hours hours 75th grand prix endurance took place france june classes cars raced class having honors highest finishers faster classes custom built prototypes slower classes modified grand road cars class saw competition new diesel engined prototype diesel winner achieved overall victory heavy attrition class competitors finished race class achieved win corvette returning event class battle ferrari won race attended spectators track changes races upgraded obviously corner new corner moved inward create long flowing curve instead single point apex previously shortening lap distance meters revised new pedestrian tunnel straight immediately built work planned carried event delayed budgetary concerns new built end pit lane replacing temporary built years earlier additional allowed increase number entries grant organized facilities added spectators including shops new landscaping tower monument public roads indianapolis corner curves surfaced run areas indianapolis ford partially order avoid gravel brought circuit cars gone course increased safety allowing cars slow efficiently brakes tyres rule changes months event announced rule changes based series series effective classes diesel engines fuel tank capacity decreased litres litres petrol engines kept tanks class cars fitted smaller air run order decrease power classes allowed run alternative approved initially decided change american series decision reversed following decided fully conform new regulations japan challenge announced rule changes specific number invited entries increased number increased subsequent years entries run shell fuel diesel petrol form temperature inside closed cockpit cars exceed cars air conditioning ambient air temperature cars monitor cockpit temperature stop car limits exceeded noise level regulation revised noise emitted car measurement taken meters edge track class prototypes allowed entered newer class cars allowed compete decided race start local time hour earlier normal allow french spectators time vote june french legislative election entries automatic teams earned automatic event winning certain races championships respective classes teams limited entries team earned entries additional extended best performing competitor cars running outside rules invitation given competitor december released official list automatic entries multiple backed series races december announced add automatic entries time chosen championship season team champions runners class agreement organisation teams apply invitation decided remainder entry list based team recent performances originality chassis engine design list automatic entries january announced teams accepted automatic entries deadline turned rejected second entry lack funding rejected invitation comply rules team later attempted gain entry class application official entry list february published official entry list included entries reserves drivers listed injury opening round season participation race questionable driver wins intended factory team driver nominated possible replacement june cleared doctors race leaving services reserve entries total reserve entries listed initial published list reserves added entry list competitor list withdrew determined order reserve entries considered addition entry list cars officially withdrew entry list april places taken following reserve entries april announced radical entry withdrawn car purchased psi experience chevrolet corvette took place entry list april announced ferrari entry withdrawn financial strain team leaving concentrate solely american series sport ferrari took place entry list withdrew entry reserve list drivers reaching agreement run entry instead test session official test session held june practice session qualifying timing total hours track time allowed teams find set ups rookie drivers required laps learn circuit sessions led setting lap time second half ahead trailing fastest gasoline powered car fourth class pair entries led identical times team racing portugal trailed pair class corvette recorded fastest time day followed second factory corvette dominated positions taken new led followed entry fastest ferrari fourth place small incidents major accidents led red flag session courage entry driven went second hour car return test session bent chassis caused heavy impact second red flag involved del entry going track location hands briefly airborne contact concrete wall final incident hour session arena went briefly caught fire damage led car withdrawn week half later actual race team decided able repair damage time car pass qualifying qualifying held june hour sessions night run dusk darkness new drivers required run set number laps learn circuit allowed race daylight night best overall time sessions determined starting grid wednesday qualifying session began threat rain teams tried set good lap time conditions deteriorated swapped overall pole position times end session fastest overall time led earlier problem repaired fastest cars ferrari close session red halfway accident driven hit wall ray ltd cars set lap time session briefly returned green rain began extended session minutes compensate earlier red flag second session started minutes late damp conditions earlier rain red flag briefly came swiss spirit minutes session began car stopped track track drying half hour teams able improve session times swapped pole position multiple times session ended claiming position final lap session time took class lead final lap classes saw little improvement class leading teams remained later announced allowed use chassis borrowed french dams team allowed drive race head injuries sustained accident qualifying leaving team drivers thursday session thursday began heavy rain cars attempted carry wet weather testing conditions forced teams rain began cars returned track rain continued entire session able improve qualifying times previous day rain continued second session teams concentrated wet weather preparation wet race halfway session hands missed turn hit tire barrier car unable return pits taken wall soon followed corvette missing turn continued significant damage psi corvette minor accident minutes session bringing red flag day ending qualifying led wet sessions time car followed second led times second day continued strong pace fastest time fastest class entry rain qualifying times class leaders fastest lap time day bold cars set faster time second day race start race began local time track damp following wet morning warm led field handing lead took lead opening hour pit stops began rebuilt retirement race gearbox failed second lap race shortly hour race completed heavy rain resulted safety car brought soon field released safety car required accident spun exit hitting safety barriers straight backwards crews fixed barrier attempted repair finally forced retire caution period saw early retirement corvette broke following safety car attempted return pits battery power stopped forcing abandon car race eventually continued nearly hour caution night dusk began fall drying track suffered rear wheel hub failures required lengthy visits garage allowed second place lost time dropped laps brief moment corvette rear end corvette forced action gravel trap required replacement rear pit stop safety car period caused creation entry ran tire barriers needed extracted creation returned pits eventually retired entry suffered problems briefly stopped pit entrance caution period blocking cars attempting pit stops entry eventually succeeded getting garage night continued race neared halfway point cars suffered mechanical failures putting race included large number class cars led class point factory led lone remaining factory corvette lap lap lead class morning early hours track leader caused numerous competitors spin required ferrari undergo major end repairs resulting car falling laps biggest problem morning occurred shortly completion 17th hour race leading lost left rear wheel high speed indianapolis corner unable control car went straight tire barrier attempted car pits badly damaged television footage recorded dropped left rear wheel attached prior pit stop claimed likely cause wheel coming speed left lone race lead laps respectively accident leading come track damaging necessary repairs led car spending minutes garage dropping fourth class lone factory corvette gained place second class ferrari briefly took lead problems broke track handing lead entry sizable lead class having suffered problems competitors finish having held race rain began fall final hours caused numerous incidents including missing temporary tire barrier garage stop retired lap entering race claiming oil pressure problems rain eventually heavier making conditions bringing safety car temporary stop battle corvette second place class second place corvette quicker wet conditions allowed close safety period problems brought class leading car garage ensure car prepared weather hold lead finish hour safety car field released race time minutes remaining close contests competitors field continued run racing pace preparation finish briefly went pits returning track ensure finished race break crossing finishing line winner stopped ford final lap gone past flag restarted finished finished race highest placed petrol car took class win single lap corvette earning victory overall win winner lap margin victory cars finished class took victory spite finishing 18th overall starters cars finished race class cars proved reliable losing competitors hours official results class winners marked bold cars finishing race completing winner distance listed statistics sport north america distance average speed highest trap speed qualifying race
2007 24 Hours of Le Mans