Le Mans ambition for Leclerc
Le Mans ambition for Leclerc
Ferrari Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc is keen to take on the Le Mans 24 Hours, his newfound passion for the event growing after competing in the virtual edition across the past weekend.
The first ever running of the Virtual Le Mans 24 Hours saw several faces familiar to the Formula 1 paddock competing.
Alongside Leclerc in his GTE class Ferrari 488 GTE sat Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi, while Lando Norris and Max Verstappen partnered at Team Redline in the LMP category.
Pierre Gasly completed the representation of modern Formula 1 drivers, although numerous former drivers, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso included, also raced.
For Leclerc, the race was not an easy experience.
Expectations had been high, but server problems ruined his race, at one point causing the Monégasque to lose control of the car, causing heavy damage. Then, when able to rejoin the race from the pits, his car was seen to flip onto its roof with no explanation. Clearly, the impressive system still has a few kinks to work out.
I don't know if I should laugh or cry...
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) June 13, 2020
Finally managed to get back into the race, out of the pits and the car rolled on it's own pic.twitter.com/lKUfaffmj4
Leclerc, Giovinazzi and sim racers Enzo Bonito and David Tonizza brought the car home 18th in class, the category only consisting of 20 entries.
Despite this somewhat underwhelming result, Leclerc declared himself keen to try the event for real, tweeting, "The first 8/9 hours were very fun battling for positions. After the server problem, it was more about finishing the race and that's it but still fun.
"Now I just want to do the real Le Mans though."
Thanks for being with me during the whole 24 hours guys !!
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) June 14, 2020
The first 8/9 hours were very fun battling for positions. After the server problem, it was more about finishing the race and that's it but still fun.
Now I just want to do the real Le Mans though 😍
For Lando Norris, it was an all too familiar experience of technology letting him down, his car being retired from the race while leading overall.
Norris has been plagued by problems when competing online throughout the lockdown, most notably in the Virtual Grand Prix Series, where he only completed one event without problems out of a total of nine entered.
Norris tweeted: "Incredible... leading the race after 10 hours, and it ends just like that. Game bugs and it’s pretty much over. We’ll keep fighting and see what we can do... :( feelsbadman."
Incredible... leading the race after 10 hours, and it ends just like that. Game bugs and it’s pretty much over. We’ll keep fighting and see what we can do... :( feelsbadman
— Lando Norris (@LandoNorris) June 13, 2020
The postponed real-world Le Mans 24 Hours will take place on the weekend of 19-20 September this year.
Before you go...
F1 2020: Full driver ratings revealed, McLaren complete line up
F1 confident "a much better period" looming for teams outside 'big three'
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Sky Sports F1 pundit dumbfounded by key Ferrari decision
- 26 minutes ago
- 1
Newey set to announce STUNNING Red Bull departure
- 1 hour ago
Talented young F1 prodigy set to make series DEBUT
- 2 hours ago
F1 champion reveals 'painful' contract clause that cost him HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
- 3 hours ago
F1 legend's ICONIC car put up for sale in UK
- Today 14:57
Incredible statistic puts Verstappen AHEAD of Hamilton record
- Today 13:57
Related news
F1 giants announce name change with IMMEDIATE effect
Ferrari announce HUGE F1 change to iconic red livery
F1 team 'set to announce MEGA signing' in major Red Bull challenge
Big name driver 'very angry internally' after controversial battle
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860