Corvette Racing 2022 at Le Mans goes to pieces!

In the words of Tommy Milner "I've had some disappointment at Le Mans but this one is hard to accept."

The Corvette Racing Team from its outset has supported Le Mans and GT racing through good and bad times.  Now they head back to the USA with neither car crossing the finish line.

Both Corvettes were fast, topping the charts all the way through testing, practice and qualifying.

Unlike its predecessors, the mid-engine C8.R Corvette is more complicated to work on.  Having led the GTE PRO class at times, the # 63 of Jordan Taylor, Antonio Garcia and Nicky Catsburg incurred a minor rear suspension problem that infected other parts that could not be fixed during scheduled pit stops.  The damage finally spread beyond repair, forcing the car’s retirement in the 18th hour.

Meanwhile the # 64 Corvette of Tommy Milner, Nick Tandy and Alexander Sims had few issues, swapping positions with leading Ferraris and Porsches of the factory AF Corse and the Porsche GT teams.

Just before the # 63 was withdrawn, Francois Perrodo was three-wide at full honk down the Mulsanne straight in the # 83 AF Corse LMP2 Oreca.  In a bonehead attempt to pass a rival LMP2 car, he hit the # 64, slamming Sims into the Armco barrier.  The heavy impact destroyed the car right there and then while Sims escaped un-injured.

 Watch the action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQK6c1b6_AQ

 Even though Perrodo took the blame like a man and later apologized, it was small consolation.

The # 51 Porsche 911 RSR emerged the winner driven by Frank Bruni/Richard Lietz and Fred Makowiecki.

With Porsche and Ferrari Pro teams moving up to Prototype hybrids, the WEC is ending the GTE PRO class in favor of GT3, following the ALMS GT1 & GT2, (now IMSA) which defined the Corvette Racing team program from day one.

As announced, a Corvette GT3 customer car is in the works to debut in 2024.  Demand should be strong, given the 10 Ferraris and 6 Porsches in the hands of customers racing in GTE Am at Le Mans.

 Photo credits to Richard Prince & others