That is, unless Toyota blows it again in 2017.
MORE: Le Mans 2017 results: Hat trick for Porsche
There’s a reason Automobile Magazine calls Toyota “the Chicago Cubs of endurance racing.” The manufacturer still has never won in the top class of the big race at Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France — its best chance came last year, before the No. 5 Toyota TS050 prototype lost power thanks to a turbo malfunction on its last lap, allowing Porsche to steal the win.
This year, Toyota isn’t messing around. The No. 7 Toyota TS050 Hybrid, driven in qualifying by Kamui Kobayashi, broke the track’s lap record Thursday and will start Le Mans 2017 from the pole position. The No. 8 Toyota driven by Kazuki Nakajima barely beat the No. 1 Porsche driven by Neel Jani for the second starting spot.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans begins Saturday morning for those watching from the United States. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the third race of FIA World Endurance Championship, one of the most prestigious auto races in the world.
Le Mans 2017: Live stream
Le Mans 2017: TV schedule
The green flag for the 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET Saturday, but FS1’s coverage of the race will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET.
FS1 will carry the coverage until 10 a.m. ET Saturday, and it will be picked back up by FS2 at 1 p.m. ET. FS2 will carry the coverage load into Sunday, with coverage switching back to FS1 at 1 a.m. ET for the remainder of the race, which ends at 9 a.m. ET Sunday.
Saturday:
8:30 a.m. ET — 10 a.m. ET (FS1)
1 p.m. ET — 1 a.m. ET (FS2)
Sunday:
1 a.m. ET — 9:30 a.m. ET (FS1)
Le Mans 2017: How to watch online
Fox Sports will stream the race live in its entirety via the Fox Sports Go app.
Le Mans 2017: Live updates
A Twitter List by TaddHaislop
Le Mans 2017: Qualifying results, grid lineup
(Drivers | Car | Class)
Conway/Kobayashi/Sarrazin | Toyota Gazoo TS050 Hybrid | LMP1
Davidson/Buemi/Nakajima | Toyota Gazoo TS050 Hybrid | LMP1
Jani/Tandy/Lotterer | Porsche 919 Hybrid | LMP1
Bernhard/Bamber/Hartley | Porsche 919 Hybrid | LMP1
Lopez/Kunimoto/Lapierre | Toyota Gazoo TS040 Hybrid | LMP1
Kraihamer/Webb/Rossiter | ByKolles ENSO CLM P1/01 Nismo | LMP1
Rusinov/Thiriet/Lynn | G-Drive Racing Oreca 07 | LMP2
Gonzalez/Trummer/Petrov | CEFC Manor TRS Oreca 07 | LMP2
Jarvis/Laurent/Tung | Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca 07 | LMP2
Prost/Senna/Canal | Vaillante Rebellion Oreca 07 | LMP2
Piquet/Beche/Heinemeier-Hansson | Vaillante Rebellion Oreca 07 | LMP2
Graves/Hirschi/Vergne | CEFC Manor TRS Oreca 07 | LMP2
Collard/Perrodo/Vaxiviere | TDS Racing Oreca 07 | LMP2
Panciatici/Ragues/Negaro | Signatech Alpine Matmut Alpine A470 | LMP2
Cheng/Brundle/Gommendy | Jackie Chan DC Racing Oreca 07 | LMP2
Aleshin/Sirotkin/Shaytar | SMP Racing Dallara PS217 | LMP2
Menezes/Rao/Dumas | Signatech Alpine Matmut Alpine A4713 | LMP2
Guibbert/Trouillet/Winslow | Graff Oreca 07 | LMP2
Allen/Matelli/Bradley | Graff Oreca 07 | LMP2
Rojas/Hirakawa/Gutierrez | G-Drive Racing Oreca 07 | LMP2
Owen/de Sadeleer/Albuquerque | United Autosports Ligier JSP217 | LMP2
Hedman/Hanley/Rosenqvist | Dragonspeed – 10 Star Oreca 07 | LMP2
Lammers/van Eerd/Barrichello | Racing Team Nederland Dallara PS217 | LMP2
Lacorte/Sernagiotto/Belicchi | Cetilar Villorba Corse Dallara P217 | LMP2
Patterson/McMurray/Capillaire | Algarve Pro Racing Ligier JSP217 | LMP2
Barthez/Buret/Berthon | Panis Barthez Competition Ligier JSP217 | LMP2
Chandhok/Moore/Hanson | Tockwith Motorsports | LMP2
Konopka/Calko/Breukers | ARC Bratislava Ligier JSP217 | LMP2
Lafargue/Lafargue/Zollinger | Idec Sport Racing Ligier JSP217 | LMP2
Keating/Bleekemolen/Taylor | Keating Motorsports Riley MK30 | LMP2
Nicolet/Nicolet/Maris | Eurasia Motorsport Ligier JSP217 | LMP2
Turner/Adam/Serra | Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE | GTE Pro
Calado/Pier Guidi/Rugolo | AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Pro
Thiim/Sorensen/Stanaway | Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE | GTE Pro
Rigon/Bird/Molina | AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT | GTE Pro
Briscoe/Westbrook/Dixon | Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA Ford GT | GTE Pro
Magnussen/Garcia/Taylor | Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R | GTE Pro
Christensen/Estre/Werner | Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Pro
Johnson/Mucke/Pla | Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Ford GT | GTE Pro
Priaulx/Tincknell/Derani | Ford Chip Ganassi Team UK Ford GT | GTE Pro
Gavin/Milner/Fassler | Corvette Racing Corvette C7.R | GTE Pro
Vilander/Fisichella/Kaffer | Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Pro
Hand/Muller/Kanaan | Ford Chip Ganassi Team USA Ford GT | GTE Pro
Lietz/Makowiecki/Pilet | Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Pro
Rees/Brandela/Philippon | Larbre Chevrolet Corvette C7.R | GTE Am
Dalla Lana/Lamy/Lauda | Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE | GTE Am
Mac Neil/Sweedler/Bell | Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Ried/Dienst/Cairoli | Dempsey-Proton Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am
Cameron/Scott/Cioci | Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Smith/Stevens/Vanthoor | JWM Motorsport Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Krohn/Jonsson/Bertolini | DH Racing Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Yoluc/Hankey/Bell | TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage | GTE Am
Howard/Gunn/Bryant | Beechdean AMR Aston Martin Vantage | GTE Am
Long/Al Faisal/Hedlund | Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am
Mok/Sawa/Griffin | Clearwater Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Wee/Katoh/Parente | Clearwater Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Bachler/Lemert/Al Qubaisi | Proton Competition Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am
Flohr/Castellacci/Beretta | Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
Wainwright/Barker/Foster | Gulf Racing Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am
Nielsen/Balzan/Bret | Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GTE | GTE Am
(Qualifying results via Crash.net)