Truth in 24 (2008), An Intersport/NFL Films Presentation, 98 minutes

Truth in 24 II – Every Second Counts (2012), An Intersport/NFL Films Presentation, 83 minutes

For the month of June, it’s a double feature! This coming weekend marks the 94^th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Considered one of the three most illustrious races in the world, along with the Monaco Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, Le Mans is the ultimate test of endurance, where man and machine stretch their limits in a race that runs twice around the clock.

This month I’ve chosen two documentaries, Truth in 24 (2008) and Truth in 24 II – Every Second Counts (2012). Both films are ‘An Intersport/NFL Films Presentation’, and features an in-depth, behind the scenes view of the Audi Sport racing team as they prepare for the race, and then navigate the unexpected challenges thrown at them in the heat of battle. Their main rival on track is the French Peugeot racing team. Both films are narrated by actor, Jason Statham. His voice perfectly captures the drama and intensity of world class sports car racing.

Truth in 24 was filmed at the 2008 Le Mans race and released later that same year. The opening line in the film by Statham, “It always rains at Le Mans”, set the stage for what proved to be a dramatic conclusion to the race. In 2008, Audi found themselves as a clear underdog. Peugeot had incredible pace, which presented a clear challenge to the Audi drivers and race engineers. As the Le Mans 24 Hours unfolded, the focus turned to Howden “H” Haynes, race engineer for the Audi R10 TDI, car #2 with the driver line-up of Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, and Allan McNish. Two race strategies came into play that made all the difference in Audi’s ability to catch Peugeot and secure the win.

First, they reduced time spent in the pits by lengthening both tire and driver stints, which helped minimize unnecessary stops and saved valuable seconds. Quicker stops just for fuel only helped close the gap on track. Then ultimately the rain did come, and the race engineering decision by ‘H’ for the tires used in wet conditions proved to be the difference. Against all odds, Audi won. In the end their winning car took a total of 33 pit stops during the race. This was four less than Peugeot, for a collective difference of nine fewer minutes. For Tom Kristensen (Mr. Le Mans) it was his unprecedented 8th win, the 3rd for Capello, and the 2nd for McNish.

Truth in 24 II – Every Second Counts was filmed at the 2011 Le Mans race and was released in 2012. Once again, the front of the field featured the battle between Audi and Peugeot, and this year each team came in the new cars. For Audi, the R18 TDI was revolutionary, as it was their first closed top car and featured a full one-piece monocoque designed to enhance strength and greatly improve safety for the drivers. This proved to be lifesaving for two of Audi’s cars.

First, in the early stages of the race, car #3 driven by Allan McNish was involved in a spectacular crash in the Dunlop Esses. He was clipped in the rear as he attempted to overtake a slower car, careening across the gravel trap and slamming into the safety barrier, destroying the car. Any casual or seasoned viewer would have been right to fear the worst. But after a few heart-stopping moments, McNish climbed from the car under his own power. It was an incredible testament to the design of the new car. Later, during the overnight hours, Audi car # 1 driven by Mike Rockenfeller was involved in a massive accident on the high speed Mulsanne Straight. He was clipped by another car while overtaking and slammed into and over the guardrail at a speed of over 200 mph. The nighttime scene of the crash site looked like a war zone. And yet again, thanks to the engineering of the car, Rockefeller was able to climb out with no serious injury. This left Audi’s lone entry in the hands of Leena Gade, the race engineer for car #2, driven by Benoit Treluyer, Marcel Fassler, and Andre Lotterer. Once again, excellent race strategy and tactics enabled Audi to defeat the three-car Peugeot team, this time by a mere 13 seconds. It was Audi’s 10^th win in 12 years. And Leena Gade became the first female race engineer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Both films come alive thanks to the excellent cinematography and production work by the NFL Films crew. The in-car camera footage, especially at night, gives the viewer a sense of the incredible speeds reached while racing through the French countryside. The Le Mans track, or as it is officially known, The Circuit de La Sarthe, is 8.5 miles in length, with public roads making up over half the track. In Truth in 24 (2008), there’s a very special scene in which Allan McNish is sitting in front of a laptop and narrates of a lap around Le Mans. His intensity is infectious as you feel your blood pressure building while he describes the thrill of what it’s like from the driver’s seat perspective. In the end he sits back, relaxed, and you’ve just witnessed a lap of Le Mans in 3 mins 23 seconds. Wow!

If you want to know what the 24 Hours of Le Mans is all about, being part of a cohesive team of racing professionals, and striving for the ultimate prize, these are the films for you. Enjoy!

TJ….2026

TJ – vintage & historic racing coverage

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