19th - 20th June

SUMMARY :

The 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 61st Grand Prix of Endurance.

A class for Grand Touring (GT) style cars was included for the first time since the 1985 race.

This is the famous year on April fools day the ACO received a request for entry of a MIG in Cyrillic script - Yes the fight plane builders. It was thought a joke but no the showed up but was a non qualifier - way too slow.

The Alliot Peugeot as on pole with Irvine Toyota 2nd and another Peugeot 3rd

Unusual when 6 cars could win from 2 manufacturers 5 finish and 4 take the top 4 places

Start - the front row immediately pulled away once they crossed the line and were among the back markers in 3 laps.

At the end of first hour Peugeot lead but the Toyota was close behind and going on from seven pm the Toyota moved ahead.

The first team to suffer problems was Peugeot its no.2 smokling but Peugeot no 1 and Toyota no 38 still duelled for the lead. Still the fight goes on till 9pm.

Derek Bell goes into gravel at Mulsanne in his Courage.

10 pm and Peugeot lead - just. The Porsche 962's were still in top 10 waiting. By 11pm 2 Peugeots at the front and midnight shows Peugeot no 1 is a lap in the lead.

A third of the race over the 962s were 6th 8 laps down and 7th & 8th 9 &10 laps behind first Peugeot.

By 2am 3 Peugeots and 3 Toyotas were the first 6 places followed by 3 Porsches. 3am finds Toyota with split turbo and no 38 Toyota goes into gravel. Peugeots begin having minor problems giving the Toyotas hope again.The best Jaguar XJ220 went out just before 6am.

7am Peugeot 1 & 2 only a minute apart but Irvine sets a new lap record.

8 am Peugeot no 3 leads again as Dalmas 905 suffered a split exhaust.

1pm and Peugeot hold first 3 places Toyota 4th to 7th.

4pm Peugeot win second year running.

Stats:

Pole Position - No. 2 Peugeot Talbot Sport - 3:24.940
Fastest Lap - No. 36 Toyota Team Tom's - 3:27.470
Distance - 5100.0 km
Average Speed - 213.358 km/h
Highest Trap Speed - Peugeot 905 – 346 km/h (race), Porsche 962C - 366 km/h (qualifying)