Marcel Fässler, the trailblazer - Marcel Fässler made history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans by becoming the first Swiss to win the race outright. Having joined Audi as a factory driver in 2010, he shared a car with German André Lotterer and Frenchman Benoît Tréluyer. The three forged a strong friendship and formed an excellent crew, winning Le Mans 24 Hours three times, in 2011, 2012 and 2014. They were also world champion drivers in 2012 and won eight World Endurance Championship races together. Although Audi no longer competes in the discipline, Fässler remains as a factory driver for Corvette Racing in LMGTE Pro.

Neel Jani, the Porsche man - Having made his endurance début with Rebellion Racing in the early 2010s, Neel Jani was appointed a Porsche works driver in 2014 when the marque made its flamboyant return to LMP1. He made no secret of his ambition to become the first Swiss driver to win Le Mans – in a Porsche. Following in the footsteps of Jo Siffert, he took pole position in 2015 and again in 2016, when he won the race in the last lap, teamed with Romain Dumas and Marc Lieb. Since Porsche’s withdrawal from endurance Jani has returned to Rebellion Racing, forming a distinguished crew with André Lotterer and Bruno Senna.

Sébastien Buemi, the persistent one - After three seasons in Formula 1 with Scuderia Toro Rosso, Sébastien Buemi‘s career took a new turn in 2012, when he was hired by Toyota for its Le Mans comeback. Having established an enviable record in endurance – 11 wins in the World Endurance Championship and a world title (shared with Anthony Davidson in 2014) – Buemi finally made it to the top step of the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, with Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso. In the running for a second world endurance racing title, Buemi is already the most successful driver in Formula E, with 11 wins to his name.

Mathias Beche and Thomas Flohr, the promising pair - Third at Le Mans this year, Mathias Beche went on to win the 6 Hours of Silverstone in August, his first WEC victory and a just reward for his long-term investment with his team, Rebellion Racing. Beche’s success reflects a solid grounding in LMP2, as one of the leading drivers of the European Le Mans Series. Amateur driver Thomas Flohr joined LMGTE Am last season and won the 6 Hours of Fuji. This year, for his second Le Mans 24 Hours he shared the wheel of a Ferrari 488 GTE with Giancarlo Fisichella, winner of LMGTE Pro in 2012 and 2014.

Photos: Top, Sébastien Buemi celebrates long-awaited victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Above, left to right, Marcel Fässler, Neel Jani (with helmet), Mathias Beche and the Ferrari 488 GTE driven by Thomas Flohr.