1999 24 Hours of Le Mans

67th 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "1999 24 Hours of Le Mans" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

1999 24 Hours of Le Mans | Previous: 1998 | Next: 2000

|

Index: Races | Winners

Le Mans in 1999

The 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 67th 24 Hours of Le Mans, and took place on 12 and 13 June 1999. The race had a large number of entries in the fastest Le Mans Prototype classes, with Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Lola Cars, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Panoz, Riley & Scott, and Toyota all represented.

The BMW V12 LMR driven by Yannick Dalmas, Pierluigi Martini, and Joachim Winkelhock won overall, with their car's reliability and fuel economy allowing them to beat their faster rivals.[1]

## Pre-race

[edit]

The winning #15 BMW V12 LMR Toyota was a top challenger throughout the race. This #3 Toyota GT-One was the lone finisher for Toyota, finishing second. When this #8 Audi R8R came home in third place, it marked the beginning of what was soon to become the era of Audi dominance at Le Mans.

1999 saw another increase in manufacturers involvement. Although Porsche did not send a team to contest in the prototype classes, Toyota retained their three updated GT-Ones, now moved to the LMGTP class due to the demise of GT1, while Mercedes-Benz debuted three new CLR LMGTPs. Nissan instead moved from GT1 to an open cockpit LMP, as did Panoz.

Newcomer Audi attempted to try their hand at both classes, with two open cockpit R8Rs and two closed cockpit R8Cs. BMW continued with their open cockpit LMPs, updating to the new V12 LMR. The works V12 LMR's were run by Schnitzer Motorsport, while two of the previous year's cars were privately entered.[1]

## Mercedes CLR incidents

[edit]

The event saw three major crashes involving the team of Mercedes-Benz CLRs during qualifying and the race itself. The CLR had a very short wheelbase and a large amount of overhang (the bodywork outside the wheelbase), resulting in high pitch sensitivity. In some conditions, especially when following another car and at the tops of hills, the front of the car generated enough lift to overcome the downforce and raise the front off the ground, letting even more air get under the floor and flip the car.

Mark Webber's CLR #4 went airborne at Indianapolis during Thursday night qualifying. On Friday, the team was allowed to rebuild #4 on a new chassis, with tweaks to the rear suspension, in an attempt by Mercedes to cure the problem. Winglets were fitted to the front to increase downforce. All cars had qualified, but during the brief warm-up on Saturday morning, Webber again went airborne when tailing his teammates over the hump of the Mulsanne, landing on his roof and skidding to a stop in the Mulsanne corner.[2] This car was withdrawn from the race, but the two other CLRs continued on, again with emergency tweaks in yet another attempt to alleviate the instability.

A few hours into the race on lap 75, Peter Dumbreck's CLR #5 also went airborne at a crest just before the Indianapolis corner (a very bumpy section of the track), this time flying off the side of the track and landing in the trees. Dumbreck was unharmed in the incident.[3] This incident, unlike the previous two, was actually caught by TV cameras and thus broadcast worldwide. Mercedes-Benz immediately withdrew the remaining CLR #6 and dropped out of sportscar racing for the immediate future.

This was the second time Mercedes-Benz had dropped out of Le Mans and sportscar racing following an incident with one of their cars becoming airborne and leaving the track, the first being the 1955 Le Mans disaster.

## Race

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2025)

|

## Official results

[edit]

Pos  | Class  | No  | Team  | Drivers  | Chassis  | Tyre  | Laps  | Time/Reason

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Engine
1  | LMP  | 15  |  Team BMW Motorsport |  Joachim Winkelhock
Pierluigi Martini
Yannick Dalmas | BMW V12 LMR | M | 365  | 24:00:00.000‡
BMW S70 6.0 L V12
2  | LMGTP  | 3  |  Toyota Motorsports |  Ukyo Katayama
Keiichi Tsuchiya
Toshio Suzuki | Toyota GT-One | M | 364  | +1 lap
Toyota R36V 3.6 L Turbo V8
3  | LMP  | 8  |  Audi Sport Team Joest |  Frank Biela
Didier Theys
Emanuele Pirro | Audi R8R | M | 360  | +5 laps
Audi 3.6 L Turbo V8
4  | LMP  | 7  |  Audi Sport Team Joest |  Michele Alboreto
Rinaldo Capello
Laurent Aïello | Audi R8R | M | 346  | +19 laps
Audi 3.6 L Turbo V8
5  | LMP  | 18  |  Price+Bscher |  Thomas Bscher
Bill Auberlen
Steve Soper | BMW V12 LM | Y | 345  | +20 laps
BMW S70 6.0 L V12
6  | LMP  | 13  |  Courage Compétition |  Alex Caffi
Andrea Montermini
Domenico Schiattarella | Courage C52 | B | 342  | +23 laps
Nissan VRH35L 3.5 L Turbo V8
7  | LMP  | 12  |  Panoz Motor Sports |  David Brabham
Éric Bernard
Butch Leitzinger | Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S | M | 336  | +29 laps
Ford-Élan 6.0 L V8
8  | LMP  | 21  |  Nissan Motorsports |  Didier Cottaz
Marc Goossens
Fredrik Ekblom | Courage C52 | B | 335  | +31 laps
Nissan VRH35L 3.5 L Turbo V8
9  | LMP  | 14  |  Pescarolo Promotion Racing Team |  Henri Pescarolo
Michel Ferté
Patrice Gay | Courage C50 | P | 327  | +38 laps
Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
10  | LMGTS  | 51  |  Viper Team Oreca |  Olivier Beretta
Karl Wendlinger
Dominique Dupuy | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | M | 325  | +40 laps
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
11  | LMP  | 11  |  Panoz Motor Sports |  Johnny O'Connell
Jan Magnussen
Max Angelelli | Panoz LMP-1 Roadster-S | M | 323  | +42 laps
Ford-Élan 6.0 L V8
12  | LMGTS  | 52  |  Viper Team Oreca |  Tommy Archer
Justin Bell
Marc Duez | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | M | 318  | +47 laps
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
13  | LMGT  | 81  |  Manthey Racing GmbH |  Uwe Alzen
Patrick Huisman
Luca Riccitelli  | Porsche 911 GT3-R | P | 317  | +48 laps
Porsche 3.6 L Flat-6
14  | LMGTS  | 56  |  Hugh Chamberlain |  Ni Amorim
Hans Hugenholtz
Toni Seiler  | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | M | 314  | +51 laps
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
15  | LMGTS  | 50  |  CICA Team Oreca |  Manuel Mello-Breyner
Pedro Mello-Breyner
Tomaz Mello-Breyner  | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | M | 312  | +53 laps
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
16  | LMGTS  | 55  |  Paul Belmondo Racing |  Emmanuel Clérico
Jean-Claude Lagniez
Guy Martinolle  | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | D | 309  | +56 laps
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
17  | LMGTS  | 54  |  Paul Belmondo Racing |  Paul Belmondo
Tiago Monteiro
Marc Rostan | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | D | 299  | +66 laps
Chrysler 8.0L V10
18  | LMGTS  | 64  |  Konrad Motorsport |  Franz Konrad
Peter Kitchak
Charles Slater  | Porsche 911 GT2 | D | 293  | +72 laps
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
19  | LMGT  | 80  |  Champion Racing Dave Maraj |  Dirk Müller
Bob Wollek
Bernd Mayländer | Porsche 911 GT3-R | P | 292  | +73 laps
Porsche 3.6 L Flat-6
20  | LMGTS  | 62  |  Roock Racing International Motorsport |  Claudia Hürtgen
André Ahrlé
Vincent Vosse  | Porsche 911 GT2 | Y | 290  | +75 laps
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
21  | LMGT  | 84  |  Perspective Racing  |  Thierry Perrier
Jean-Louis Ricci
Michel Nourry | Porsche 911 Carrera RSR | P | 288  | +77 laps
Porsche 3.8 L Flat-6
22  | LMGTS  | 57  |  Hugh Chamberlain |  Thomas Erdos
Christian Vann
Christian Gläsel  | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | M | 270  | +95 laps
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
NC  | LMGTS  | 65  |  Société Cheréau |  Jean-Luc Chéreau
Patrice Goueslard
Pierre Yver | Porsche 911 GT2 | M | 240  | Not classified
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
DNF  | LMP  | 17  |  Team BMW Motorsport |  Tom Kristensen
JJ Lehto
Jörg Müller | BMW V12 LMR | M | 304  | Accident
BMW S70 6.0 L V12
DNF  | LMGTS  | 53  |  Viper Team Oreca |  David Donohue
Jean-Philippe Belloc
Soheil Ayari | Chrysler Viper GTS-R | M | 271  | Mechanical
Chrysler 8.0 L V10
DNF  | LMGTS  | 63  |  Roock Racing International Motorsport |  Hubert Haupt
John Robinson
Hugh Price  | Porsche 911 GT2 | Y | 232  | Engine
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
DNF  | LMP  | 19  |  Team Goh |  Hiro Matsushita
Hiroki Katoh
Akihiko Nakaya | BMW V12 LM | M | 223  | Gearbox
BMW S70 6.0 L V12
DNF  | LMP  | 26  |  Konrad Motorsport |  Jan Lammers
Peter Kox
Tom Coronel | Lola B98/10 | D | 213  | Gearbox
Ford-Roush 6.0 L V8
DNF  | LMGTP  | 10  |  Audi Sport UK |  James Weaver
Andy Wallace
Perry McCarthy | Audi R8C | M | 198  | Gearbox
Audi 3.6 L Turbo V8
DNF  | LMGTP  | 2  |  Toyota Motorsports |  Thierry Boutsen
Ralf Kelleners
Allan McNish | Toyota GT-One | M | 173  | Accident
Toyota R36V 3.6 L Turbo V8
DNF  | LMGTS  | 61  |  Freisinger Motorsport |  Ernst Palmberger
Wolfgang Kaufmann
Michel Ligonnet  | Porsche 911 GT2 | D | 157  | Engine
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
DNF  | LMP  | 27  |  Kremer Racing |  Tomás Saldaña
Grant Orbell
Didier de Radiguès | Lola B98/10 | G | 146  | Gearbox
Ford-Roush 6.0 L V8
DNF  | LMGTS  | 67  |  Larbre Compétition |  Jean-Pierre Jarier
Sébastien Bourdais
Pierre de Thoisy  | Porsche 911 GT2 | M | 134  | Engine
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
DNF  | LMGTS  | 66  |  Estoril Racing Communication  |  Manuel Monteiro
Michel Monteiro
Michel Maisonneuve  | Porsche 911 GT2 | P | 123  | Accident damage
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
DNF  | LMP  | 22  |  Nissan Motorsports |  Michael Krumm
Satoshi Motoyama
Érik Comas | Nissan R391 | B | 110  | Engine
Nissan VRH50A 5.0 L V8
DNF  | LMGTP  | 1  |  Toyota Motorsports |  Martin Brundle
Emmanuel Collard
Vincenzo Sospiri | Toyota GT-One | M | 90  | Puncture
Toyota R36V 3.6 L Turbo V8
DNF  | LMP  | 25  |  DAMS |  Christophe Tinseau
Franck Montagny
David Terrien | Lola B98/10 | P | 77  | Engine
Judd GV4 4.0 L V10
DNF  | LMGTP  | 6  |  AMG-Mercedes |  Bernd Schneider
Franck Lagorce
Pedro Lamy | Mercedes-Benz CLR | B | 76  | Withdrawn
Mercedes-Benz GT108C 5.7 L V8
DNF  | LMGTP  | 5  |  AMG-Mercedes |  Christophe Bouchut
Nick Heidfeld
Peter Dumbreck | Mercedes-Benz CLR | B | 75  | Accident
Mercedes-Benz GT108C 5.7 L V8
DNF  | LMP  | 24  |  Autoexe Motorsports  |  Yojiro Terada
Franck Fréon
Robin Donovan | Autoexe LMP99 | Y | 74  | Engine
Ford 6.0 L V8
DNF  | LMP  | 29  |  JB Jabouille-Bouresche |  Jérôme Policand
Mauro Baldi
Christian Pescatori | Ferrari 333 SP | P | 71  | Gearbox
Ferrari F130E 4.0 L V12
DNF  | LMP  | 32  |  Riley & Scott Europe |  Marco Apicella
Carl Rosenblad
Shane Lewis | Riley & Scott Mk III/2 | P | 67  | Engine
Ford 6.0 L V8
DNF  | LMGTP  | 9  |  Audi Sport UK |  Stefan Johansson
Stéphane Ortelli
Christian Abt | Audi R8C | M | 55  | Gearbox
Audi 3.6 L Turbo V8
DNF  | LMP  | 31  |  Riley & Scott Europe |  Philippe Gache
Gary Formato
Olivier Thévenin | Riley & Scott Mk III/2 | P | 25  | Engine
Ford 6.0 L V8
DNF  | LMGTS  | 60  |  Freisinger Motorsport |  Ray Lintott
Manfred Jurasz
Katsunori Iketani | Porsche 911 GT2 | D | 24  | Accident
Porsche 3.8 L Turbo Flat-6
DNS  | LMGTP  | 4  |  AMG-Mercedes |  Mark Webber
Jean-Marc Gounon
Marcel Tiemann | Mercedes-Benz CLR | B | \-  | Accident in Practice
Mercedes-Benz GT108C 5.7 L V8
DNS  | LMP  | 23  |  Nissan Motorsports |  Aguri Suzuki
Masami Kageyama
Eric van de Poele | Nissan R391 | B | \-  | Accident
Nissan VRH50A 5.0 L V8
DNS  | LMGT  | 83  |  Gérard MacQuillan  |  Michel Neugarten
Gérard MacQuillan
Chris Gleason | Porsche 911 Carrera RSR | Y | \-  | Did not qualify
Porsche 3.8L Flat-6
[4]

## Statistics

[edit]

* Pole position - #1 Toyota Motorsport / TTE - 3:29.930
* Fastest lap - #3 Toyota Motorsport / TTE - 3:35.052
* Distance - 4968 km
* Average speed - 207 km/h
* Highest trap speed — Toyota GT-One - 352 km/h (practice)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Codling, Stuart (8 June 2020). "When BMW was the last team standing at Le Mans". Autosport. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
2. ^ "Mulsanne's Corner: 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR".
3. ^ Radu, Vlad (2021-06-30). "The Story of the Mercedes-Benz CLR, the Silver Arrow That Took Flight at Le Mans". autoevolution. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
4. ^ "Le Mans 24 Hours 1999 - Photo Gallery - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2023-06-11.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans at Wikimedia Commons

* v
* t
* e

24 Hours of Le Mans

* Circuit de la Sarthe
* Le Mans
* Sarthe

Races by year|

| 1920s|

* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929

|

1930s|

* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* ~~1936~~
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939

1940s|

* 1940–1948: not held
* 1949

1950s|

* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959

1960s|

* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969

1970s|

* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979

1980s|

* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989

1990s|

* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999

2000s|

* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009

2010s|

* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019

2020s|

* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025
* 2026

Related topics|

* Automobile Club de l'Ouest
* Le Mans Prototype
* Le Mans Hypercar
* LMDh
* LM GTE
* LMGT3
* Triple Crown of Motorsport
* 24 Hours of Le Mans (motorcycle race)
* Le Mans Classic
* Le Mans Legend
* Le Mans start
* Dunlop Bridge
* Mulsanne Straight
* 1955 Le Mans disaster
* Radio Le Mans
* 24 Hours of LeMons
* 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual (2020
* 2022
* 2023)
* Le Mans Virtual Series (2022–23)

Related lists|

* List of winners
* List of records
* List of female participants
* List of Le Mans Prototypes
* List of fatal accidents

In media|

* Le Mans (film)
* Michel Vaillant (film)
* 24 heures d'amant
* "The Race" (The Goodies)
* Truth in 24
* Truth in 24 II
* Ford v Ferrari
* Gran Turismo (film)
* Le Mans Racing [fr]
* Le Mans 1955 (film)
* Deadliest Crash: The Le Mans 1955 Disaster

Video games|

* LeMans
* WEC Le Mans
* Le Mans 24
* Test Drive Le Mans/Le Mans 24 Hours
* Gran Turismo
* Race Driver: Grid
* Forza
* Project CARS
* iRacing
* rFactor 2
* Le Mans Ultimate
* Automobilista 2

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template