![Rétromobile 2011 - Mazda 787B Le Mans - 1991 - 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/R%C3%A9tromobile_2011_-_Mazda_787B_Le_Mans_-_1991_-_001.jpg)
The 1991
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance r ...
was the 59th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 22 and 23 June 1991. It was also the fourth round of the
1991 FIA Sportscar World Championship season.
Pre-race
An entirely new complex along the front stretch was built, housing modern pit stalls, garages, and the new observation suites built above the garages.
As for the race, the grid line-up was an unusual affair. 1991 was supposed to be the first year the
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.
The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance, and road racing events in Europe and No ...
ran to the new '3.5L' rules, which meant a new breed of
sports-prototype
A sports prototype, sometimes referred to as simply a prototype, is a type of race car that is used in the highest-level categories of sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars, unlike street-legal and production-based racing cars, are n ...
s. Although TWR-Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and Peugeot all built cars to the new regulations for the 1991 championship series, the number of privateer teams was low and there was simply not enough of these new cars to fill the grid. The
FIA
FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used.
Fia or FIA may also refer to: People
* Fia Backst ...
allowed the first 10 spaces on the grid to be reserved for the fastest qualifying 3.5L cars from the World Sportscar Championship, while the rest of the field was made up of older formula
Group C
Group C was a category of sports car racing introduced by the FIA in 1982 and continuing until 1993, with ''Group A'' for touring cars and ''Group B'' for GTs.
It was designed to replace both Group 5 special production cars (closed top touri ...
cars. In another twist, some teams which had 3.5L cars, but entered previous year's championships with Group C cars, were allowed to enter their "obsolete" but more reliable (and for Le Mans in 1991, quicker) Group C racers. In the case of TWR Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz, their 3.5L cars (the
XJR-14 and
C291 respectively) failed to qualify and instead they raced using their
XJR-12 and
C11 C11, C.XI, C-11 or C.11 may refer to:
Transport
* C-11 Fleetster, a 1920s American light transport aircraft for use of the United States Assistant Secretary of War
* Fokker C.XI, a 1935 Dutch reconnaissance seaplane
* LET C-11, a license-build var ...
models. Peugeot Sport on the other hand only had their
905 model to race, with 1991 being their first full season in
sportscar racing
Sports car racing is a form of motorsport road racing which utilises sports cars that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built prototypes or grand tourers based on road-going models. Broadly speaking, sports car racing is ...
. Being the only factory team running the 3.5L formula, the French marque had the honour of starting 1st and 2nd, even though they had only set the 3rd and 8th fastest qualifying times.
The Mercedes squad was in advanced negotiations with
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fittip ...
,
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian-born American former racing driver. One of the most successful drivers in the history of motorsports, Andretti is one of only two drivers to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, t ...
and
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART P ...
in a deal to enter a
CART
A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people.
It is different from the flatbed tr ...
'superteam' in the race. A preliminary deal had been agreed before publication of the
CART Indycar calendar which threw up a clash between the French classic and the Portland round of the US series.
Qualifying
Class leaders are in bold
Race
The two Peugeots immediately led away at the start, whilst the top Group C cars, led by Mercedes, made light work of the other 3.5L cars. Peugeot’s joy was short-lived though, the #5 briefly catching fire whilst refuelling at its first pitstop, although it quickly rejoined the race. More serious problems loomed however, their cars started suffering from engine problems and would both drop out before nightfall. With the French team out, the three Mercedes took control at the front, with
Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jean-Louis Schlesser (born 12 September 1948) is a French racing driver with experience in circuit racing and cross-country rallying. He is known for his wins of many different competitions. He is the nephew of Jo Schlesser, a former Formula On ...
in car #1 and
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher (; ; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula One for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Schumacher has a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Lewis ...
in #31 debating the lead throughout the early hours. Their only drama came when Wendlinger spun under the Dunlop Bridge on cold tires having just taken over the #31, forcing him to pit for a new rear wing.
Jaguar had a difficult race. They qualified poorly due to carrying a 200 kg weight penalty for running their older Group C cars (which badly affected the handling), and they never looked like repeating the previous years success. The Porsches had to carry the same penalty and they too never featured in the victory battle. Thus as the race settled down, the job of chasing Mercedes fell to the #55 Mazda of youngsters
Johnny Herbert
John Paul "Johnny" Herbert (born 25 June 1964) is a British former racing driver and current television announcer for Sky Sports F1. He raced in Formula One from 1989 to 2000, for seven different teams, winning three races and placing 4th in t ...
,
Bertrand Gachot
Bertrand Jean Gachot (born 23 December 1962) is a French former racing driver. Gachot enjoyed some success in the junior formulae, winning titles in Formula Ford before progressing through Formula 3 and Formula 3000, reaching Formula One in 198 ...
and
Volker Weidler
Volker Hermann Weidler (born 18 March 1962) is a retired racing driver from Germany, best known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991.
Career
Formula racing
In 1985, he became German Formula Three champion.
In the 1989 Formula One season ...
. Mazda hadn’t been viewed as victory contenders before the race, their
787B having achieved virtually nothing in the way of results previously. However, the team had exploited a loophole in the rules, which stated that naturally aspirated, rotary-powered old Group C1 cars weren't required to run at 1000 kg, but at 850 kg, and eventually the Mazda managed to run at 830 kilogrammes. Combined with their rotary Wankel engine providing better fuel mileage than the other ballasted cars, it left them running a strong fourth as night fell.
Mercedes were looking comfortable out front, but as Sunday rolled around their race began to unravel.
The #31 had to pit several times to fix a gearbox problem, which cost 9 laps and dropped it down the field. The #32 then dropped out when it ran over debris; the impact damaged an engine mounting and the subsequent vibrations caused it to expire just before dawn. With the #1 spooked by the downfall of their teammates, the Mazda, now up to second, upped the pace in an attempt to try to break the final Mercedes. #31 was forced to pit again with high water temperature, and then at noon
Alain Ferté
Alain Ferté (born 8 October 1955 in Falaise, Calvados) is a professional racing driver. He is the elder brother of Michel Ferté, who is also a professional racing driver.
Alain Ferté competed five seasons in Formula 3000 1985–1989. He won th ...
brought a steaming #1 down pit lane having befallen the same fate. The alternator bracket had sheared, and in the process had snapped the water pump drive belt. Unlike their teammates however, their engine had overheated beyond repair and the dominant car of the race was pushed into the garage to retire.
From there the Mazda was never headed, and crossed the line with a two lap advantage over second place to secure a surprising and popular victory. It was the first Japanese car to ever win Le Mans, as well as the only non-piston engined car ever to do so. Jaguar’s reliability made up for their pace disadvantage, and the British marque secured second, third and fourth place, with the remaining #31 Mercedes recovering to complete the top five.
Official results
![Le Mans-120121-0073FP](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Le_Mans-120121-0073FP.jpg)
Class winners in bold. Cars failing to complete 70% of the winner's distance marked as Not Classified (NC).
Statistics
* Pole Position - Jean-Louis Schlesser, #1 Team Sauber Mercedes - 3:31.270
** #3 Silk Cut Jaguar was originally on pole but was withdrawn prior to the race.
* Fastest Lap - Michael Schumacher, #31 Team Sauber Mercedes - 3:35.564
* Distance - 4922.810 km
* Average Speed - 205.333 km/h
* Highest Trap Speed — Sauber Mercedes C11 - 342 km/h (race), Sauber Mercedes C11 - 363 km/h (qualifying)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1991 24 Hours Of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans races
Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans (french: link=no, 24 Heures du Mans) is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans, France. It is the world's oldest active Endurance racing (motorsport), endurance r ...
Le Mans
Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
June 1991 sports events in Europe