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The story of an old-school Le Mans

Audi's 13th victory at Le Mans was a battle of sportscar racing's most advanced machinery yet, but it produced a classic that was reminiscent of a bygone era. GARY WATKINS explains how it all unfolded

A new high-tech era dawned with the 82nd running of the Le Mans 24 Hours at the weekend, yet this year's race had a decidedly old-school feel.

This was a Le Mans where each and every factory LMP1 car encountered problems, where there were fightbacks galore and where the order continually reshuffled. And out of it all, Audi came through to notch up victory number 13 in the great race.

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Author Gary Watkins

Gary Watkins has, for reasons best known to himself, devoted all his working life to covering sportscar racing. This season is his 33rd as a motorsport journalist, during which time he has reported on major long-distance events on four continents and approaching 80 24-hour races. He reckons a degree in political philosophy makes him well qualified for covering the sometimes Machiavellian world of international sportscars.

Gary, who also writes for Motor Sport, Autocourse, RACER and others, lives in Surbiton close to the former workshops of the Cooper Formula 1 team but spends more time on the road than at home for most of the year.