since 1976
since 1976
Goodyear made a triumphant comeback to the world’s most prestigious endurance race, with two Goodyear partner teams finishing on the podium in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the return of the Goodyear Blimp to a European race event.
This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans was Goodyear’s first since its return to international motorsport, which was announced at the same event last year. Since then, the Goodyear Racing team has been preparing relentlessly for the French endurance race and working closely with all its partner teams.
Two of those teams celebrated a podium finish after a hard-fought 24 hours of flat-out racing. British squad JOTA finished second in the LMP2 class, while French outfit Panis Racing crossed the line in third. LMP2 is the only category at Le Mans with open tire competition, and with Goodyear supplying five of the 24 cars entered, having two podium finishers is testament to the product performance and durability throughout the race.
JOTA ran consistently at the front of the field all race long and could have been in a position to take the lead in the final stages of the race if a safety car period had lasted longer. Nevertheless, the No. 38 Oreca 07 Gibson performed superbly for 24 hours, with driving duties shared by Anthony Davidson, Antonio Felix da Costa and Roberto Gonzalez. One position further back was the Panis Racing Oreca, driven by Nico Jamin, Matthieu Vaxiviere and Julien Canal. The French trio also put in a flawless performance on home soil.
Goodyear partner team Algarve Pro Racing, with its striking black and white Goodyear livery, finished the race in a respectable eighth position. There was, however, heartbreak for the two remaining Goodyear teams which were unable to finish the race due to technical issues.
Goodyear Blimp captivates the paddock and fans around the world
Goodyear were not just represented on the track at Le Mans but in the skies, too. The return of the Goodyear Blimp to Europe is a highlight of the year for Goodyear, and the famous airship proved very popular with everyone up and down the paddock.
Operating from a base 5 km away from the track, the Goodyear Blimp flew overhead for much of the race. From above the circuit, the Goodyear Blimp provided exciting passenger flights for VIP guests and media, as well as providing unique aerial footage of the event and race for worldwide TV broadcasts.
