On Sunday 11 June 2023, as the bells of the San Biagio parish church in the centre of Maranello tolled the Italian national anthem in a traditional announcement of a Ferrari race victory, not only did the world somehow feel like a better place, but more specifically, the bells signalled the spiritual return to form of sports-car prototype racing.
This genre’s premier division has been on life support since the end of 2017, following the withdrawal of Audi a year prior, and then Porsche. That left Toyota as the sole factory entrant, racing in a hall of mirrors for the next five years.
On the eve of its centenary celebration in 2023, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the crown jewel of endurance racing, deserved more. Via
