Australian motor racing legend Mark Webber has rocketed to favouritism for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hour race and will headline Eurosport Australia’s LIVE coverage, according to expert analyst Neil Cole.
Cole, the host of Eurosport’s Le Man’s 24 Hour magazine show ’Le Mans 24 Minutes’, has declared former F1 star Webber’s #17 Porsche 919 Hybrid race car among the favourite entries for overall victory at the 83rd edition of the famed race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France.
Teamed with rising kiwi star Brendon Hartley and the metronomic Timo Bernhard, Webber will be integral to the outcome of the race for Porsche, who are chasing their 17th Le Mans crown in 2015, with Cole naming Webber as a key element in the famous German marque’s quest to win.
“There is no doubt Webber is one of the quickest, smartest, most experienced drivers competing this year – and he has an incredibly cool head at a million miles an hour. Their podium at the six hours of Spa earlier this year proved the combination of Webber, Hartley and Bernhard works,” Cole said.
Eurosport Australia will provide comprehensive LIVE coverage for the 83rd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours, the jewel in the crown of the FIA World Endurance Championship, with the broadcast schedule also featuring the Le Mans 24 Minutes magazine show that will bring fans the highlights of free practice, qualifying as well as comments and analysis from Eurosport’s world class motorsport team. Cole concluded by saying that Le Mans is a world sporting event like no other.
“If I had to describe it to someone that has never heard of it, it would be Mad Max meets an Olympic Marathon, set in the middle of Big Day Out. It’s a ridiculous race. It’s brilliant. Considering how cutting edge the automotive technology is, there is still something so primal about this race. Every single person in the paddock, in the crowds, has a story from every visit to Le Mans. It’s an epic, unique event.”
This year’s Le Mans 24 Hour is expected to be one of the most memorable races on record, with Porsche, Audi and Toyota all entering competitive entries that exemplify the fusion of sport, technology, speed and endurance to create one of the most thrilling LIVE programs on Eurosport.
The Le Mans 24 Hour premieres LIVE on Eurosport, Thursday 11 June at 1.30am AEST.
