2006 24 Hours of Le Mans

File:Circuit de la Sarthe track map.svg

Circuit de la Sarthe track

The 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 74th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place over 17–18 June 2006. The winners of the race were Frank Biela, Marco Werner, and Emanuele Pirro, driving the Audi R10 TDI. For the first time in the history of the race, the winner was a diesel-powered car.

Pre-race

Prior to this race the ACO redeveloped the area around the Dunlop Curve and Dunlop Chicane, moving the Dunlop Curve in tighter to create more run-off area, while also turning the Dunlop Chicane into a larger set of turns. As part of the development, a new extended pit lane exit was created for motorcycles running the Bugatti Circuit. This second pit exit re-enters the track just beyond the Dunlop Chicane and before the Dunlop Bridge.

Before the official test days, the FIA requested that the sportscars should also use this new pit lane, and mandated a 60 km/h speed limit for the entire 450m length, instead of using the normal pit exit in the Dunlop Curve as planned. This was originally used for the Le Mans test days, but due to complaints from the teams, the ACO decided to return to the old pit lane exit for the race.

Qualifying

In the LMP1 category, during Wednesday's wet-weather qualifying Pescarolo C60 took the top two spots. Then, a day later, during dry weather conditions the new Audi R10 TDIs overtook the Pescarolos to claim the top two positions.

In LMP2, the Ray Mallock Ltd. Lola ran two seconds quicker than the new Intersport Lola.

In LMGT1, the Aston Martin factory squad swept the front row, with the #64 Corvette right behind them.

In GT2, the French IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche took the quickest time; however, Luca Riccitelli took the car off at Nord du Karting at the end of the session, injuring his ankle and badly damaging the chassis of the car. In a unique move, the ACO went against its own rules and granted permission for the team to replace the chassis with a brand new car. The car was still forced to start at the back of the grid. The Scuderia Ecosse Ferrari 430 thus started at the front for the GT2 class.

Qualifying times

Class leaders and the fastest lap time on each day are in bold.

Pos	No.	Team	Car	Class	Day 1	Day 2	Behind
1	7	Template:Flagicon Audi Sport Team Joest	Audi R10 TDI	LMP1	4:17.189	3:30.466	Leader
2	8	Template:Flagicon Audi Sport Team Joest	Audi R10 TDI	LMP1	4:17.676	3:30.584	+0.118
3	16	Template:Flagicon Pescarolo Sport	Pescarolo C60 Hybrid-Judd	LMP1	4:13.832	3:32.584	+2.118
4	17	Template:Flagicon Pescarolo Sport	Pescarolo C60 Hybrid-Judd	LMP1	4:14.447	3:32.990	+2.524
5	13	Template:Flagicon Courage Compétition	Courage LC70-Mugen	LMP1	4:25.582	3:34.120	+3.654
6	14	Template:Flagicon Racing for Holland	Dome S101Hb-Judd	LMP1	4:22.873	3:34.864	+4.398
7	9	Template:Flagicon Creation Autosportif	Creation CA06/H-Judd	LMP1	4:22.021	3:36.459	+5.993
8	2	Template:Flagicon Zytek Engineering	Zytek 06S	LMP1	4:27.754	3:39.252	+8.786
9	5	Template:Flagicon Swiss Spirit	Courage LC70-Judd	LMP1	4:23.727	3:40.182	+9.716
10	19	Template:Flagicon Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport	Lola B06/10-AER	LMP1	4:37.362	3:40.467	+10.001
11	12	Template:Flagicon Courage Compétition	Courage LC70-Mugen	LMP1	4:35.943	3:40.722	+10.256
12	25	Template:Flagicon Ray Mallock Ltd.	MG-Lola EX264-AER	LMP2	4:34.940	3:41.555	+11.089
13	33	Template:Flagicon Intersport Racing	Lola B05/40-AER	LMP2	4:34.160	3:43.869	+13.403
14	22	Template:Flagicon Rollcentre Racing	Radical SR9-Judd	LMP2	4:43.803	3:44.324	+13.858
15	39	Template:Flagicon Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport	Lola B05/40-AER	LMP2	4:37.362	3:45.732	+15.068
16	32	Template:Flagicon Barazi-Epsilon	Courage C65-AER	LMP2	4:27.357	3:47.467	+17.001
17	37	Template:Flagicon Paul Belmondo Racing	Courage C65-Mecachrome	LMP2	4:45.086	3:48.846	+18.380
18	27	Template:Flagicon Miracle Motorsports	Courage C65-AER	LMP2	4:56.168	3:50.826	+20.360
19	6	Template:Flagicon Lister Storm Racing	Lister Storm LMP Hybrid-Chevrolet	LMP1	4:31.565	3:50.940	+20.476
20	007	Template:Flagicon Aston Martin Racing	Aston Martin DBR9	GT1	4:31.179	3:52.015	+21.559
21	009	Template:Flagicon Aston Martin Racing	Aston Martin DBR9	GT1	4:32.053	3:52.561	+22.095
22	64	Template:Flagicon Corvette Racing	Chevrolet Corvette C6.R	GT1	4:51.557	3:53.100	+22.534
23	20	Template:Flagicon Pir Competition	Pilbeam MP93-Judd	LMP2	4:25.398	3:53.285	+22.819
24	69	Template:Flagicon BMS Scuderia Italia	Aston Martin DBR9	GT1	4:35.531	3:53.611	+23.145
25	67	Template:Flagicon Convers MenX Team	Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello	GT1	4:33.561	3:53.781	+23.315
26	63	Template:Flagicon Corvette Racing	Chevrolet Corvette C6.R	GT1	4:54.941	3:53.993	+23.327
27	66	Template:Flagicon ACEMCO Motorsports	Saleen S7-R	GT1	4:35.016	3:54.476	+24.010
28	72	Template:Flagicon Luc Alphand Aventures	Chevrolet Corvette C5-R	GT1	4:42.545	3:55.629	+25.163
29	24	Template:Flagicon Binnie Motorsports	Lola B05/42-Zytek	LMP2	4:51.872	3:56.123	+25.657
30	35	Template:Flagicon G-Force Racing	Courage C65-Judd	LMP2	4:48.714	3:56.452	+25.986
31	36	Template:Flagicon Paul Belmondo Racing	Courage C65-Mecachrome	LMP2	4:50.408	3:56.460	+25.994
32	62	Template:Flagicon Team Modena	Aston Martin DBR9	GT1	4:35.789	3:57.776	+27.310
33	61	Template:Flagicon Cirtek Motorsport	Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello	GT1	4:40.097	3:59.822	+29.356
34	53	Template:Flagicon JLOC Isao Noritake	Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT	GT1	4:58.656	4:00.287	+29.821
35	30	Template:Flagicon Gerald Welter	WR LMP04-Peugeot	LMP2	5:15.480	4:00.775	+30.309
36	50	Template:Flagicon Larbre Compétition	Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello	GT1	4:47.924	4:01.920	+31.454
37	76	Template:Flagicon IMSA Performance Matmut	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	4:41.623	4:03.438	+32.972
38	87	Template:Flagicon Scuderia Ecosse	Ferrari F430 GT2	GT2	4:52.423	4:04.596	+34.130
39	83	Template:Flagicon Seikel Motorsport	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	4:53.695	4:04.897	+34.431
40	80	Template:Flagicon Flying Lizard Motorsports	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	4:46.888	4:05.266	+34.800
41	90	Template:Flagicon Krohn Racing	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	4:39.912	4:05.700	+35.234
42	85	Template:Flagicon Spyker Squadron BV	Spyker C8 Spyder GT2-R-Audi	GT2	4:48.691	4:06.299	+35.833
43	77	Template:Flagicon Multimatic Team Panoz	Panoz Esperante GT-LM-Ford	GT2	4:55.638	4:06.642	+36.176
44	86	Template:Flagicon Spyker Squadron BV	Spyker C8 Spyder GT2-R-Audi	GT2	4:45.916	4:07.939	+37.473
45	89	Template:Flagicon Sebah Automotive Ltd.	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	4:54.946	4:08.688	+38.222
46	81	Template:Flagicon Team LNT	Panoz Esperante GT-LM-Ford	GT2	4:50.424	4:12.043	+41.577
47	93	Template:Flagicon Team Taisan Advan	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	5:05.305	4:14.477	+44.011
48	73	Template:Flagicon Ice Pol Racing Team	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	4:57.096	4:16.246	+45.780
49	91	Template:Flagicon T2M Motorsport	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	5:06.716	4:17.342	+46.876
50	98	Template:Flagicon Noël del Bello Racing	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	5:07.105	4:23.547	+53.081

Race

File:2008 Audi R10 TDI - Flickr - exfordy.jpg

The No. 8 Audi R10 TDI at Goodwood Festival of Speed

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. BMW was however the first brand to successfully enter a diesel-powered racing car in an international event when they won the Nürburgring 24 Hours, already back in 1998, with their 320d.

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.

Corvette Racing's 355 lap pace in their GT1 class win became the record for a homologated GT vehicle.

Official results

Class winners are marked in bold. Cars not completing 70% of the winner's distance are listed as Not Classified (NC).

Pos	Class Pos.	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Tyre	Laps
						Engine
1	1	LMP1	8	Template:Flagicon Audi Sport Team Joest	Template:Flagicon Frank Biela Template:Flagicon Marco Werner Template:Flagicon Emanuele Pirro	Audi R10 TDI	M	380
						Audi TDI 5.5L Turbo V12 (Diesel)
2	2	LMP1	17	Template:Flagicon Pescarolo Sport	Template:Flagicon Sébastien Loeb Template:Flagicon Éric Hélary Template:Flagicon Franck Montagny	Pescarolo C60 Hybrid	M	376
						Judd GV5 S2 5.0L V10
3	3	LMP1	7	Template:Flagicon Audi Sport Team Joest	Template:Flagicon Rinaldo Capello Template:Flagicon Tom Kristensen Template:Flagicon Allan McNish	Audi R10 TDI	M	367
						Audi TDI 5.5L Turbo V12 (Diesel)
4	1	GT1	64	Template:Flagicon Corvette Racing	Template:Flagicon Oliver Gavin Template:Flagicon Olivier Beretta Template:Flagicon Jan Magnussen	Chevrolet Corvette C6.R	M	355
						Chevrolet LS7R 7.0L V8
5	4	LMP1	16	Template:Flagicon Pescarolo Sport	Template:Flagicon Emmanuel Collard Template:Flagicon Érik Comas Template:Flagicon Nicolas Minassian	Pescarolo C60 Hybrid	M	352
						Judd GV5 S2 5.0L V10
6	2	GT1	007	Template:Flagicon Aston Martin Racing	Template:Flagicon Tomáš Enge Template:Flagicon Darren Turner Template:Flagicon Andrea Piccini	Aston Martin DBR9	M	350
						Aston Martin 6.0L V12
7	3	GT1	72	Template:Flagicon Luc Alphand Aventures	Template:Flagicon Luc Alphand Template:Flagicon Patrice Goueslard Template:Flagicon Jérôme Policand	Chevrolet Corvette C5-R	M	346
						Chevrolet LS7R 7.0L V8
8	1	LMP2	25	Template:Flagicon Ray Mallock Ltd. (RML)	Template:Flagicon Mike Newton Template:Flagicon Thomas Erdos Template:Flagicon Andy Wallace	MG-Lola EX264	M	343
						AER P07 2.0L Turbo I4
9	4	GT1	62	Template:Flagicon Russian Age Racing Template:Flagicon Team Modena	Template:Flagicon Antonio García Template:Flagicon David Brabham Template:Flagicon Nelson Piquet Jr.	Aston Martin DBR9	M	343
						Aston Martin 6.0L V12
10	5	GT1	009	Template:Flagicon Aston Martin Racing	Template:Flagicon Pedro Lamy Template:Flagicon Stéphane Sarrazin Template:Flagicon Stéphane Ortelli	Aston Martin DBR9	M	342
						Aston Martin 6.0L V12
11	6	GT1	66	Template:Flagicon ACEMCO Motorsports	Template:Flagicon Johnny Mowlem Template:Flagicon Terry Borcheller Template:Flagicon Christian Fittipaldi	Saleen S7-R	M	337
						Ford 7.0L V8
12	7	GT1	63	Template:Flagicon Corvette Racing	Template:Flagicon Ron Fellows Template:Flagicon Johnny O'Connell Template:Flagicon Max Papis	Chevrolet Corvette C6.R	M	327
						Chevrolet LS7R 7.0L V8
13	2	LMP2	24	Template:Flagicon Binnie Motorsports	Template:Flagicon William Binnie Template:Flagicon Yojiro Terada Template:Flagicon Allen Timpany	Lola B05/42	M	326
						Zytek ZG348 3.4L V8
14	3	LMP2	27	Template:Flagicon Miracle Motorsports	Template:Flagicon Andy Lally Template:Flagicon John Macaluso Template:Flagicon Ian James	Courage C65	K	324
						AER P07 2.0L Turbo I4
15	1	GT2	81	Template:Flagicon Team LNT	Template:Flagicon Lawrence Tomlinson Template:Flagicon Tom Kimber-Smith Template:Flagicon Richard Dean	Panoz Esperante GT-LM	P	321
						Ford (Élan) 5.0L V8
16	2	GT2	83	Template:Flagicon Seikel Motorsport Template:Flagicon Farnbacher Racing	Template:Flagicon Lars-Erik Nielsen Template:Flagicon Pierre Ehret Template:Flagicon Dominik Farnbacher	Porsche 911 GT3-RS	Y	320
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
17	3	GT2	87	Template:Flagicon Scuderia Ecosse	Template:Flagicon Andrew Kirkaldy Template:Flagicon Chris Niarchos Template:Flagicon Tim Mullen	Ferrari F430 GT2	M	311
						Ferrari F136 4.0L V8
18	4	GT2	80	Template:Flagicon Flying Lizard Motorsports	Template:Flagicon Johannes van Overbeek Template:Flagicon Patrick Long Template:Flagicon Seth Neiman	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	M	309
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
19	4	LMP2	33	Template:Flagicon Intersport Racing	Template:Flagicon Clint Field Template:Flagicon Liz Halliday Template:Flagicon Duncan Dayton	Lola B05/40	G	297
						AER P07 2.0L Turbo I4
20	5	LMP2	22	Template:Flagicon Rollcentre Racing	Template:Flagicon Martin Short Template:Flagicon João Barbosa Template:Flagicon Stuart Moseley	Radical SR9	D	294
						Judd XV675 3.4L V8
21	6	LMP2	32	Template:Flagicon Barazi-Epsilon	Template:Flagicon Juan Barazi Template:Flagicon Michael Vergers Template:Flagicon Neil Cunningham	Courage C65	M	294
						AER P07 2.0L Turbo I4
22	5	GT2	93	Template:Flagicon Team Taisan Advan	Template:Flagicon Kazuyuki Nishizawa Template:Flagicon Shinichi Yamaji Template:Flagicon Philip Collin	Porsche 911 GT3-RS	Y	291
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
23	6	GT2	73	Template:Flagicon Gordon Racing Team Template:Flagicon Ice Pol Racing Team	Template:Flagicon Yves-Emmanuel Lambert Template:Flagicon Christian Lefort Template:Flagicon Romain Iannetta	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	D	282
						Porsche 3.8L Flat-6
24	5	LMP1	2	Template:Flagicon Zytek Engineering Template:Flagicon Team Essex Invest	Template:Flagicon John Nielsen Template:Flagicon Casper Elgaard Template:Flagicon Philip Andersen	Zytek 06S	M	269
						Zytek ZB408 4.0L V8
25	6	LMP1	19	Template:Flagicon Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport	Template:Flagicon Bob Berridge Template:Flagicon Gareth Evans Template:Flagicon Peter Owen	Lola B06/10	D	267
						AER P32T 3.6L Turbo V8
26 NC	7	LMP2	20	Template:Flagicon Pir Competition	Template:Flagicon Marc Rostan Template:Flagicon Simon Pullan Template:Flagicon Chris MacAllister	Pilbeam MP93	M	244
						Judd XV675 3.4L V8
27 NC	8	GT1	53	Template:Flagicon JLOC Isao Noritake	Template:Flagicon Marco Apicella Template:Flagicon Koji Yamanishi Template:Flagicon Yasutaka Hinoi	Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT	P	283
						Lamborghini L535 6.0L V12
28 DNF	7	GT2	89	Template:Flagicon Sebah Automotive Ltd.	Template:Flagicon Christian Ried Template:Flagicon Xavier Pompidou Template:Flagicon Thorkild Thyrring	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	D	256
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
29 DNF	7	LMP1	9	Template:Flagicon Creation Autosportif Ltd.	Template:Flagicon Felipe Ortiz Template:Flagicon Giuseppe Gabbiani Template:Flagicon Jamie Campbell-Walter	Creation CA06/H	M	240
						Judd GV5 S2 5.0L V10
30 DNF	9	GT1	50	Template:Flagicon Larbre Compétition	Template:Flagicon Patrick Bornhauser Template:Flagicon Jean-Luc Blanchemain Template:Flagicon Gabriele Gardel	Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello	M	222
						Ferrari F133 5.9L V12
31 DNF	8	GT2	76	Template:Flagicon IMSA Performance Matmut	Template:Flagicon Raymond Narac Template:Flagicon Luca Riccitelli Template:Flagicon Romain Dumas	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	M	211
						Porsche 3.8L Flat-6
32 DNF	9	GT2	86	Template:Flagicon Spyker Squadron b.v.	Template:Flagicon Jeroen Bleekemolen Template:Flagicon Mike Hezemans Template:Flagicon Jonny Kane	Spyker C8 Spyder GT2-R	M	202
						Audi 3.8L V8
33 DNF	10	GT1	67	Template:Flagicon Convers MenX Team	Template:Flagicon Alexey Vasilyev Template:Flagicon Robert Pergl Template:Flagicon Peter Kox	Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello	M	196
						Ferrari F133 5.9L V12
34 DNF	10	GT2	91	Template:Flagicon T2M Motorsport	Template:Flagicon Yutaka Yamagishi Template:Flagicon Jean-René de Fournoux Template:Flagicon Miro Konopka	Porsche 911 GT3-RS	D	196
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
35 DNF	8	LMP2	39	Template:Flagicon Chamberlain-Synergy Motorsport Template:Flagicon ASM Team Racing for Portugal	Template:Flagicon Miguel Amaral Template:Flagicon Warren Hughes Template:Flagicon Miguel Ángel de Castro	Lola B05/40	D	196
						AER P07 2.0L Turbo I4
36 DNF	8	LMP1	6	Template:Flagicon Lister Storm Racing	Template:Flagicon Gavin Pickering Template:Flagicon Nicolas Kiesa Template:Flagicon Jens Møller	Lister Storm LMP Hybrid	D	192
						Chevrolet LS1 6.0L V8
37 DNF	9	LMP1	14	Template:Flagicon Racing for Holland	Template:Flagicon Jan Lammers Template:Flagicon Alex Yoong Template:Flagicon Stefan Johansson	Dome S101Hb	D	182
						Judd GV5 5.0L V10
38 DNF	10	LMP1	12	Template:Flagicon Courage Compétition	Template:Flagicon Sam Hancock Template:Flagicon Alexander Frei Template:Flagicon Gregor Fisken	Courage LC70	Y	171
						Mugen MF458S 4.5L V8
39 DNF	11	GT2	90	Template:Flagicon White Lightning Racing Template:Flagicon Krohn Racing	Template:Flagicon Jörg Bergmeister Template:Flagicon Niclas Jönsson Template:Flagicon Tracy Krohn	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	M	148
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
40 DNF	9	LMP2	30	Template:Flagicon Gerard Welter	Template:Flagicon Patrice Roussel Template:Flagicon Frédéric Hauchard Template:Flagicon Julien Briché	WR LMP04	P	134
						Peugeot 2.0L Turbo I4
41 DNF	11	LMP1	5	Template:Flagicon Swiss Spirit	Template:Flagicon Harold Primat Template:Flagicon Marcel Fässler Template:Flagicon Philipp Peter	Courage LC70	M	132
						Judd GV5 S2 5.0L V10
42 DNF	11	GT1	61	Template:Flagicon Russian Age Racing Template:Flagicon Cirtek Motorsport	Template:Flagicon Tim Sugden Template:Flagicon Nigel Smith Template:Flagicon Christian Vann	Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello	M	124
						Ferrari F133 5.9L V12
43 DNF	12	GT2	98	Template:Flagicon Noël del Bello Racing	Template:Flagicon Adam Sharpe Template:Flagicon Patrick Bourdais Template:Flagicon Tom Cloet	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	M	115
						Porsche 3.6L Flat-6
44 DNF	10	LMP2	36	Template:Flagicon Paul Belmondo Racing	Template:Flagicon Claude-Yves Gosselin Template:Flagicon Karim A. Ojjeh Template:Flagicon Pierre Ragues	Courage C65	M	84
						Ford (Mecachrome) 3.4L V8
45 DNF	11	LMP2	37	Template:Flagicon Paul Belmondo Racing	Template:Flagicon Jean-Bernard Bouvet Template:Flagicon Didier André Template:Flagicon Yann Clairay	Courage C65	M	48
						Ford (Mecachrome) 3.4L V8
46 DNF	12	LMP2	35	Template:Flagicon G-Force Racing	Template:Flagicon Franck Hahn Template:Flagicon Jean-François Leroch Template:Flagicon Ed Morris	Courage C65	D	47
						Judd XV675 3.4L V8
47 DNF	13	GT2	85	Template:Flagicon Spyker Squadron b.v.	Template:Flagicon Donny Crevels Template:Flagicon Peter Dumbreck Template:Flagicon Tom Coronel	Spyker C8 Spyder GT2-R	M	40
						Audi 3.8L V8
48 DNF	12	LMP1	13	Template:Flagicon Courage Compétition	Template:Flagicon Shinji Nakano Template:Flagicon Jean-Marc Gounon Template:Flagicon Haruki Kurosawa	Courage LC70	Y	35
						Mugen MF458S 4.5L V8
49 DNF	14	GT2	77	Template:Flagicon Multimatic Motorsport Team Panoz	Template:Flagicon Gunnar Jeannette Template:Flagicon Scott Maxwell Template:Flagicon Tommy Milner	Panoz Esperante GT-LM	P	34
						Ford (Élan) 5.0L V8
50 DNF	12	GT1	69	Template:Flagicon BMS Scuderia Italia	Template:Flagicon Fabrizio Gollin Template:Flagicon Fabio Babini Template:Flagicon Christian Pescatori	Aston Martin DBR9	P	3
						Aston Martin 6.0L V12

Statistics

• Fastest Lap - #7 Audi Sport Team Joest - 3:31.211
• Distance - 5187.0 km
• Average Speed - 215.409 km/h
• Highest trap speed - #14 Racing for Holland - 331 km/h (warm-up), #9 Creation Autosportif - 332 km/h (qualifying)