2017 Le Mans 24 Hours - LM GTE Pro class

A Ford GT exits the Esses and heads down to Tertre Rouge just after dusk.

The LMGTE Pro class was undoubtedly the best battle of the 2017 Le Mans and was undecided until just before the end.   The lead changed many times between the various Ferrari, Ford, Aston Martin, Porsche and Chevrolet GT cars. Both Aston Martins led for a considerable distance but the other cars were never that far away. Chevrolet were also in the lead for a long time on Sunday afternoon but eventually Aston Martin came back to take the win on the last lap.  Second place also wasn’t decided until the final lap with Ford also overtaking the Corvette. The Balance Of Performance may be controversial at times but it certainly provides good racing.

GT Ferrari rounds the first corner as other GT cars exit the pits.

GT cars heading down from the Dunlop Bridge towards the Esses.

These LMGTE Pro cars are fast, clocking 300kph on the Mulsanne straight and averaging over 200kph for the lap.  Here are all the 13 cars that fought over the class:

1st in class, 17th overall – Aston Martin Racing – Aston Martin Vantage – Darren Turner, Jonathan Adam, Daniel Serra. No.97.  340 laps.

The LMGTE Pro winning car at dawn on Sunday at Tertre Rouge whilst in third place in class.

Winning Aston Martin

Aston Martin on Saturday afternoon at Tertre Rouge.

2^rd in class, 18^th overall – Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK – Ford GT – Andy Priaulx, Harry Tinknell, Luis Felipe Derani. No.67. 340 laps.

The lead Ford GT heading a LMP2 car through the Esses around dusk on Saturday evening.

3^rd in class, 19^th overall – Corvette Racing GM – Chevrolet Corvette C7.R – Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor. No.63. 340 laps.

The Corvette team were leading at the start of the last lap.  Here the lead Corvette is seen exiting the Esses.

Corvette at dawn rounding Tertre Rouge.

Corvette leading a Ferrari through the Esses on Saturday evening.

4^th in class, 20th overall – Porsche GT Team – Porsche 911 RSR – Richard Lietz, Frédéric Makowiecki, Patrick Pilet.  No.91. 339 laps.

Porsche at dusk leading LMP2 cars through the Esses.

Porsche 911 RSR in Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

The Porsche at dawn whilst in second place.

5^th in class, 21st overall – AF Corse – Ferrari 488 GTE – Davide Rigon, Sam Bird, Miguel Molina.  No.71. 339 laps.

The No.71 Ferrari passes the hospitality suite before the Dunlop chicane late on Saturday afternoon.

AF Corse Ferrari exiting the Esses on Saturday afternoon.

Two Ferraris heading a LMGTE Pro pack through the Esses after dusk.

6^th in class, 22nd overall – Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA – Ford GT – Joey Hand, Dirk Muller, Tony Kanaan. No.68. 339 laps.

The No.68 Ford leads a group of LMGTE Pro cars through the Esses.

The Tony Kanaan Ford rounding Tertre Rouge at dawn.

7^th in class, 23rd overall – Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA – Ford GT – Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook, Scott Dixon. No.69.  337 laps.

The third of the Ford GTs in Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

8^th in class, 24th overall – Corvette Racing GM – Chevrolet Corvette C7.R – Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner, Marcel Fassler. No.64.  335 laps.

The Oliver Gavin Corvette entering the Dunlop chicane early on Saturday evening.

The second Corvette leading an LMP2 car through the Esses later on the Saturday evening.

Chevrolet Corvette rounds Tertre Rouge at dawn on Sunday.

9^th in class, 25th overall – Aston Martin Racing – Aston Martin Vantage – Nicki Thim, Marco Sorensen, Richie Stanaway. No.95.  334 laps.

The No.95 Aston Martin at the Ford Chicane on early Saturday evening.

The No.95 Aston Martin rounds Tertre Rouge just before dawn when in third place in class.

Aston Martin Vantage seen leading the class.  Here seen exiting the Esses.

10^th in class, 27^th overall – Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK – Ford GT – Stefan Mucke, Olivier Pla, Billy Johnson.  No.66. 332 laps.

The fourth of the Chip Ganassi Fords heads a couple of cars through the Esses on Saturday evening.

11^th in class, 46^th overall – AF Corse – Ferrari 488 GTE – James Calado, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Michele Rugolo. No.51. 312 laps.

The James Calado Ferrari at Tertre Rouge on Saturday afternoon.

The No.51 Ferrari chased by a LMP1 Toyota and a LMP2 car through the Esses just before dusk.

DNF – Porsche GT Team – Porsche 911 RSR – Michael Christensen, Kevin Estre, Dirk Werner. No.92. 179 laps.

This Porsche was one of only two cars not to finish in the class.Here it is exiting the Esses.

DNF – Risi Competizione – Ferrari 488 GTE – Toni Vilander, Giancarlo Fisichella, Pierre Kaffer. No.82. 72 laps.    

One of the first cars to retire was this Ferrari which included ex-F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella in its team.  Here it is at Tertre Rouge.

For action shots of the all of the LMP1 cars including the winning Porsche, clck here.

For dusk, dawn, night and day shots of the LMGTE Am cars, click here.

Action from the LMP2  class at Le Mans 2017 if you click here.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

GT battle seen through the heat haze on the start finish straight.