Race
This race marked the first Le Mans win for a diesel engined sports car, the Audi R10 TDI, and the second time that a diesel-powered sports car won a major international motorsports event, following the Audi R10 TDI's win at the 2006 12 Hours of Sebring. However, in touring car racing, a diesel BMW 320d had won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1998.
Tom Kristensen could not extend his streak of 6 wins in a row, as his #7 car was less reliable than the winning #8 sister car, even though it had been fastest in practice and race. World Rally champion Sébastien Loeb scored a remarkable second place with the Pescarolo Sport team.
This race also marked the first time since the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans that Porsche (or a Porsche powered prototype) did not win at least one class. A Panoz Esperante was successful in upsetting the contingent of Porsches in the GT2 class.
Read more about this topic: 2006 24 Hours Of Le Mans
Famous quotes containing the word race:
“This is my father or, maybe,
It is as he was,
A likeness, one of the race of fathers: earth
And sea and air.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“Why should a man desire in any way
To vary from the kindly race of men,
Or pass beyond the goal of ordinance
Where all should pause, as is most meet for all?”
—Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)
“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
—Bible: Hebrew Ecclesiastes, 9:11.