Looking back at the 2016 season

Toyota maudit au Mans

It seems that the Japanese brand will not succeed. After 1998 where the GT-One was in the lead with 45′ to go before encountering a gearbox problem, 2016 offered an even more heartbreaking scenario for Toyota.

In the lead with the TS050 Hybrid n°5, Kazuki Nakajima was going to approach the last lap in the lead, and become a real hero with his teammates Sébastien Buemi and Anthony Davidson, as the Japanese firm was chasing this first Le Mans victory.

But an air intake pipe joining the turbo and the detached intercooler came to shatter Toyota's dream and offer a totally unexpected 17th success for Porsche, with the 919 Hybrid n°2 of Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb. The Frenchman thus won a victory that was really close to his heart.

Porsche reste au sommet

Dominant last year both at Le Mans and in WEC, Porsche renewed its performance for the second consecutive year, despite a more compact opposition between Audi and Toyota. With six victories in nine races, Porsche's second victory suffers almost no dispute in terms of performance.

The unexpected victory at Le Mans in view of the scenario of the double round of the clock at Sarthe placed the Dumas – Jani – Lieb trio on the path to the Drivers' title, despite a second half of the season without a podium after Le Mans. Despite four victories in five races between the Nürburgring and Shanghai, Mark Webber, Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley, 2015 world champions, failed at the foot of the podium in the general classification.

Romain Dumas world champion

Pikes Peak, WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Three titles for a season which will inevitably remain special for the Alès driver. These new successes add to an already exceptional track record for Romain Dumas, previously winner at the 24 Hours of Spa, the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, the 12 Hours of Sebring…

After participating in the Dakar with a Peugeot 2008 DKR, the Gardois was finally crowned in Sarthe with his favorite brand Porsche. Romain Dumas then put his name at the top of the rankings the 100th edition of Pikes Peak with its Norma M20 RD, before competing in a slightly more difficult final part of the season in the WEC, without any podium after Le Mans, but with worldwide recognition.

Despite this WEC – Le Mans double, the native of Alès is not renewed in the Porsche LM P1 program starting with the 2017 season. His future still remains unclear, but there is no question of retirement for Romain Dumas.

Audi stops its involvement

In quick succession, the Volkswagen group stopped the Audi Sport programs in WEC and Volkswagen Motorsport in WRC. The end of the presence of LM P1 prototypes of the brand with the rings sounded like a real earthquake in the world ofEndurance.

After 18 years of presence at the highest level, the division managed by Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich bowed out with a simply incredible record: 13 victories at Le Mans, two WEC Drivers and Manufacturers doubles in 2012 and 2013, 9 Team titles in American Le Mans Series, 11 victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring and 106 victories in LM P, all championships combined.

Bahrain, an unforgettable last

The final round of the season in Bahrain will remain etched in memories, as the emotional intensity in the Audi clan was so strong. For its last race with the R18 e-tron quattro, the German brand leaves the WEC with a double di Grassi-Duval-Jarvis in front of Tréluyer-Fässler-Lotterer.

As soon as the checkered flag was crossed, tears flowed in the Audi clan, and the tributes continued, including during the end-of-year gala. Everyone present in Bahrain last November understood that a page of history had just been turned, with the departure of the men of Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, who will also step back in 2017, leaving the controls of Audi Sport to Dieter Gass.

The WEC for Aston Martin, Le Mans for Ford

Despite a Vantage showing the weight of the years, the Aston Martin GTE allowed the duo Nicki Thiim – Marco Sorensen to win in the GTE Pro category in 2016. The retirement at Le Mans of the AF Corse crews weighed heavily in the final balance, and victories for Aston Martin drivers in Austin and Bahrain were enough to secure the crown.

Ferrari has not, however, lost everything since the trans brandalpine pockets the Manufacturers title. On the other hand, the outcome of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was very different from the Anglo-Italian duel.

In 2015 at Le Mans, Ford and Chip Ganassi Racing made it official the return of the American brand in Sarthe for the 2016 edition, 50 years after the Ford GT40's hat-trick against Ferrari, undefeated since 1960.

The duel between the two giants was relaunched this year, and Ford did not miss the opportunity to win thanks to Sébastien’s Ford GT Bourdais, Joey Hand and Dirk Müller.

Sébastien Bourdais finally wins at Le Mans

The four-time Champ Car champion had been pursuing success at Le Mans for many years. After three second places overall with Peugeot Sport, the Manceau finally got on the highest step of the podium in the GTE Pro category with Ford.

Lined up alongside Joey Hand and Dirk Müller, the Frenchman allowed the American brand to return to victory in the Sarthe, for the 50th anniversary of the first victory at the blue oval in 1966. “It’s one of the most symbolic successes, admitted Bourdais. A victory in Endurance is never a personal satisfaction. There, it is linked to the history of Ford, to my family’s attachment to this event…”

Signatech Alpine, success story

Blue-white-red was the dominant trio of colors in LM P2 in 2016. And especially the blue of the Signatech A460s Alpine by Philippe Sinault, author of a double in the category. Between Spa and Fuji, the n°36 of Nicolas lapierre – Gustavo Menezes – Stéphane Richelmi did not leave the podium, notably compiling four victories, including a triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Around the standard value Nicolas Lapierre, Stéphane Richelmi and Gustavo Menezes proved to be very fast throughout the championship, allowing Signatech Alpine to pick up the title from Shanghai.

Perrodo – Collard, a golden duo

François Perrodo and Emmanuel Collard, accompanied by Rui Aguas in the Ferrari 458 Italia AF Corse, achieved their common goal set at the start of the year: winning the GTE Am category of the WEC. To achieve this, the French have accumulated eight podiums in nine races, with a second place at Le Mans behind Scuderia Corsa. But with the American team not taking part in the entire championship, this result had the value of a victory from an accounting point of view, putting the AF Corse trio in a more than comfortable position.

Vice-champions in 2015, the Perrodo-Collard duo took the final step in the category, and will turn to a more ambitious project next year via TDS Racing in LM P2.

The feat of Frédéric Sausset

It's impossible not to mention the quad-amputee driver in this look back at the 2016 WEC season. Engaged in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of the 56th stand, Frederic Sausset achieved the feat with his teammates Christophe Tinseau and Jean-Bernard Bouvet of finishing the event with the specially adapted Morgan LM P2.

More than just a race, the SRT41 adventure will continue through the creation of the SRT41 Academy.