A 30-second stop/go penalty has been imposed on the race-leading AF Corse Ferrari Hypercar after a collision that eliminated the #15 BMW from the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours.
Robert Kubica, an AF Corse driver, attempted to pass Dries Vanthoor during the seventh hour of the race, but struck the BMW at the end of the Mulsanne straight, causing Vanthoor’s vehicle to crash into the barriers. Vanthoor was severely damaged and had to retire from the BMW immediately as a result of the incident, which spun it over the track. A safety car was sent out by race control to aid in the recovery.
After the safety car period finished in the ninth hour, the stewards expeditiously began an inquiry, which they eventually concluded. Kubica, who shares the #83 Ferrari 499P with Yifei Ye and Robert Shwartzman, was given a 30-second stop/go penalty after being held accountable for the incident. The safety car had already erased the team’s nearly one-minute lead, thus it is anticipated that this penalty will cost them the lead. After Kubica serves his penalty, Ryo Hirakawa’s #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID is expected to take the lead. The factory #50 Ferrari, which likewise chose not to pit for wet tires, will now be the front-running 499P on the course.
BMW’s expectations of achieving a strong finish in their 25-year reunion with the top class of Le Mans were severely damaged by the crash. Because to an earlier crash involving Marco Wittmann in the first hour, which required an unexpected pit stop, the #15 M Hybrid V8 had already dropped off the lead lap. After clipping a curb at the Ford Chicane in Hour 3, Robin Frijns caused damage to the car, causing problems for the sister #20 entry as well. Although Frijns was able to return the vehicle to the pits, as of the time of reporting, it was still in the garage.
