in racing, in the fortunes or misfortunes of the Cavallino on the track.
Let’s remember it for honesty: Elkann, as well as being the great boss of Ferrari, is also at the top of this Gedi for which we at FormulaPassion work. But this does not mean we have reservations in underlining how, from his height of almost two metres, Long John can afford to respond without using words. A year ago, with victory barely in his pocket, he spoke of dreams coming to life, but never by chance. A concept that he repeated three weeks ago, after Leclerc’s victory at the Monaco F1 GP. Now the term dream becomes reductive: this is reality. Two victories out of two, in this modern story that the Reds have just begun at Le Mans, are a prodigy. Something that teaches and makes you think: especially the opposing teams and manufacturers.
Le Mans and Monte Carlo won in the 12 calendar months between June 2023 and May 2024: it was already a huge result, something like the Champions League and Club World Cup won by the same team in football. Now, with this second 24 Hours, we are in the myth. Not bad, for a president who is not so passionate about motorsport…
