Ferrari celebrates victorious return to Le Mans with residence city parade

Ferrari marked its victory on the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours with a parade in its residence city Maranello.

Its two 499P hypercars have been pushed from the group’s manufacturing unit by the city the place crowds of individuals turned out to have fun their win.

The race-winning quantity 51 machine, nonetheless carrying the filth and dirt from the day-long race two weeks in the past, led the procession from the manufacturing unit gates, with its drivers Alessandro Pier Guidi, Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado onboard. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen – who claimed pole place for the race and completed fifth – joined them.

Ferrari claimed its first outright victory within the race since 1965 with a margin of 81 seconds over the chasing Toyota GR010 of Sebastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa.

Charles Leclerc, who races for Ferrari’s System 1 group, attended the race and mentioned he acquired solely 4 hours’ sleep as he adopted Ferrari’s progress all through the evening.

“I believe it’s an unimaginable race and naturally I’d like to take part at some point,” he mentioned.

“The entire occasion is loopy. By evening, the primary six hours have been loopy with the climate – rain [then] no rain. So it was very, very thrilling. The final time I went to see a race as a spectator was a really, very very long time in the past.”

Whereas Leclerc is eager to participate within the race at some point, he mentioned it will be tough to suit it in alongside his F1 commitments, even when this 12 months’s race didn’t immediately conflict with a grand prix.

“With increasingly races in F1 it begins to develop into increasingly tough, I believe, to suit one other race in one other class the place it is advisable do testing, et cetera,” he mentioned. “If the calendar lets me do it, why not? However in the meanwhile, it seems tough.”

Report: Ferrari clinch historic victory on return to Le Mans after Toyota duelThe bodily calls for of competing at Le Mans must also not be underestimated, mentioned Leclerc. “Clearly Le Mans is a really tiring race. After I noticed the drivers on the finish of the race, they have been actually, actually drained, not a lot sleep and loads of driving.

“So it’s good, I’d like to do it at some point, however you additionally want to consider the entire season and F1 is clearly the principle precedence for now.”

Nevertheless he admitted the occasion has an enormous enchantment.

“The thrill across the race itself was unimaginable to see,” mentioned Leclerc. “I’ve by no means seen so many individuals on a race monitor earlier than.

“It’s a really lengthy monitor and wherever you go you see heaps and many folks, and really obsessed with racing. You understand that it’s not the primary race they’re watching: they’ve been looking forward to years. It’s good to see so many passionate folks on the identical occasion.”

The following spherical on the World Endurance Championship calendar is Ferrari’s residence race at Monza on July ninth.

Photos: Ferrari celebrates its Le Mans win