More than 260,000 people bore witness to one of the cruelest days in recent sporting memory when the 84th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans played out in France on June 19.
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The endurance racing event looked to be won by Toyota, before a mechanical issue on the final lap sidelined the car and driver Kazuki Nakajima, allowing the Porsche team of Neel Jani, Roland Dumas, and Marc Lieb to take out first place.
While Queanbeyan's Mark Webber was again faced with Le Mans disappointment when the one-time lap-leader discovered his Porsche's water pump had failed, eliminating his team's chance at victory.
"It was a bit disappointing for us but that's the way it goes with motor racing," Webber's father Alan said.
"They had a bit of a twist in it for the Toyota team, with only a lap to go they missed out altogether.
"So good luck for some of them and bad luck for others."
The next leg of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship is set to be held in Germany at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring from July 23.
Gemma Varcoe
Fairfax Media journalist, based in Queanbeyan. Football and DC Comics tragic.
Fairfax Media journalist, based in Queanbeyan. Football and DC Comics tragic.
