Kristensen to Serve as Grand Marshal for 24H Le Mans

Photo: Audi

Tom Kristensen has been named the Grand Marshal for the 83rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The nine-time Le Mans winner, who retired from active competition at the end of last year, will follow in the footsteps of his former teammate, Allan McNish, who had the honor during the 2014 race.

Kristensen, considered the most successful sports car racing driver of this generation, will drive the pace car during the formation lap for the twice-around-the-clock French endurance classic.

Bill Ford Jr., executive chairman of the Ford Motor Company, meanwhile, will serve as the race starter, by dropping the tri-colour flag.

Kristensen made 18 starts in the famed race, which included six consecutive wins from 2000-05. He was also crowned the 2013 FIA World Endurance Champion, sharing the title with McNish and Loic Duval.

Toyota’s Kinoshita Honored with Spirit of Le Mans Award

Photo: Toyota Racing

Former Toyota Racing Team President Yoshiaki Kinoshita has been awarded the prestigious Spirit of Le Mans Award by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

The ACO announced the award on Sunday, adding Kinoshita san to a list of endurance racing’s elite which includes Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Gérard Larousse and Henri Pescarolo. It has been awarded since 2001 to participants who have epitomized the spirit of the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Kinoshita’s association with Le Mans dates back to the 1990s when he was an engineer on the TS010. More recently, he was a driving force behind Toyota’s return to Le Mans in 2012, when the Japanese manufacturer made its World Endurance Championship debut at La Sarthe that year.

His time as Team President culminated in Toyota winning the 2014 manufacturers’ World Championship alongside the drivers’ crown won by Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi. In April this year he began a new assignment at Toyota Technocraft Co. Ltd. in Japan.

He was succeeded as Team President by Toshio Sato who joined the whole team in saluting Kinoshita san’s immense contribution to Toyota’s motorsport heritage and the spirit of Le Mans.

“This team would not be where we are today – preparing for the 83rd Le Mans 24 Hours as reigning World Champions – without Kinoshita san’s efforts,” Sato said.

“I have always been impressed by his passion for endurance racing, and particularly Le Mans; he is a true racer.

“This award is very well deserved and I thank the ACO for honoring Kinoshita san in this way. On behalf of everyone in the team I offer our sincere congratulations to him and we look forward to seeing him here in Le Mans during race week.”