An error mistaking a driver for a marshal has been id♒entified as the extraordinary reason why the #7 Toyota retired from the lead of tﷺhe Le Mans 24 Hours.

Kamui Kobayashi, Mike Conway and Stephane Sarrazin led for Toyota 10 hours into the endurance classic from pole position when the #7 car slowed shortly after 🎐a pit-stop with what was later revealed to clutch problem.

With the Japanese driver unable to get the car back to the pit lane for repairs, 🔜it marked a bitter and sudden retirement for the car that had largely dominated from the flag.

However, in a bizarre twist, it has come to light the reason the clutch overheated was because Kobayashi on instruction of his team stopped at the end o🔜f the pit lane after its mistook a driver waving in enthusiastic support was mistaken for marshal asking him to stop.

"The lead car, the #7, had an extremely surprising problem," technical director Pascal Vasselon revealed to Eurosport. "It had been stopped in the safety car queue and some𓃲body who seemed to be a marshal came to make it start💎 up.

"But the light was red [in the pit lane], so we stopped it. He started and stopped again two or three times, wh🌱ich was not planned, and it overheated the clutch."

As it turns out, the person in question was Algarve Pro Racing driver Vincent Capillaire, who was waving encouragement towards Kobayashi. However, his position near the end of the pit lane coupled to his orange overalls - perceived similar to that of the marshals - caug🦋ht Toyota out.

Capillaire was later fined for the inci💫dent, the Frenchman owni𝓀ng up to his mistake and apologising for the confusion caused.

"I was waiting for my t🐟urn, helmet on the head at my box. I wanted to show my encouragement to the leader car, stopped at red light a few metres in front of my box. ♎It was a spontaneous encouragement mark as it happens between drivers. I was fined by Stewards for this gesture and I admit it was inopportune. I regret that."

The exit, coupled to a crash for the #9 car and long delays for the #8 car meant Toyota's wait for an elusive L🐎e Mans win suffers on for another year.

The #2 Porsche won the Le Mans 24 Ho꧑urs - for the manufacturer's third consecutive suc☂cess - with the Algarve Pro Racing team ending up 32nd.