24 Hours of Le Mans: Ferrari Dominates Early Stages
As the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans enters the nocturnal phase of its 93rd edition, Ferrari is asserting itself with a commanding lead. The #50 Ferrari AF Corse 499P, driven by Miguel Molina, has completed 92 laps and sits atop the overall standings, trailed closely by the #83 AF Corse Ferrari of Ye Yifei, just three seconds behind.
Alessandro Pier Guidi in the #51 Ferrari recently relinquished second place during a scheduled pit stop, which allowed Ye to inherit the position, highlighting the competitive nature among Ferrari’s stable. Meanwhile, Matt Campbell in the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 maintains third, as the race unfolds in what can only be described as a Ferrari stronghold.
The top five is rounded out by Sheldon van der Linde in the #20 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 and Ryo Hirakawa in the #8 Toyota GR010 HYBRID. The #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R and the #94 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 occupy sixth and eighth positions, respectively. Notably, the #7 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 HYBRID has struggled, receiving a 50-second stop-and-go penalty for pit lane speeding, yet remains competitive on the lead lap.
In LMP2 competition, the #48 VDS Panis Racing ORECA, driven by Oliver Gray, is leading the category. The #199 AO by TF ‘Spike’ ORECA follows in second place, particularly leading the Pro/Am sub-class. The #43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA experienced a significant setback during a pit stop, delaying its strategy and dropping it to fourth position.
In the LMGT3 class, the #46 Team WRT BMW M4 LMGT3 EVO leads with a clear gap over the #92 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche 911 LMGT3 R. Ryan Hardwick has taken over driving duties in the Porsche, previously driven by Riccardo Pera, who set the fastest lap of the race in the LMGT3 category at 3:56.179. The #78 Akkodis ASP Lexus and the #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari follow closely in the standings.
With 60 of the 62 starters still in the race, the #88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang remains the only retirement due to a crash involving Giammarco Levorato. The #60 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG faced an engine issue but has returned to the track after extended repairs.
A brief Full Course Yellow was prompted by the #95 United Autosports McLaren LMGT3 EVO, which stopped on the Mulsanne Straight but was quickly managed, allowing the race to return to green conditions swiftly.
As night falls over Circuit de la Sarthe, the strategies and tactics are expected to evolve, marking a critical period in this endurance classic.
