Todt: 'Unknown' LMP2 drivers leading Le Mans 'great for racing'
Two LMP2 teams and drivers "you've never heard of" being on the 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours podium was "great for racing", believes FIA president Jean Todt
A spate of mechanical problems hampered the five LMP1 cars entered by Toyota and Porsche in the World Endurance Championship's premier event last weekend.
How Porsche won a Le Mans everyone lost
The Jota Sport-run Jackie Chan DC Racing ORECA of Oliver Jarvis, Thomas Laurent and Ho-Pin Tung ended up in the outright race lead when the #1 Porsche, which had been in a dominant position after multiple issues for early leader Toyota, retired with a lack of oil pressure with three hours remaining.
The #2 Porsche had been delayed by its own MGU failure in the fourth hour of the race but had the pace to eventually overhaul the LMP2 squads to claim the German marque's 19th Le Mans victory.
Speaking at the FIA Sport Conference in Geneva, Todt insisted that, rather than the LMP1s' problems being bad for Le Mans, the drama of an LMP2 leading was good for motorsport.
"It demonstrates again that racing is unpredictable and that's good," he said.
"You know very often, people are complaining [about] domination, 'we know the result'.
"Here, nobody would have expected this kind of result.
"I think it's great for racing - some teams, some drivers you've never heard of them.
"It had been a thrilling recovery from Porsche, so a great race."
The Jackie Chan DC Racing team, which is co-owned by film star Chan, ended up with the second and third spots on the podium after the Rebellion car of Nelson Piquet Jr, David Heinemeier Hansson and Mathias Beche was was disqualified for a bodywork infringement.
The second DC ORECA of David Cheng, Alex Brundle and Tristan Gommendy moved up to third place behind the #38 as a result.
"I'm very happy for my friend Jackie Chan, second and third today [when] they were second and fourth," said Todt.
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