Aston Martin Dominates Night Practice at Petit Le Mans
The No. 23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie emerged as the fastest car in Night Practice 3 for the 28th annual Motul Petit Le Mans, marking a significant milestone for the V12-powered Hypercar in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Ross Gunn clocked a best lap time of 1:11.985, solidifying the team’s position after a solid performance at the WEC 6 Hours of Fuji.
Renger van der Zande in the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 followed closely, posting a time of 1:11.994 just before the session concluded. The Acura had a limited outing, resolving an electrical issue that restricted its laps until late in the practice session.
Matt Campbell, GTP championship leader, secured third with a lap of 1:12.048 in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963. Ricky Taylor in the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R placed fourth with a time of 1:12.150, while Robin Frijns completed the top five in the No. 25 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 with a lap of 1:12.185.
In the LMP2 category, Mikkel Jensen of TDS Racing claimed the top spot with a 1:12.697 in the No. 11 ORECA 07-Gibson. He was followed by Tom Dillmann of Inter Europol Competition and Ben Hanley of United Autosports USA.
Vasser Sullivan Racing’s Lexus RC F GT3s led the GT categories. Ben Barnicoat was quickest in GTD PRO, setting a time of 1:19.407 in the No. 14 Lexus, with Jack Hawksworth of the No. 12 Lexus just ahead in GTD at 1:19.322, despite suspension concerns earlier in the session.
The results highlighted a diverse performance across manufacturers, with seven represented in the GTD PRO top five. Other notable finishes included Giacomo Altoè in the No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3 and Laurin Heinrich in the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche.
The session progressed without red flags, with the only notable incident involving Tobias Lütke of Era Motorsport, who successfully resumed after going off track.
Qualifying for the Petit Le Mans is scheduled for Friday at 3:20 PM ET.
