Safety Cars (SC) were deployed early in the morning at 03:45:37 and remained on the track until 08:11:12, at which point the #8 Toyota Gazoo Racing took the lead with Ryo Hirakawa driving the #8 Toyota GR010 Hybrid Hypercar.
However, when the track went green again, the top six cars were all on the same lap. This resulted in the 24-hour race becoming divided into two parts, with an eight-hour sprint to the finish line at 16:00 (CET) local time.
Hirakawa replaced Hartley as the driver of the leading Toyota. Hartley, a New Zealander, had complained of leg cramps after the prolonged period of the Safety Car.
The long Safety Car period began during the 13th hour of the race. The #311 Whelen Cadillac Racing entry, driven by Jack Aitken, spun into the gravel, causing the deployment of the Safety Car due to rain. The Safety Car remained on the track for several more hours as the weather conditions worsened.
The #6 Porsche 963 is only a few seconds behind the leading car, the #8 Toyota GR010.
Plenty of action can occur in the remaining seven hours! #WEC #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/aj0cog3NU7
— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) June 16, 2024
In pursuit of the top spot in the Hypercar category, the #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport-run Porsche 963, driven by Laurens Vanthoor, held second place. Ferrari AF Corse, represented by the Prancing Horse, was in third place with the #6 Porsche close behind. Ferrari had lost time earlier in the race due to tire strategy.
The #7 Toyota, in fourth place, managed to avoid a penalty for a pit stop error. Nyck De Vries, who took over from teammate Jose Maria Lopez, rejoined the wrong Safety Car train. Robert Kubica was in fifth place driving the #83 Ferrari, which had previously led the race but dropped back after receiving a 30-second stop-and-go penalty for causing a collision with the #15 BMW M Hybrid driven by Dries Vanthoor.
The #38 Hertz Team JOTA-run Porsche 963 was in sixth place, with Jenson Button behind the wheel for the restart. Fellow Briton Alex Lynn was one position behind in the #3 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R. Following them were the #51 Ferrari AF Corsa in eighth place, the #2 Cadillac Racing in ninth place, and the #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport completing the top ten.
In the LMGT3 category, the #92 Manthey PureRXcing Porsche was leading, followed by the #91 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 in second place. The #95 United Autosports McLaren held third place, while the #59 car, also from United Autosports, received a drive-through penalty for James Cottingham’s speeding under a Full Course Yellow.
In fourth place was the Akkodis ASP Team with the Lexus RC F LMGT3, and Team WRT with Sean Gelael driving the BMW M4 LMGT3 rounded out the top five.
In the LMP2 category, the Pro-Am #183 AF Corse was in the lead, with Francois Perrodo completing his driving stint during the extended Safety Car period. Ben Barnicoat was set to take over the wheel as the race was expected to resume soon. In second place was the #22 United Autosports, and the early race leader, the #10 Vector Sport entry, completed the top three.
The first half of the 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans has been marred with inconsistent weather conditions, with 12 hours to go and thanks to a safety car intervention, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Porsche 963 took the lead in the Hypercar category ahead of strong competitors like Toyota Gazoo Racing, Ferrari AF Corse, and Cadillac Racing.
At the halfway mark, Porsche Penske Motorsport, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Ferrari AF Corse are engaged in a fierce battle for the lead, with all of the top 9 Hypercars on the same lap!
Porsche Penske Motorsport held the top position at 04:00, but Toyota Gazoo Racing remains unfazed. Drawing from their extensive experience, the Japanese team is strategically maneuvering to outwit their rivals.
The team’s drivers are also performing exceptionally well. The #8 GR010 Hybrid, driven by Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, and Ryo Hirakawa, currently holds second place, followed by Cadillac Racing’s #3 Cadillac V-Series.R.
The race has witnessed several unexpected turns over the past four hours: AF Corse’s #83 Ferrari 499P received a 30-second penalty after colliding with BMW M Team WRT’s #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, resulting in the latter’s retirement.
Earlier in the race, Team WRT’s #46 BMW M4 LMGT3 encountered a race-ending incident when Ahmad Al Harty lost control of the car between the Dunlop chicane and the Tertre Rouge “S”. Al Harty shared the car with Maxime Martin and nine-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi.
A second phase of neutralization began at 03:45 as the rain intensified, causing Whelen Cadillac Racing’s #311 Cadillac V-Series.R to spin out at the Tertre Rouge “S”. The two Toyotas quickly refueled and switched to wet tires, allowing the #6 Porsche 963 Hypercar to take the lead.
The LMP2 category has also provided thrilling competition. The battle for first place intensified between Nielsen Racing’s #24 ORECA 07-Gibson and AF Corse’s #183, but at 02:44, the #24 driven by David Heinemeier Hansson collided with Proton Competition’s #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3 at the Tertre Rouge “S”. This incident led to the British team relinquishing their lead to the Italians.
The engine of Duqueine Team’s #30 ORECA 07-Gibson, driven by John Falb, James Allen, and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, failed approaching the Daytona chicane.
In the LMGT3 category, Team WRT’s #46 BMW M4 LMGT3 faced a race-ending incident when Ahmad Al Harty lost control of the car between the Dunlop chicane and the Tertre Rouge “S”. Al Harty shared the car with Maxime Martin and nine-time MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi.
The LMGT3 category has witnessed an impressive duel between Porsche and McLaren for first place. Manthey PureRacing’s #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3, driven by Aliaksandr Malykhin, Joel Sturm, and Klaus Bachler, currently holds the lead ahead of the #91 Porsche and United Autosports’ #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo. The top 8 cars in the category are all on the same lap.
During the night at the 24 Hours Le Mans race, an intriguing battle unfolded involving the #83 Ferrari 499P driven by Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman, and Yifei Ye. They set the pace while being closely pursued by Porsche and Toyota, as well as the other two Ferraris.
Kubica, a former Formula 1 driver, briefly took the lead during the initial stint as the “underdogs” in the three-car Ferrari defense of their 2023 Le Mans title. The privateer’s third car for Le Mans stole the spotlight. Here’s the official report after four hours by the FIA WEC media team:
As darkness descended upon Le Mans, the top ten teams in the Hypercar class remained on the same lap. A brief period of rain in the second hour of the race caused a shuffle in the standings as some competitors opted for wet-weather tires to play it safe. However, sticking with slicks proved to be the right choice in this instance.
[This report will be updated as needed throughout the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours. Please refresh this page for the latest version. Enjoy the race!]
On the second pit stop, the Porsche Penske team equipped the #6 car with soft tires. However, as the first raindrops fell at 17:37, followed by a downpour at the Porsche Curves a minute later, several cars decided to switch to wet-weather tires. Others delayed the decision since various sections of the 13.626 km circuit were still dry.
A captivating battle ensued between Robert Kubica in the #83 Ferrari 499P from satellite team AF Corse, leading on soft slicks, and the #50 factory counterpart on medium tires. The Polish driver showcased his experience by fending off numerous attacks from Nicklas Nielsen. However, the Dane eventually overtook Kubica to reclaim the lead just before 6 o’clock.
Due to the flurry of pit stops, the #83 AF Corse Ferrari, now driven by Robert Shwartzman, found itself in the lead ahead of the #5 works Porsche and the #8 Toyota.
Robin Frijns found himself forced to complete a full lap on three wheels. The Dutchman couldn’t pit after crashing the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 “art car” at the final chicane. The BMW M Team WRT mechanics spent 22 minutes attending to the car before it returned to the race.
French football icon Zinedine Zidane proudly waved the flag of France to commence the 92nd edition of the renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans today at 16:00 local time. This marked the beginning of an intense competition featuring one of the most formidable lineups in the history of this enduring motorsport race.
In the initial hour, the three Ferrari hypercars showcased their dominance, with Nicklas Nielsen in the #50 factory Ferrari 499P surprising his teammate in the #51 car, while Sébastien Bourdais in the #3 Cadillac V-Series.R made a remarkable start, gaining ground in the opening moments.
Demonstrating exceptional skill, the Dane swiftly overtook Laurens Vanthoor in the pole-winning #6 Porsche 963 at the Indianapolis section, securing the overall lead. Meanwhile, Antonio Giovinazzi, driving the #51 Ferrari 499P, exhibited remarkable speed on the second lap, clocking in at 3:30.347, propelling him to third place. Giovinazzi skillfully outmaneuvered Bourdais at the first chicane on the Mulsanne Straight.
After a few hours of intense racing, Ferrari secured the top two positions in the rankings, with the Italian driver surpassing Vanthoor’s position. However, the top eleven contenders remained fiercely competitive, all remaining on the same lap.
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We eagerly await tomorrow’s 16:00 finale to witness the crowning of the victorious team in the 92nd edition of this thrilling event. #WEC #LeMans pic.twitter.com/GHnlZ9veMe
— 24 Hours of Le Mans (@24hoursoflemans) June 15, 2024
Meanwhile, during the same time period, former Formula 1 champion Robert Kubica made a significant advancement in the AF Corse Ferrari 499P, starting from 12th place on the grid and leading for a period around the two-hour mark.
In the Hypercar class, the first mishap occurred with the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8. Marco Witmann lost control in the Forest Esses and collided with the barrier. Although Witmann was able to continue after turning around, he had to make a pit stop to change the nose of the car.
Vanthoor in the #6 Porsche briefly took back the lead upon leaving the pits, but it was short-lived as Nielsen quickly regained it. However, the #50 Ferrari will receive a ten-second penalty during its second pit stop due to an unsafe release.
The #99 Porsche 963 was forced into the garage after the marshals reported a potential issue with the car’s door on Neel Jani’s car.
After the second hour, Nielsen was in the lead in the works Ferrari, closely followed by Kubica in the yellow AF Corse version of the same car. Ferrari’s intentions are evident at this stage.
At the same time, approximately two hours into the race, certain sections of the track became wet due to rain, which led to differing opinions in the pit lane regarding the choice between wet or slick tires.
In the LMP2 class, the COOL Racing #47 Oreca 07-Gibson encountered a problem and slowly made its way to the pits at the end of the first lap. Later, it was reported that the issue was a radiator leak. The #33 DKR Engineering car also had a slow puncture and had to make a pit stop. The first car to veer off into the gravel in this class was the United Autosports USA #23 Oreca, driven by veteran American Ben Keating.
During the first hour, the Inception Racing #70 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo, driven by Frederik Schandorff, held the fastest qualifying time in the LMGT3 category. Ben Barker in the Proton Competition #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3, starting from fourth place on the grid, followed closely behind. Larry Ten Voorde in the JMW #66 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 was also in contention for the lead.
This report will be updated periodically throughout the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours. Please refresh this page for the latest version. Enjoy the race!
Let the competition begin! Psychological warfare, tactics, weather conditions, velocity, and stamina will be put to the test as 23 Hypercars, representing motorsport giants such as Ferrari, Toyota, Porsche, Cadillac, Peugeot, Alpine, Lamborghini, and BMW, compete for top honors in the most significant race of the 2024 WEC season.
Add to that the presence of 18 former Formula 1 drivers, the finest sports car drivers in the world, and all the ingredients are in place for an extraordinary race that will last for twenty-four hours, potentially making it one of the most remarkable races ever witnessed, at least on paper.
Before we proceed, it is important to acknowledge that as magnificent as the Le Mans race may be, it also has a tragic history. A total of 22 drivers have lost their lives at this venue. The most recent fatality was Aston Martin driver Allan Simonsen, who died while driving an Aston Martin during the 2013 edition of the race. This number does not include track marshals, spectators, or other race attendees, including the 1955 catastrophe that claimed the lives of 83 spectators.
Le Mans remains one of the most perilous motorsport events, so we sincerely hope for the safety of all drivers, team members, officials, volunteers, spectators, and everyone involved in this extraordinary endurance race. Our wish is that everyone returns home happily on Sunday night after what we anticipate will be an unforgettable race.
#7 Toyota Gazoo Racing sustains damage during collision in the warm-up session!! #WEC #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/ywDPu1K5AA
— FIA World Endurance Championship (@FIAWEC) June 15, 2024
With only 15 minutes to warm up on the 13.626-km Le Mans racetrack before the 16:00 start time, teams found themselves in a frenzy to prepare their cars for the race, especially as the weather conditions proved to be unpredictable.
Race Control declared the track to be “wet” and instructed the drivers to switch on their rain lights as a few droplets of rain began to fall. Scott Dixon from Cadillac Racing reported that the main wet spot on the track was located at Mulsanne.
While many cars made pit stops to change tires or even drivers during the warm-up session, the #7 Toyota GR010-Hybrid and the #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 had no choice but to return to their respective garages after Nyck de Vries in the Japanese Hypercar collided with Kelvin van der Linde from the Akkodis ASP Team LMGT3.
The #12 Porsche 963 was out on the track alongside the other 61 cars. The Hertz Team Jota mechanics accomplished a remarkable feat by rebuilding the car entirely from scratch after the original chassis was damaged in Callum Ilott’s accident during Wednesday night’s practice. The car quickly reached race pace and recorded the fifth-fastest time in the session.
However, the warm-up lap times reflected the cautious approach of the drivers on the slippery track, with only Robert Kubica in the #83 AF Corse Ferrari 499P managing to complete a lap in under 3:30. AF Corse also set the fastest time in the LMP2 category.
Before the official commencement at 16:00, a sequence of customs takes place. The vehicles align in a diagonal formation, a helicopter transports the French flag, there is a captivating performance of the Marseillaise with the audience participating, and the Patrouille de France aerobatics team executes a flypast.
As time passes, the anxiety builds up among the drivers. When the race director grants permission to set free the 62 cars, the excitement intensifies and the contenders embark on an unyielding 24-hour struggle.