2008 24 Hours of Le Mans: A Triple Crown Hopeful Faces Mr. Le Mans

April 8, 2014 by Jeremy McMullen

Jacques Villeneuve had made his first appearance at Le Mans in 2007. Unfortunately, there was just no competing with the Audis. However, as he returned to the famous French classic the Canadian appeared to be the favorite to add his name to the great, and only, triple crown winner in motorsports Graham Hill.

The Peugeot 908 HDi FAP would make its debut in 2007 and certainly was fast. However, over the course of the 24 hours, it would demonstrate some teething problems. Villeneuve's number 7 Peugeot would be running well but would end up falling more than a couple of laps behind the Audis over the course of the race.

In the end, the Peugeots just could not contend with the Audi R10s. Peugeot's attempt at Le Mans with the 908 would come to a disappointing end with just one of its three cars making it to the finish. And, despite finishing the race, the gap of 10 laps would be severely humbling.

Peugeot's development of the 908 would continue and the factory effort would decide to take part in the 2008 12 Hours of Sebring in an attempt to further develop of its. In that race the updated car showed brilliant speed and would lead early on. However, more mechanical problems would cost the team a victory.

Peugeot would finally get the better of Audi in Catalunya marking the first time the 908 had beaten the R10. A surprise victory in the 1000 Kilometers of Monza meant back-to-back victories for the 908. The times around the circuit would also give the teams and other interested individuals a perspective of what could be expected at Le Mans a little more than a month later. It would be theorized the Peugeots would be as much as three seconds a lap faster than the Audis at Le Mans. It seemed Jacques would have the perfect opportunity to achieve the triple.

Villeneuve would have his first opportunity behind the wheel of the updated 908 when Team Peugeot Sport took part in the Spa 1000 Kilometers, the now usual warm-up event for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Villeneuve's number 7 car, which he would share with Nicolas Minassian and Marc Gene, would start from 3rd on the grid. And, while it would be the Peugeot sister-car that would start from pole, it would be the number 7 car that would come through victorious finishing with a margin of some 30 seconds in hand over one of the R10s and a Courage-Oreca. Everything seemed to be in place for Villeneuve. He had the car and he had a victory to support the confident feelings. Heading to Le Mans, he would just need to beat a man with the title of 'Mr. Le Mans'.

All of the teams would begin arriving in Le Mans in the start of the run-up to the 76th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Seventy-six times cars had rolled away from along the Circuit de la Sarthe along the Rue Ligne Driote des Hunaudieres and through such famous sections as Arnage, the Porsche Curves and the Dunlop Curve. Though very much a French event in a French town, the race itself has seen a number of different nations come to dominate. And, as far as the drivers are concerned, no nation controlled the topic of conversation and tactics as much as Denmark. One driver, a Dane by the name of Tom Kristensen, was, by every definition, 'Mr. Le Mans'.

As much as the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be a race between Teams, cars and drivers, it would also be a fight against the track itself. Measuring 8.4 miles to the lap, just one circuit of Le Mans would be a severe test for any car and driver. From speeds reaching above 200mph along the Mulsanne straight to the 50mph corner at Arnage, engines and brakes would have to be strong enough to make it around the circuit one time. But, in order to truly compete, they would have to be pushed to their limits 360 times more to even have a chance at victory.

The small city of Le Mans would first hold the 24 hour race in 1923. However, the city would be at the center of innovation as, in 1908, the Wright Brothers would make first flights taking off from the Hunaudieres racetrack in Le Mans. This moment in history would be at the center of the build-up for the 2008 race and would only highlight the coming titanic battle between diesel technologies from Peugeot and Audi. It would serve as the perfect backdrop as well if Villeneuve could come through to add his name to the incredibly short list of triple crown winners.

Speeds in qualifying would be true to form. The Peugeots would dominate the timesheets with their three cars taking the first three positions on the grid. The number 8 Peugeot 908 would be on the pole while Villeneuve's number 7 908 would start 3rd. The fastest of the Audis would be some 5 seconds slower. With that kind of difference between the Peugeots and the Audis, if the French squad could manage to stay out of trouble, and do everything right, then Villeneuve would have a very good shot. But, that would not take into account Audi having any say in the matter.

More than a quarter of a million fans would be packed around the long circuit watching for their favorite teams and drivers. Tensions would be as hot and humid as the weather and signaled that conditions would change over the course of the event.

The start of the race would go according to plan. The Peugeots would be out front, in spite of Alan McNish getting his nose ahead of the number 7 Peugeot through the first mile or so of the first lap. The margin at the end of the first lap would be around 3 seconds, just what was forecasted.

Having a lap in the books, the two teams settled in to their strategies. The gap by the end of the 3rd lap would be already 10 seconds. Yet, while the Peugeots stretched their lead, the number 7 908 remained in 3rd place sitting comfortably behind the its sister-cars. It certainly seemed as though the team were favoring Villeneuve's car as the other two really pressed the issue. It was already the strategy adopted by Jacques and his fellow co-drivers—take less risks.

The Peugeots would be fast, but trouble would be faster. While Audi would have to push their cars and drivers hard, often quadruple-stinting the drivers, Peugeot could take things a little easier because of their superior speed. However, because of the less time taken in the pitstops by the Audi cars, the pressure remained high for Peugeot as they would be slower in and out of the pits. Being pushed hard meant the possibility of mechanical trouble. It wouldn't take long for this to be the case with each of the Peugeots spending extensive time in the pits. As the sun began to set, the Peugeots and Audis would trade the lead back and forth.

However, as the light faded into darkness, the Peugeots would take over the lead with the number 7 car leading the way. Villeneuve was right where he needed to be. Furthermore, the car looks strong and remains fast enough to keep the Audis at bay. The triple crown appeared to be within reach as the team seemed to push past any mechanical troubles and carried on without much in the way of concern. However, the rain was coming and it would have a very strong ally just waiting for his opportunity.

Peugeot controlled the situation. The Audis just could not match the speed of the 908. The advantage continued to grow. Villeneuve would be leading the way and looking absolutely unbeatable. However, the radiators on the 908 would begin collecting debris causing overheating. Each of the three 908s would be into the pits to have the situation rectified. Villeneuve would come into the pits with a sizable margin. Time would be lost cleaning out the radiators but the Canadian would be back on track still with the lead in his hand. Unfortunately, as he peeled away, the number 2 Audi would be coming into the pits. The rain had started to fall and this would hurt the fast and twitchy Peugeot thoroughbreds. What made matters worse, Tom Kristensen would be getting behind the wheel of the Audi. It was now a battle between the former World Champion looking for his triple crown and that man that had more wins at Le Mans than anybody else.

In the wet conditions, the R10 was in its element. It was the only chance Kristensen had against Villeneuve in the 908. Jacques would struggle with the 908 in the conditions. The lead, which had been more than a minute, would drop dramatically each and every lap. The lead would be down to just 10 seconds when the two cars came in for pitstops. Villeneuve had been behind the wheel for a while. Kristensen was relatively fresh. Therefore, the Dane would remain behind the wheel and would emerge with the lead while Peugeot changed drivers. The lead was lost, but there was still a lot of time left in which to get it back. Peugeot and Villeneuve just needed the track to dry out.

As dawn approached, the gap to the leading Audi continued to grow in the wet. The lead would only grow all the more as the rain began to fall even harder. But, in the late morning hours, the rain relented and the conditions began to dry out. A dry line would begin to develop on the track.

The lead heading into the last few hours of the race would be a little more than a lap. However, Villeneuve's co-driver, Marc Gene, would make a pass through the Dunlop Curve to get back onto the lead lap. Some 8.4 miles separated first and second on the track, but Villeneuve was still within reach of the great triple. The number 7 Peugeot was gaining time with just a couple of hours remaining in the race. Unfortunately for Villeneuve, Kristensen would be back behind the wheel.

Kristensen was cruising. But then, coming up the hill at the Dunlop Curve, Kristensen would have a run-in with a slower runner. The resulting spin would be cause for some excitement for Peugeot and their hopefuls, but, Kristensen would be able to carry on.

The lead had lessened because of the run-in at the top of the Dunlop Curve, but Villeneuve and Peugeot would still need some help. Sadly, the weather would be on the side of the Dane.

Just when it seemed Peugeot could pull even with the Audi the weather would drop some light rain around parts of the circuit. This would play back into the hands of Audi and Kristensen. In an attempt to utilize their speed, Peugeot would remain on slick tires while Audi switched to intermediates.

Minassian would be on slicks, and, with less than an hour remaining in the race, he would spin the 908 around at Dunlop. The spin would be costly. The spin would cause one of the tires to go flat. The great pace of the 908 would be lost. Kristensen would go by with the lead of more than a lap well in hand. The great duel had gone the way of the man known as Mr. Le Mans. The hopeful for the triple crown of motorsports, though he and his co-drivers would put forth an incredible challenge finishing in 2nd place, would be forced to wait another year to join Graham Hill as motorsports' only triple crown winners. And though Villeneuve would miss out on his opportunity for another entry in the record books, he would help to provide one of the most entertaining 24 Hours of Le Mans in more than a decade.

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