2025 Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day Summary: AF Corse Leads the Charge
The 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours Test Day commenced at Circuit de la Sarthe, with AF Corse’s Robert Kubica achieving the fastest lap in the #83 Ferrari 499P, clocking in at 3:27.010. This time not only set the standard but also positioned the Ferrari a full second ahead of its nearest competitor.
Brendon Hartley’s efforts in the Toyota #8 GR010 secured second place with a time of 3:28.000, while JOTA’s #38 Cadillac completed the top three in the Hypercar category. The #51 Ferrari driven by Antonio Giovinazzi placed fourth, followed by the Whelen Cadillac in fifth. Notably, the Penske Porsche #6, which led early in the session, finished sixth. BMW Team WRT’s #20 M Hybrid V8 rounded out the top seven, two seconds behind the leader.
Jack Aitken, who piloted the Whelen Cadillac for two hours, noted, “The track was in surprisingly good condition… it was nice to jump straight in and look at the details.” All 21 cars in the Hypercar class completed extensive laps, with the exception of the #99 Proton Competition Porsche.
Despite fluctuating conditions, the session featured notable performances from Aston Martin THOR Team, with their Valkyries finishing 11th and 15th, indicating a 2.4 second gap to the frontrunners.
In LMP2, RLR’s #16 ORECA dominated with a lap time of 3:36.593 by Patrick Pilet, closely followed by CLX Pure Racing’s entry at 3:36.853. The top 16 LMP2 finishers were separated by only three seconds.
The LMGT3 category saw the #87 Lexus RC F GT3 from AKKODIS ASP claim the fastest time, set by José María López at 3:57.109. The #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari interrupted Lexus’s dominance in second, with the #57 Kessel and #150 Richard Mille AF Corse Ferraris completing the top five.
The session was not without incidents. Luca Ghiotto’s off at Porsche Curves led to significant damage for the #34 Inter Europol ORECA, invoking safety protocols. Moreover, the #45 Algarve Pro Racing ORECA suffered an unusual engine failure after just eight laps, prompting an impressive turnaround; the team managed to replace the engine and return to the track before the session concluded.
The next practice session is scheduled to start at 15:30 local time, with teams optimistic about improving lap times as they prepare for the iconic endurance race ahead.
