By Sam Tickell
Victory went to the Aston Martin squad again in '08
Aston Martin vs Corvette - it seems to already be ingrained in Le Mans mythology. Its something that we look forward to each year and yet, even though it has only been with us for a few.
We almost forget that Luc Alphand is there with two cars. Larbre is there with the Saleen. Modena is back with their silvery-black Aston. Vitaphone is here with their paint job that is more familiar on a Maserati. And we even would forget the IPB Lamborghini should it not be such a fantastic looking car - even if the paint job is a little dull.
It is all about the Aston Martin factory against Corvette factory. Prodrive vs Pratt & Miller. United Kingdom vs United States of America.
Two Thousand and Eight saw more reasons why people support one team over another - why this battle has been a rare example in this decade of a new rivalry of sorts.
The famous Gulf colours adorned the panels of the Aston Martin. That same Aston Martin was defending their overdue win. And Corvette had kept GT1 racing alive in the States.
Corvette came up just short but all their cars finished
There was also a feeling that this year, 2008, could be the last time we see these two duking it out, exclusive of any others. As Aston Martin concentrates on developing a P1 car, it is thought that this is their swan song in GT1, leaving it to Corvette in 2009. But Corvette may not be back either as they have shown more than in interest in the leading Prototype category.
Corvette put their loyal, best and most loved stars in their cars - Fellows, O'Connell, Gavin, Beretta, Magnussen, Papis. A great lineup - a proven lineup and importantly, a popular lineup.
Aston Martin went for something a little different. Brabham was back, as was Turner. Garica and Piccini got long overdue callups to the factory squad. Wendlinger was brought in from the FIA GT. And Frentzen - the former F1 guy was in.
On the surface, these driver lineups were a match and should not draw attention. But there was something there that suggested Corvette was more committed to racing in GT1 this year - and it felt like that should make a difference.
But it never did.
The cars were never too far from each other in the race. They were both lapping with consistency and both had just the one car suffering just one problem - or there abouts.
The first two in class finished on the same lap - after battling through changing condition, a strange lack of safety cars - at least when compared to 2007 and sprinting for 24 hours, there was nothing really to pick between the two teams.
Just the Aston Martin squad seemed to do things a little better. The timesheets say 263.8 seconds better. Out of about 86 and half thousand seconds that the race lasted for, Aston Martin #009 was was less then 300 seconds better then the #63.
One hundred and twenty-one seconds of those 263 were found on pit lane for Aston Martin. 142ish were found on the track.
Which was all that was needed to elevate Aston Martin and their fans about Corvette for the second year running. Of course making it to the finish of Le Mans is a victory in itself.
And of course, the rivalry between Aston Martin and Corvette is more human and gentlemanly (and lady-like too, if you so desire) than you get in any other sport. The losing team, while disappointed is genuinely happy for the other. Politics and spite have no place here - this is racing and racing at its finest.
IPB Spartak Racing showed a true fighting spirit in their Lamborghini
Of course the other GT1 competitors deserve praise too. IPB Spartak Racing were the last classified finishers and they were determined to finish. They had problems all day but they were not to keep these fighters down. They are to be congratulated as much as anyone else.
Modena and Luc Alphand Adventures both had solid races, if sometimes a little broken by broken parts. They got their cars to the checkered flag and the teams were happy. They could never really expect to beat the factory cars. And in their little privateer GT1 battle, Luc Alphand Adventures took out the prize.
Amazingly, there was only one retirement in GT1. Vitaphone Racing were quick enough but reliability problems plagued them until the propshaft gave way, crippling the car at Indianapolis.
The car's communications to the pit was cut in the failure but in the true spirit of Le Mans, a marshal lent Peter Hardman his phone to call the team and tell them what happened.
And that gesture summed up the GT1 battle - it was hard, very hard. The stakes were high, but humanity shone through and you could be truly proud to support any either factory team (or the privateers of course) in this class battle at Le Mans