Aston Martin Leads at Halfway Point of 8 Hours of Bahrain
Bahrain, [Date] – The Aston Martin THOR Team has taken command of the 8 Hours of Bahrain, with the #009 Valkyrie leading at the race’s halftime mark after a pivotal Safety Car period.
Roman De Angelis showcased remarkable pace, advancing from fourth to first in under ten minutes following the restart, overtaking Alessandro Pier Guidi’s #51 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, and then swiftly passing both Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010-Hybrids. De Angelis claimed the lead from Sébastien Buemi’s #8 Toyota on lap 118, establishing a seven-second gap before a drive-through penalty for a Virtual Safety Car infringement.
This marks a historic moment for the Aston Martin Valkyrie, being the first instance in 2025 of an Aston Martin leading an FIA WEC race, joining all eight Hypercar manufacturers in achieving this milestone.
The sister #007 Valkyrie, piloted by Ross Gunn, successfully moved from ninth to fifth place since the restart. In contrast, the #94 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8, led by Théo Pourchaire, has fallen off the pace after initially challenging for the lead.
The opening phase saw the Toyotas, starting from a front-row lockout, exchanging the lead with Mike Conway’s #7 GR010 holding the top spot before Brendon Hartley’s strategic pit stop elevated the #8 Toyota. Despite an early dominance, the Toyotas lost their edge when De Angelis surged back into contention.
In the LMGT3 category, José Maria López leads in the #87 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus RC F LMGT3, having gained a significant advantage over Maxime Martin’s #61 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG after a stellar stint by Bronze-rated Petru Umbrarescu. The #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) is currently in third, having started 17th but making notable progress up the standings.
Challenges have plagued other competitors; the #81 TF Sport Corvette failed to advance from 14th place, while the pole-sitting #78 Lexus has spent the past two hours in the garage addressing an electronic fault. The only official retirement thus far is the #54 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 LMGT3, which suffered an accident triggered during a multi-car incident involving Jenson Button and Sheldon van der Linde, resulting in Button’s 30-second penalty.
As the race approaches its final stages, the competition remains intense, with strategic decisions and vehicle performance likely to shape the outcome.
Key Positions (At Halfway):
- Hypercar Class: 1. #009 Aston Martin, 2. #8 Toyota, 3. #7 Toyota
- LMGT3 Class: 1. #87 Lexus, 2. #61 Mercedes-AMG, 3. #92 Porsche
The race continues to promise high stakes as teams strategize for both speed and reliability in the second half.
