24 Hour Le Mans: Former winners at the start-line.

Photo : Pierre BARRAU - ACO/Nikon

Twelve former winners will be at the start line on the 11th and 12th June. Some of them share their successes at Le Mans.

Dindo Capello has three victories with Tom Kristensen. Guy Smith was their team-mate in 2003, while Allan McNish won in 2008 with Capello and Kristensen. Ten years earlier, at the 24 Hours 1998, the Scottish driver shared with Stephane Ortelli in his most recent win at Le Mans for Porsche. Lately, Alexander Wurz and Marc Gené won overall in 2009 in a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. Audi's Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller were winners in 2010, they will be teammates again this year driving the new R18.

Tom Kristensen (Audi R18 n°3, LM P1) : 8 wins (1997-2000-2001-2002-2003-2004-2005-2008)
Dindo Capello (Audi R18 n°3, LM P1) : 3 wins (2003-2004-2008)
Alexander Wurz (Peugeot 908 n° 7, LM P1) : 2 wins (1996-2009)
Allan McNish (Audi R18 n°3, LM P1) : 2 wins (1998-2008)
Jan Lammers (Oreca-Swiss Hytech n°5, LM P1) : 1 win (1988)
Christophe Bouchut (Lola-Honda n°33, LM P2) : 1 win (1993)
Stéphane Ortelli (Ferrari 458 Italia n°59, LM GTE Pro) : 1 win (1998)
Guy Smith (Lola-Toyota n°13, LM P1) : 1 win (2003)
Marc Gené (Peugeot 908 n°7, LM P1) : 1 win (2009)
Timo Bernhard (Audi R18 n°1, LM P1) : 1 win (2010)
Romain Dumas (Audi R18 n°1, LM P1) : 1 win (2010)
Mike Rockenfeller (Audi R18 n°1, LM P1) : 1 win (2010)

Jan Lammers, who celebrates his 55th birthday on the 2nd June, is the 'senior' former winner at the start of this year's race. Raced his first 24 Hours in 1983, the year Mike Rockenfeller was born, who will be 28 on the 31st October.

You can see the entry list here.

Jean-Philippe Doret

Lemans.org

Photo : Pierre BARRAU - ACO/Nikon

Photo: 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, PODIUM, June 13, 2010. Who will succeed Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller? We will find out on 12th June at 15:00 at the finish of the 24h 2011.