Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Sarah Bovy took their Porsche 911 RSR-19 to fourth place in what was the final race at the Circuit de la Sarthe for GTE machinery, missing out on the final podium spot to the GR Racing Porsche squad.
That was despite the pink-liveried #85 car featuring in the thick of the lead battle for much of the race, as the field was thinned out by multiple incidents in changing conditions.
As late as the end of the 20th hour the Iron Dames car still led, but the superior pace of the Corvette Racing and ORT by TF Aston Martin crews - both recovering from earlier dramas - told.
Frey, Gatting and Bovy still looked a strong bet for a podium until a brake change in the final hour demoted them to fourth behind the GR Porsche of Riccardo Pera, Ben Barker and Michael Wainwright.
“Obviously we are super disappointed,” said Bovy. “Finishing so close to the podium after fighting for the lead for so long is painful.
“The team did a tremendous job. At the end we were fourth and it is the best result we have done so far at Le Mans.”
Gatting added: “After being in the top two for so many hours, a brake change took us away from the podium in the end, although safety comes before anything else. I am proud of our team.”
Source: Autosport