Le Mans 24-Hour Race: Eight-Hour Update
As the clock ticks past eight hours at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ferrari remains in the lead with its #499P, although a drive-through penalty has disrupted its bid for a dominant top-three finish. The #50 Ferrari, currently driven by Nicklas Nielsen, incurred the penalty for a yellow flag infringement linked to the stalled #95 United Autosport McLaren 720S GT3.
Other teams facing penalties include the #311 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R and the #93 Peugeot 9X8, alongside LMGT3’s #81 TF Sport Corvette. The #35 Alpine Endurance Team A424 also received a drive-through penalty due to an incident between Paul-Loup Chatin and Loic Duval’s #94 Peugeot 9X8, with stewards ruling Chatin at fault.
AF Corse’s #83 499P, piloted by Phil Hanson, adopted an aggressive strategy, leading for a significant portion of the hour before being instructed to relinquish the lead to James Calado’s #51 Ferrari AF Corse. Kevin Estre’s #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 holds third position, while the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010, with Sebastien Buemi behind the wheel, is fifth. Notably, the current top 10 includes five different manufacturers: BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Porsche, and Toyota.
In the LMP2 category, Esteban Masson in the #48 VDS Panis Racing ORECA is setting competitive lap times and maintaining a firm lead. The #43 Inter Europol Competition car, driven by Jakub Smiechowski, follows in second, trailed by Job Van Uitert in the IDEC Sport #28.
In LMP2 Pro-Am, the #199 AO by TF ORECA, despite a drop from earlier second place, continues to lead, with PJ Hyett currently in sixth place among LMP2 competitors.
The LMGT3 race sees Team WRT’s #46 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Ahmad Al Harthy, maintaining a strong lead, followed by Richard Lietz in the #92 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3R and Simon Mann in the #21 Vista AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3. Akkodis ASP’s Lexus RC F GT3s occupy fourth and fifth places, showcasing a robust performance.
Remarkably, the race has proceeded without any safety car periods after eight hours, further highlighting the competitive spirit and strategy on display.
