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One week countdown until this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans In just over one week's time (Saturday 19 September), the 88th running of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans - round 7 of FIA WEC Season 8 - will get underway. To celebrate the occasion, we wanted to provide some insights from the WEC era at Le Mans. Below are some of our favourite event-based statistics from the past eight years.  * The 77 LMP1 cars that have started #LeMans24 in the WEC era have combined for 22,599 laps - a total distance covered of 307,934 km, or 191,346 miles. It is the equivalent of driving from the Circuit de la Sarthe to the Champs-Elysees and back 736 times! * Over the past eight years, 95 different drivers have raced in LMP1 at #LeMans24, representing 21 different nations, across Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania.

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24 Hour of Le Mans: what’s new for 2020? This year's rescheduled 24 Hours of Le Mans will look slightly different so FIA WEC identified some of the main changes ahead of next week's race... Hyperpole The traditional qualifying session for Le Mans has been shaken up for 2020. There will now be two stages, designed to encourage sheer speed and spectacular track action. Behind closed doors  Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and for the first time in Le Mans history, this year’s event will be staged behind closed doors. Fans will be able to watch all the action from home on television or via various digital platforms including the official FIA WEC app. Full details including TV listings will be revealed early next week.

Click HERE to read about what else has changed →

Memories of Le Mans: Filipe Albuquerque  In the run-up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we quizzed various WEC drivers about their past experiences from the legendary event. This week we heard from United Autosports driver Filipe Albuquerque. Hi Filipe, what is your favourite memory of competing at Le Mans? “I have a few good memories but the best one is my first ever stint in the race in 2015. The car was perfect. I was in P2 overall and I was catching the leader at something like two seconds a lap. I was just flying and at the same time I was also having fun. Back then I was beating the race lap record that was made without chicanes and on top of that, it was my birthday. But I must say I am still searching for the one and only great memory, which is to win Le Mans and to be on that podium.”

Click HERE to read Filipe's full interview →

Memories of Le Mans: Richard Lietz We also heard from Porsche GT Team’s Richard Lietz who will compete in his 14th Le Mans this September. He also has three class victories from this event, so certainly knows what it takes to win a gruelling 24 hour race.  Hi Richard, if you could go back in time and choose to compete in Le Mans on any year, what would it be and why? “I think 1998 would be a good year. The Porsche GT1 is one of my all-time favourite cars, working together with Norbert Singer and the Porsche works team would be my choice.”

Click HERE for the full interview with Richard Lietz →

Ben Keating's memories of Le Mans From the LMGTE Am category, we also heard from Team Project 1's Ben Keating who is set to take part in his sixth Le Mans next week. Hi Ben, if you could choose any two team-mates (dead or alive), to compete at Le Mans with who would they be and why? “I would have liked to have been the third driver for AJ Foyt and Dan Gurney in the Ford GT40 of 1967. An all-American team with such brilliant personalities and incredible driving skills in addition to the history of those two guys. Plus, the bonus of being the first to spray champagne from the podium!”

To read the full interview with Ben, click HERE →

One week countdown until this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

• Driverr FIA FIA World
• At 9/11/2020 09:22:00 p.m.
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