Just watching my 2007 review of the American Le Mans series again and I was once again struck at what an utterly fantastic finish we got to enjoy in the GT2 class at Sebring that year. It just doesn't get any better than that- Ferrari vs. Porsche, the best racing versions of 2 of the greatest road cars ever, with 2 of the best GT drivers in the world (Bergmeister, Melo) at the 2nd most famous sportscar race in the world, nose to tail and side by side banging wheels and doors repeatedly over the last lap of a 12 hour race in the darkness with fireworks literally going off above the track and cameras flashing. Epic. The only thing that could have made it more exciting is if it had been a battle for the overall win rather than a class win. Last year's controversial finish from Laguna Seca between the Porsche and the Corvette is in the same league though it ended poorly with the Vette sent hard into the wall.

That said, I was wondering what people on the forum consider the best last lap in the history of sportscar racing? I'm sure some people will say Le Mans 1969 between the GT40 and the 908LH... any other opinions?

Now for the vids-

Sebring 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL2HF-sFLnc

Laguna 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ppCBCDtPTI

That Sebring 2007 was insane!

Also at Sebring, the 1970 12 Hour. Poor Revson. Mario just wanted to put him out of his misery.

Article written by Mario Andretti.

http://www.motortrend.com/classic/features...ring/index.html

Hamilton and Räikkonen Spa 08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FzNZSaKOsQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu9T9B1Rg00

BTCC Silverstone Finale 1992
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCij9mYIokA

Rallycross - Lyngås 1994
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmpVpPD2FqA


EDIT: Ops, sorry, missed the "sportscar" part. The vids are worth watching though

Not to be too nitpicky, but I was asking about the best final laps in sportscar racing history. Kimi/Lewis at Spa was F1, and in the realm of F1, IMO that wasn't anywhere near a great final lap compared to others like Jerez '86, Monza '71, and Dijon '79 (which is probably the best bit of racing in any series ever IMO).

I'm relatively young, so unluckily I wasn't born when any of those races took place Going to try to find them on youtube and watch. Sorry for posting wrong stuff, misread the title.

The GT2 battle in 2009 was some of the most intense racing I have seen. It's a shame you only link to the last lap, the full clip is a fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3y0tbdpcFc&feature=fvw

It certainly was a great race, and makes me thank the lucky stars that GM decided to switch to the GT2 class rather than simply pulling out of racing altogether when the competition withered in GT1. This year will hopefully have more of the same with a better developed M3 more consistently on the pace and another competitive Ferrari team on the grid with Scott Sharp's new outfit. My only wish is that Ford would put some money into the Robertson GT program so that they could afford to run with 2 professional drivers rather than David Murry having a great stint and handing over to the Robertsons who doodle around 3 or 4 seconds off the pace. It still amazes me how competitive the 430 remains, after being essentially the same since 2006. It helps that Risi is the best/luckiest GT team in the world, but for them to sweep all the big endurance races in the last 2 years is astonishing considering the competition they've faced.

I don't know if your just looking for racing laps but if not Stefan Bellof's record lap on the Nurburgring has to get a mention.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqFrqLBcCGk

"Best last laps in sportscar history?"

There are plenty of great laps in terms of driving skill and lap records and such, but yes, I was specifically looking for racing battles in the last lap or two of sportscar races. Tried to be clear with the title...

My apologies I totally missed the 'last' bit I've put my glasses back on now!*




*Hey its a cool lap though even if its completely off topic.

not in terms of racing but I think in Le Mans 1990, there was a Porsche 962 that was in 2nd place pretty much the entire race only to break down on exit of the Mulsane corner, on the last lap.

Must have been heartbreaking for the team/driver.

Think that was the Brunn car with Oscar Laurrari driving, that was a tragic end for a great effort against heavily favored factory opposition!

Great topic, great first two videos.


This, especially the BTCC video, is just insane...

Fight between Massa and Kubica on the last lap of Japanesse GP in 2007 was nice.
I wonder what would be the outcome with todays wide front wings...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XVjZQxY9z4

LOL, I guess I need to say it again before people keep posting off topic- I was looking for opinions about the best last racing lap in SPORTSCAR RACING history... be it ALMS, Group C, Group 5, whatever... so long as it's sportscar racing.

Raikkonen / Fisichella, Suzuka was epic, and all time was 2008 Brazil GP .

There aren't that many examples of close finishes in sportscar races because they are so long most of the time that the gaps between the cars stretch out.

What about "Mad Max" Papis' late charge? I guess that was his entire stint but it came at the end of a 24-hour race!

Nothing wrong with that stint, he had that ferrari spitting flames. Look at my avatar to know what that's like. It's true that there aren't terribly many close finishes in sportscars, but in the sprint races you still find the occasional great race. Another one that pops into my mind is Mosport 2000 in the ALMS, the Audi was out on rain tires but the track was drying quickly and the BMW LMR on slicks was reeling him in, I think the gap at the start of the final lap was 6 seconds or something like that and the LMR ended up just a couple of tenths behind after trying an overtaking move around the outside of the last corner. Strangely, the GT1 race in that same event was nearly as close when the Corvette nearly passed the Viper in the last turn for the lead. There were also a couple great races at the end of 2007 where the Penske Porshce Spyder was right on the tail of the R10 at Petit Le Mans and again at Laguna Seca during the last lap, but in both cases the Audi's torque was too much and even though the Porsche could pull alongside, it could never get a pass to stick because of its inferior speed. Interesting battles, though.

Funny that as I make this thread, the ALMS race at Long Beach turns out to be stellar. Very similar matchup to the Porsche/Audi battles I alluded to in the previous post, the Highcroft Acura/HPD was much faster than the Lola Aston through the twisty stuff but they were losing something like 2 seconds to the Aston every time they came onto the main straight. Surprisingly, on the last lap Fernandez made a mistake and let the Acura through with just a couple corners left, and he didn't have enough space to pass Pagenaud again before the line. Fantastic racing, and the Aston and Acura sound great accelerating off the final corner together.

It was Jesus Pareja driving when the engine failed with about 15 minutes to go. (Also, it's spelled Brun, not Brunn )


And guys, the topic is great finishes in SPORTSCAR history. So please, no more F1/touring car/whatever else videos here.

No, I'm quite sure it was on the very last lap so it couldn't have been 15 minutes to go. Unless were not talking about 1990 Le Mans.

I've got the Radio Le Mans-narrated review and I've watched that bit countless times. The #2 and #3 Jags made a pitstop with 18 minutes to go, the #16 Porsche had pitted probably one or two laps earlier, and after the Jags left the pits, the shot switched nearly instantly to the Porsche with the engine smoking very heavily. Martin Haven (currently commentating on LMS/Le Mans for Eurosport) was the pit-lane reporter for Radio Le Mans for that race, and he very clearly mentioned, when the Brun Porsche finally ground to a halt, that there were still 15 minutes to go in the race.

Also, the result sheet puts the car on 353 laps completed, and it was in 2nd place when the engine blew up. The Jag that was behind it and which eventually passed it for 2nd completed 355 laps at the end of the race.

Ah yes my apologies, it wasn't the very last lap. Here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoLiw0J1Xc0...feature=related

Sorry about that I hadn't watched it in a long time.