BMW has made a triumphant return to Le Mans, dominating the track and setting the fastest time in Wednesday’s session. Surprisingly, neither of the Toyota Gazoo cars were able to secure a spot in the Hyperpole, which is a rarity for the reigning World Champions and five-time Le Mans winners.
In each class, only eight coveted positions were available on the Hyperpole grid. This made the qualifying session incredibly intense, as drivers pushed their cars to the limit for a chance to compete.
Early on, many competitors in the top class set blistering lap times, resulting in the top 12 drivers being within a second of each other. As the clock ticked down, the pressure mounted, leading to spins from Hartley, Bortolotti, Estre, and Kobayashi as they fought to secure one of the eight spots.
Unfortunately for Toyota Gazoo Racing, Kobayashi’s mishap just two-and-a-half minutes before the session’s end dashed their hopes of qualifying for the Hyperpole. The incident caused a red flag, and the stewards subsequently nullified the #7 car’s times.
In the final 15 minutes, the action intensified, with Vanthoor making a remarkable leap from outside the Hyperpole positions to the top of the standings. He achieved this feat with a lap time of 3:24.465 in the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8. Joining him on the Hyperpole grid are two Cadillacs, two Ferraris, two Porsches, and an Alpine.
There were also surprises in other classes. Malthe Jakobsen, driving the #37 Oreca 07-Gibson for COOL Racing, outperformed Louis Delétraz from AO by TF racing in the #14 car, which had been the fastest in the afternoon’s free practice session. Jakobsen completed a lap in 3:32.827, securing a commendable position. The #23 Oreca from United Autosports USA also put in a strong performance, finishing third fastest.
In the LMGT3 class, Ben Barker claimed the top spot with a lap time of 3:55.263. The #70 McLaren from Inception Racing showed great potential, securing second place after a consistent free practice session earlier in the day.
Unfortunately, the #86 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 from GR Racing encountered an electronic issue during free practice, preventing them from recording a qualifying time.
The teams participating in the 2024 24 Hours race have four additional hours of track time to fine-tune their car setups before the main event. During this period, drivers will aim to complete as many laps as possible in order to become familiar with the iconic yet challenging circuit. The first session will take place from 15:00 to 18:00, followed by the second session from 22:00 to 23:00.
In the Hyperpole event, the top 24 cars (comprised of eight Hypercars, eight LMP2s, and eight LMGT3s) that qualified the day before will compete for the perfect lap. The fastest lap time from each driver lineup will determine the overall classification. Participants are not allowed to enter the pit lane or refuel during this event, but they can freely choose their tires from their allocated quota. A ceremony honoring the pole-sitters will be held on the pit straight after the Hyperpole. Last year, Ferrari AF Corse’s #50 Ferrari 499P secured the Hyperpole victory with a time of 03:22.982.
Here is the schedule for the upcoming events:
09:00 – 10:00: Fun Cup – Free Practice 2
09:00 – 17:00: Arnage in the Race
10:30 – 10:50: Road to Le Mans – Qualifying 1
11:05 – 11:25: Road to Le Mans – Qualifying 2
12:00 – 12:45: Fun Cup – Qualifying
13:15 – 14:00: Lamborghini Super Trofeo – Race 1
15:00 – 18:00: 24 Hours of Le Mans – Free Practice 3
18:30 – 19:25: Road to Le Mans – Race 1
20:00 – 20:30: 24 Hours of Le Mans – Hyperpole
20:30 – 23:00: OJOS and Bigflo & Oli Concert
20:35 – 21:15: 24 Hours of Le Mans – Hyperpole Ceremony
22:00 – 23:00: 24 Hours of Le Mans – Free Practice 4