Race Report: 28th Motul Petit Le Mans
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta – As the 28th Motul Petit Le Mans approaches its finale, the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R has claimed the lead with two hours remaining, drawing from a strategic pit stop during a full-course yellow period. The No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 is poised to clinch the GTP Championship, trailing the Cadillac.
The race was briefly interrupted with 4h10m left when contact between the No. 47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 and the No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW brought out the yellow flag. Under caution, the No. 31 Cadillac seized the opportunity, with Frederik Vesti setting a series of fastest laps post-restart, evading the RLL BMWs and the Penske Porsche.
Currently, Aitken in the Cadillac maintains a lead over Matt Campbell in the Porsche, both preparing for imminent pit stops. The No. 63 Lamborghini Squadra Corse SC63—sporting a single working headlight—follows in third, with the No. 93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 close behind. Previously, the No. 24 RLL BMW M Hybrid was in third, but has now dropped in the standings.
In the LMP2 category, the No. 99 AO Racing ORECA 07-Gibson has risen from ninth to second following a recovery from an early puncture. The No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA has retired due to mechanical issues, allowing AO Racing’s PJ Hyett and Dane Cameron to secure the LMP2 championship, as their rivals failed to meet the necessary results.
Hunter McElrea leads LMP2 in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA after serving a mechanical penalty, while Jonny Edgar in the No. 99 ORECA eyes a potential class victory.
In GTD PRO, Nico Varrone’s No. 4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R currently leads but will soon hand over to the dominant No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which has shown a strong performance. Dan Harper continues where co-driver Max Hesse left off, maintaining third in the Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3.
The championship battle in GTD PRO has intensified. With 3h45m remaining, Kyle Kirkwood in the Lexus overtook Daniel Juncadella in the Corvette, who subsequently lost third place to Giacomo Altoè’s DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3. The Ferrari faced setbacks with a drive-through penalty for an unattended tire and a collision with the GTD leader, Alessandro Pier Guidi’s No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari, resulting in a drop to seventh.
Despite the incidents, Pier Guidi continues to lead the GTD class, with the No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari in second and the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus in a strong third position. Both RC F GT3s are showcasing competitive performances, with the Heart of Racing Team’s Aston Martin Vantage GT3 also in contention.
The final stages of the 28th Motul Petit Le Mans promise intense competition as teams prepare for the closing laps.
