2025 Le Mans Test Day: Toyota and United Autosports Lead the Pack
The 2025 Le Mans Test Day showcased intense competition and promising performances, headlined by Toyota’s #8 GR010 HYBRID. Brendon Hartley set the fastest lap of the day with a remarkable 3:26.246 in the second three-hour session, surpassing AF Corse’s Robert Kubica, who clocked in at 3:27.010 during the earlier session.
Ferrari’s presence was strong, with the #51 AF Corse 499P securing second place at 3:26.777, followed closely by the #83 Ferrari in third with a 3:26.902. Notably, the top three positions underscored a competitive field, as only 1.508 seconds separated the frontrunners among six different manufacturers, including Alpine and Porsche, in positions fourth through sixth.
In LMP2, United Autosports dominated, with its #22 ORECA posting a leading time of 3:35.770. TDS Racing’s entry followed closely, marking the fastest time for the Pro/Am subclass.
The GT category saw AKKODIS ASP’s #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 take the top spot, improving to a 3:55.276, which also represented a significant advancement over last year’s best time of 3:59.883.
However, the sessions were marred by three incidents resulting in red flags. Sheldon van der Linde’s #30 Team WRT BMW became stranded in gravel, while Giorgio Roda’s #11 Proton Competition ORECA sustained damage after hitting barriers, culminating in a final stoppage caused by the #63 Iron Lynx Mercedes.
Key Times:
- Hypercar:
- 1st: #8 Toyota GR010 – 3:26.246
- 2nd: #51 Ferrari AF Corse – 3:26.777
- 3rd: #83 Ferrari – 3:26.902
- LMP2:
- 1st: #22 United Autosports ORECA – 3:35.770
- GT:
- 1st: #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 – 3:55.276
The Test Day sets a promising tone as teams prepare for the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans, with competitive times reflecting advancements in technology and strategy across various categories. Further updates will follow as the event nears.
