Yorkshire Team Claim Historic Le Mans Win

An independent British racing team has pulled off a historic win in the Le Mans 24 hours.

Sheffield based motorsport outfit Team LNT steered their Panoz Esperante GTLM to victory in the GT2 class in possibly the world’s most prestigious motor race at the weekend.

The team competed for the first time in the Panoz at Le Mans, and left such established marques as Porsche and Ferrari trailing in their wake to take the chequered flag.

It was the final-hour problems of the No 83 Seikel Motorsport Porsche 911 that enabled Team LNT’s Panoz to take the lead – along with an excellent team strategy. The Porsche had led most of the race until it was hit with gearbox problems 90 minutes from the end. The Scuderia Ecosse team’s Ferrari F430 followed in third.

Yorkshire driving duo Lawrence Tomlinson from Harrogate and Leeds based Richard Dean, shared the driving duties with 21-year-old Sportscar newcomer Tom Kimber-Smith from Henley. Driver and Team LNT owner Lawrence Tomlinson said: “It’s been a rollercoaster for us. You couldn’t have written the script!

“We were 5 laps down [from the leading Porsche], and just felt that we would have to take 2nd. We knew they’d driven their car really really hard early on and had the fastest lap and I think they paid the price at the end.”

This achievement comes in the Team’s first season racing the American built car having only competed it in six races so far - the first of which was fifth place at the 12 hours of Sebring, USA in March.

“This is my first year in GTs. I did the 12 hours of Sebring and finished fifth and to win Le Mans in the same year is just amazing” Kimber-Smith told us afterwards.

American Don Panoz, owner of the Panoz marque was also present to see Team LNT take their first win in one of his cars, fittingly on the tenth anniversary of his quest to win the race. Don was also awarded the ‘Spirit of Le Mans’ award, given to key figures in sports car racing who spread the fame of the 24 Hours of Le Mans worldwide. He said: “I thank Team LNT and all their guys and offer them all my congratulations. I’m really proud to have them representing us.

“They did exactly what they needed to do: set the pace, make no mistakes and they did exactly that. The dream of winning here lives inside anyone who has entered Le Mans.

“The greatest manufacturers in the world - Porsche, Audi, BMW, Ferrari and countless others - have been victorious at Le Mans and as a result are part of history.

“I can't begin to describe how proud and satisfied I am to see the Panoz brand alongside these elite names. This is a day I will never forget and a week to be always remembered. To be awarded the Spirit of Le Mans and winning in the same week is more than could ever be dreamed of.”

More detailed race run-downs are available here. Pictures will be added soon.

The Team LNT Panoz after the 24hr race

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